Vanilla Bean Crumb Snack Cake
This vanilla bean crumb snack cake is everything a good bakery-style cake should be: soft, tender, and topped with a thick cinnamon crumb that bakes up golden and cozy. It’s made without eggs or dairy, but you’d never know from the texture. This is the kind of simple snack cake that works just as well with coffee as it does for dessert — easy enough for a weekday bake, but impressive enough to serve to guests.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk (oat or soy work best)
- ⅓ cup neutral oil or melted vegan butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 5 tbsp melted vegan butter or neutral oil
Instructions
- 1Preheat and prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy lifting.
- 2Make the crumb topping
In a bowl, mix ¾ cup flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1½ tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Stir in 5 tbsp melted vegan butter or oil until large crumbs form. Set aside.
- 3Mix the cake batter
In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dairy-free milk, oil (or melted butter), apple cider vinegar, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk just until smooth — don't overmix.
- 4Assemble and bake
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the batter, gently pressing larger chunks into the surface so they don't disappear while baking. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden, crumbs look set, and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- 5Cool and serve
Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Use the parchment overhang to lift the whole cake out for cleaner slices.
