Almond Flour Coffee Cake
This is the best crumb cake recipe ever. It has almond flavor throughout, the crunch of toasted sliced almonds, and the perfect ratio of crumb topping to cake, about 1:1. My Almond Crumb Cake Recipe is perfect for breakfast or dessert with a cup of coffee or tea. This easy almond flour coffee cake recipe is low carb, keto, gluten free, grain free, sugar free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
My husband is not a big dessert guy. He prefers desserts that are more subtle in their sweetness like cheesecake or lemon cookies versus a big hunk of chocolate cake with frosting. We spent his birthday in the car. Not the most fun way to celebrate. We had to drive ten hours to get home from visiting family for Easter.
So he ended up having two birthday celebrations. The first was the day before at his sister’s house in Michigan with my Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake. The second was the day after his birthday when we had a celebration at home with this almond flour coffee cake. He’s a lucky man. This has become my favorite keto coffee cake recipe over the last few years!
Ingredients
Butter – I use salted butter when baking but if you have unsalted butter, you can use that instead.
Joy Filled Eats Natural Sweetener – This is my go-to sweetener when I’m baking at home.
Eggs – The binding agent that holds the flours together.
Almond extract – You can also use pure vanilla extract as well.
Half and half – Yogurt could also be used if you don’t have half and half at home.
Almond flour – Adding almond flour creates a nice texture and is a great way to replace regular flour.
Coconut flour – Coconut flour adds a tiny hint of coconut flavoring that comes out nicely in this dish.
Golden flax – It’s always good to add in more fiber!
Baking powder – A small amount of baking powder is all you need.
Salt – Measure and add as needed. Omit if you’re using salted butter. I like using sea salt as my salt of choice.
Sliced almonds – I buy these presliced at the store but you can use your food processor to chop whole almonds at home as well.
How to Make Almond Flour Coffee Cake
I must admit I’ve never been a real fan of crumb cake until I made this crumb cake recipe. There is just something about the traditional flour and sugar crumb cake recipe that is boring to me. It needed some pizazz. Adding almond extract and toasted almonds gave it that boost it needed.
Step One: Mix together the batter in a medium bowl. I just mix all the ingredients together at once in a glass bowl with an electric mixer.
Step Two: Mix together the crumb topping in a small mixing bowl. You can mix the crumb topping in the same bowl with a wooden spoon.
Step Three: Pile the crumbs on top of the batter.
Step Four: Smooth out the topping.
Step Five: Bake the cake until golden brown.
Variations + Substitutions for Almond Flour Coffee Cake
Nuts: You can sub in any chopped nut for the sliced almonds in the topping. You can also omit nuts as well. Pecan pieces and walnuts would be a great choice.
Extracts: Other extracts can replace the almond extract.
Sour cream: If you don’t have half and half, you can use sour cream as well. It may change the flavoring a tiny bit but it still is a great option. This will change the carbs and will still keep the recipe not being dairy-free.
Berries: Berries can be added in between the batter and topping. Frozen berries work best.
Jam: Dollops of sugar-free jam can be swirled into the batter before adding the crumb topping.
Cinnamon: Turn this low carb coffee cake into a keto cinnamon coffee cake recipe or keto crumble just by adding in a dash of cinnamon. You can easily mix into the cake batter or sprinkle on top of the mixture as well.
Muffins: Why not use this and make coffee cake muffins? The crumble topping would be perfect to make muffins or even small keto cakes using a smaller cake pan.
Gluten-free flour: If you want to try and use gluten-free flours in this recipe you can but I haven’t tested it. Just be aware that most gluten free flour blends are not low carb.. This is a great way to make a gluten-free crumble or gluten-free coffee cake easily.
Paleo: For a paleo coffee cake you can try subbing in coconut oil for the butter, coconut cream for the half and half, and coconut sugar for the sweetener. Please let me know how it turns out with those swaps!
Common Questions
Where did crumb cake originate?
It’s always fun to find out where recipes come from. What was originally called “streusel” in Europe has now been referred to as crumb cake here in the states.
Is coffee cake and crumb cake the same?
They’re not. Both are typically used the same but you’ll find that a coffee cake has more of an actual cake texture while a crumb cake tends to focus a bit more on the streusel topping.
What can you use to keep cakes from sticking to the baking pan?
Parchment paper is a great option. Just line the pan and spray and that should be more than enough to not have the cake stick to the cake pan.
How do you know when almond flour coffee cake is done baking?
After you pour it into the prepared pan and bake for the time listed below on the recipe card, you can use a toothpick to check the doneness of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done and ready to be removed from the oven.
How to store leftover crumb cake
Make sure to store any leftovers in an airtight container with a lid. Keeping it nice and cool in the fridge can help it stay fresh for 2-3 days. If you want to reheat and enjoy warm, just a few seconds in the microwave will do the trick.
More Keto Coffee Cake recipes
I have gone on to make a few other variations on this crumb cake recipe. They are all unique so I recommend trying them all!
I hope you enjoy my almond crumb cake recipe! And then check out these other almond flour cake recipes!
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Almond Flour Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Batter:
- 2 tbsp butter softened
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 4 oz half and half
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Topping:
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- 1/3 cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup sliced almonds toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a square 8x8 pyrex with butter or cooking spray.
- In a bowl with an electric mixer combine all the batter ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly.
- Combine topping ingredients and mix until crumbs form. Sprinkle on top of the batter.
- Bake at 350 for 40 min until golden. If the topping starts to get dark cover with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published April 4, 2016. Revised and Republished January 10, 2022.
This sounds delicious! Making for my mother in law (sugar free needs) for her bday cake! We don’t have to be GF but almond flour is delicious, so I plan to keep that. Can I sub regular all purpose flour for the coconut flour?
I have never tried, sorry! I think it would work but can’t promise.
Can you use almond milk to make the half and half?
Yes
I made this and it is wonderful! I used a baking mix from one of the bloggers that had oat fiber as one of the main ingredients. It worked great and probably reduced the calorie density a little. I used the almond flour in the topping. I get the pleasure eating this that I used to get eating a Panera Bread bear claw. My husband loved it and my office coworkers did too. Great recipe. Thanks!
What was the flour mixture?
Probably THIS ONE from Briana! 🙂
Just tried the recipe tonight. Used 1/2 cup of Splenda in the batter and 1/3 cup Splenda in the topping. Turned out wonderful! Thank you so much!!
I’ve made this twice so far. It’s delicious. Once with the half and half and cream cheese and once with an equal amount of sour cream. There is not a big difference in texture but I prefer the sour cream texture, but it’s not quite as sweet. I also have tried it with a layer of sugar free cranberry sauce between the cake and the topping, delicious! I don’t get quite as much height in mine. Does yours actually rise? I can’t tell if it’s just the photo that makes it look taller.
What’s half and half mean?
It is half milk and half cream. It is common in the US.
Hi Taryn! Have you doubled this recipe before? How would you adjust the cooking time? I have a big family and I believe this is going to be a favorite! THANKS SO MUCH for creating it!!
I have not but I’m sure you can! I’d add 5 minutes on and then keep checking it. My guess is it’ll take 15 minutes longer.
Can this be made with THM baking blend instead of the other 3. If so, how much?
Hi Callie, you can use baking blend in the cake, definitely. Use a little bit less. I do think the crumb topping will be better with the almond flour.
This looks so good! Does it keep long?
At least a week in the fridge. If it lasts that long 😉
I just made this today. It’s very yummy and came out very moist. Taste like a bear claw donut to me. Lol. My only problem was you said in a comment your sweetness was 2 to 1 and all my sweetness were either different ratios or didn’t say so I wasn’t sure how much sweetness to use. I’m not good at figuring out what 2 to 1 is as I’m still learning. Without knowing how much your comparing your 2 to 1 ratio to on regular sugar. So I kept it within the range of 1/4 – 1/3 cup but tasted and dumped till I got it sweet enough. Thanks for this recipe.
Hi… I dont know what I did wrong.. I used the almond flour and coconut flour…. I bale it at 350 flr 30 mins.. it was dry.. I even added more HWC and a little Coconut oil… I used monkfruit..
The coffee cake was dry…and not sweet enougb… Any recommendations? It had a good taste just dry
Hi Loretta, did you add more cream and coconut oil to the cake batter or topping? How much monk fruit did you use? Was it a blend like Lakanto? Monk fruit is 1:1 with sugar. The sweetener I use is 2:1.
Do you know if honey can be used as a substitute for sweetener? And if so what the ratio would be? Thanks!
Maybe honey granules. I think liquid honey would make this too wet. You would need 1.5 to 2 times as much.
Hello, I was wondering if I could leave the cream cheese out? I can’t have any dairy, but your cake looks delicious! I hope it won’t mess it up if I dont use it?
You can sub in coconut milk and coconut oil for the dairy. This is a dairy free crumb cake based off of this recipe: https://joyfilledeats.com/blackberry-coffee-cake/ If you leave out the berries it is very similar.
Beautiful recipe. I would love to make this for a friend with an egg allergy. Has anyone tried it with flax eggs or another egg substitute?
I made this for my extended family – none of whom are on plan – and everyone LOVED it. I used cream , not half & half. Served it with a dollop of whipped cream. Didn’t have almond extract so I used vanilla. I will acquire almond extract before I make it again. But the vanilla was fine. Just not as “almondy”
Do I have to use a sweetener blend? Or could I just use eyrithritol?
Just erythritol should work but you will need more. Up to twice as much. The sweetener blend I use is twice as sweet as sugar. Erythritol is 1:1.