Coffee Cake with Homemade Gooey Caramel Drizzle (Vegan) – Chef Priyanka: Vegan Celebrity Chef, TV Host, Author

I take a lot of pride in the recipes I develop. I mean, who wouldn’t? There is time, effort, and most importantly, creativity and imagination that goes into the development process. But! I definitely don’t shy away from sharing other recipes that have inspired me or that I have adapted. Sometimes the classics, just need to stay as classics! Enter – Coffee Cake. I LOVE coffee cake. I’m pretty sure I was eating coffee cake at an age not really meant for coffee cake consumption – like I’m talking 5-6 years old? I absolutely LOVED the Drake’s Coffee Cakes my mom would give me. Moist, crumbly, sweet, and just the right size! But, I obviously I don’t consume packaged sweets anymore (you know, not vegan, palm oil issue, etc, etc, etc). That doesn’t mean I don’t think about my beloved coffee cake. And of course I had a craving this weekend.

I’ve tried this recipe before, which I adapted, molded, and “Chef Priyanka-fied” from The Kitchn and it came out FAB. So of course, I had add a little something extra. Next enters – ooey, gooey caramel. Made with…TAHINI! Yes! Seriously tahini is like a total superfood. If it’s not considered one, I am making it one, because it’s SO versatile and adaptable!

I also portioned this recipe so that it has double crumb to cake ratio, cause there is no other way! Anyways, here’s my recipe! Enjoy!

Coffee Cake with Homemade Gooey Caramel Drizzle:

Crumble Topping:

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tbsp vegan butter, melted – I used Earth Balance (it was salted)
1 cup all-purpose flour

Cake:

4 tbsp vegan butter, at room temperate – again, I used Earth Balance
3/4 cups regular raw cane sugar
3 tbsp vegan egg substitute – I used JUST Egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt – remember, all the butters are salted, so we don’t want to add TOO much
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 cups+2 tbsp vegan cream cheese or sour cream, at room temp – I used Tofutti

Caramel Drizzle:

1/2 cup tahini
1/2 maple syrup – I used Butter Maple from Bushwick
1 tbsp regular raw cane sugar
pinch of kosher salt
1 tbsp vegan butter

Tools:

9 inch round baking tin
parchment paper
cooking spray
squeezy bottle

Method:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spray your baking tin and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

1. Crumble: In a medium bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Pour in your melted butter and mix to incorporate completely. Now add your flour, mix together with a fork until combined and crumbly. It will be very buttery and delicious.

2. Cake: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip together the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. Switch to low speed and pour in your egg substitute. Mix until combined and add in vanilla extract to combine. Turn off the mixer and scrap the bowl down. Separately, combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer on low, add in half the flour mixture and mix. Then half of your sour cream/cream cheese, mix. Then the remaining flour mixture, then the remaining cream. Mix until no streaks appear. Stop, scrape bowl. Batter will be thick!

3. Pour: Pour into prepared pan and top with crumbles making sure to evenly distribute. Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove and completely cool.

4. Caramel: In a sauce pan, combine tahini, maple, sugar and pinch of salt. Bring to a boil – stirring constantly – then reduce to low and continue stirring. This process should take no more than 5-8 minutes. You want all the tahini to breakdown and become creamy and for the mixture to become a caramel color. Once smooth and thickened, remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and glossy. Be careful this will be very hot and can burn you! Once slightly cool down, transfer to squeezy bottle.