Family Favorites - May 2020: Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake (Soy, Nut and Fish-Free, Can Be Milk, Egg and Wheat-Free)

I decided to keep posting a family favorite recipe from the blog (with any adaptions that we use regularly, if applicable) on the fourth Friday or Saturday of every month this year.  {Sorry for the late post!  It's been another crazy week!}  This recipe will be one that we make quite often and that we all enjoy greatly.  This post is the fifth Family Favorites recipe of 2020.

If you have a recipe on your blog that you consider a family favorite that you'd like to share, please comment below with a link to the recipe, and I'll make sure to pop on over and visit your site to check it out (and leave a comment), and hopefully some of my other readers will, too.

This month's Family Favorite recipe is Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake.  This is simply a reposting of my original recipe with some tips and tricks added in.

Though we make this gluten-free now (see variations below), this recipe is still a favorite among family and friends.  It is all the flavor of cinnamon rolls without all the work!  These go together quickly, and are perfect for brunch or breakfast.  Did I mention they are soy, nut and fish-free (if all your ingredients are), and can be milk, egg and wheat-free?  Oh, yah!  What's not to love?

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake 

Cake portion:

3 Cups soy-free flour (unbleached white or white whole wheat work great)

(When I made this with gluten, I use King Arthur All Purpose Flour.)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Cup white sugar

(We always use cane sugar.)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 Cups milk

(We always use whole milk.)

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 Cup full-fat, salted butter, melted

Topping/Filling portion: 

1 Cup full-fat, salted butter, softened 

1/2 Cup brown sugar, packed

(We always use cane sugar.)

1/2 Cup white sugar
(We always use cane sugar.)

2 Tablespoons soy-free flour (unbleached white or white whole wheat work great)

(When I made this with gluten, I use King Arthur All Purpose Flour.)

1/2 to 1 Tablespoon cinnamon

pinch of salt (no more than 1/8 teaspoon) (optional)

(We always use this.)

Glaze portion:  

2 Cups powdered sugar

5 Tablespoons milk

(We always use whole milk.)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt (no more than 1/8 teaspoon) (optional)

(We always use this.)

1.  Preheat oven to 350^oF.
     
2. Grease a 9x13 glass baking pan with butter and set aside.
      
3. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients from the cake portion except melted butter until well combined, then mix in the melted butter until well combined and pour cake portion into the prepared 9x13 glass baking pan.
     
4. In another large bowl, combine all ingredients for the topping/filling portion until well combined and creamy.  (Note: The salt in this portion is optional.  I like adding it to make the sweetness pop, but some think it's overkill, so follow your personal preference here.  Also, the amount of cinnamon is based on personal preference.  I preferred it with the 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon, but if you love a lot of cinnamon flavor, you may want to use the full Tablespoon.)
     
5. Drop the topping/filling portion evenly over the cake portion by tablespoonfuls, and then use a knife to swirl the topping/filling portion through the cake portion.  It should look marbled when you are finished.
     
6. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted near the center comes out nearly clean. (Note: The toothpick/cake tester will never come out completely clean due to the nature of this particular cake, and you wouldn't want it to as your cake would be completely overcooked at that point.  You are looking for the parts of the cake that don't have the topping/filling swirled into it to be done - it should look like baked cake, not like cake batter.  If it looks like that and the toothpick/cake tester are coming out nearly clean, you're good to go!)
     
7. While the cake is baking, mix all the ingredients for the glaze portion in a medium bowl with a whisk until well combined. (Note: The salt in this portion is also optional.  I like adding it to make the sweetness pop, but some think it's overkill, so follow your personal preference here.)
     
8. When the cake it done, immediately drizzle the glaze over top of the cake. (Note: Pouring the glaze over top of the hot cake causes the glaze to melt into the cake and adds to it's gooey texture.  If you don't wish it to be quite that gooey, wait to add the glaze until the cake has cooled to just warm instead - about 10 minutes.)

Enjoy this cake warm or at room temperature for best results.  One recipe makes 12 generous portions or up to 24 small servings.

Variations (Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using variations):

• Milk-Free: Use non-dairy milk and non-dairy butter of your choice in place of the milk and butter in this recipe.  I do not recommend using oil for the butter unless you wanted to use coconut oil, though.  A solid fat is needed, so you could even use lard if you choose in place of the butter.
    
• Egg-Free: Use an egg replacer in place of the eggs.  For ideas on what to use in place of the eggs, check out my ingredient substitutions page, though I wouldn't suggest using the applesauce, banana or pumpkin substitution unless you want that flavor in your cake.
   
• Wheat-Free: Use a gluten-free baking mix in place of the flour.  I recommend using either King Arthur Flour's Gluten Free Baking Mix or Krusteaz Gluten Free Flour.  Both can replace the flour at a 1:1 ratio (i.e. 1 Cup mix = 1 Cup flour), and taste great!  You can also use another gluten-free flour of your choice, but note that you may have to add up to 3 teaspoons of xanthan gum or ground flax seed to the recipe for textural purposes.
    
• Other Glazes:  You can always use a frosting/glaze of choice for the glaze like cream cheese, chocolate, orange, maple, caramel, etc.  Use whatever is your favorite and fits your allergen needs.

I hope you will give this recipe a try soon and that it becomes a family favorite for you, too!