Description
Gluten-Free Apple Spice Coffee Cake made with creamy cottage cheese for extra protein, sweet Honeycrisp apples, and brown sugar for that perfect cinnamon-spiced flavor. A lighter, wholesome twist on a classic that’s perfect for breakfast or dessert!
Ingredients
Scale
Crumb Topping
- 4 tablespoons melted salted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend
Apples
- 2 honeycrisp apples, peeled and small/tiny diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Coffee Cake
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablepoons salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sugar Glaze (optional)
- 2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (if using)
- 1-2 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a spring form pan with parchment paper – I like to secure two sides with clips (remove the clips after the batter has been poured in before placing in the oven).
- To make the crumb topping, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fully combine and set aside.
- For the apples, peel and dice them – small to petite dice is best. Mix them with the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- To begin making the coffee cake batter, whip or blend the cottage cheese and eggs together. I like using a blender but a food processor works great too (see note below for additonal information). Pour this mixture into a bowl of a stand mixer. Add in the butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Mix on medium for 10 seconds or until combine. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
- Add in the gluten free flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Additionally, add in half of the prepared diced apples. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold all the ingredients together. Mix until everything is fully combine. Pour the batter into the prepared spring form pan – spread the batter so it’s a somewhat even layer.
- Spread the remaining prepared diced apples on top. Top the apples and batter with the crumb topping. I like to use my hands to break it up a bit while still leaving some chunks.
- Place the pan in your preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 50 minutes. Check the center for doneness – use a wooden skewer or cake tester. You want the batter to be fully cooked but not dry. Place the tester in the center of the cake – it should come out with a little crumb but not be fully coated with liquid batter. Bake for an additional 5 minutes, if needed. Remove from the oven and let cool in the spring form pan for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the spring form pan. Combine the ingredients for the sugar glaze in a small bowl and drizzle it over the cooled cake. Slice into and enjoy.
Notes
- For step 4 – whipping or blending the cottage cheese is not required. I like the consistency when it’s blended. When baked, the texture of cottage cheese will still be present. If you blend or whip it, it turns the texture and consistency into a smooth yogurt like feel.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste – dont’ worry. Vanilla extract can be used in its place. Or omit both.
- Best if enjoyed within 24 hours.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 55
- Category: baking
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: baking