If almond croissants and coffee cake had a love child, this would be it — a soft, buttery vanilla cake swirled with silky vegan cream cheese, layered with rich homemade frangipane, and finished with a crunchy almond-vanilla streusel. The best part? It’s completely vegan and dairy-free, but you’d never guess.
Perfect for holidays, brunch, or an indulgent dessert, this bakery-worthy treat delivers all the almond croissant vibes without the extra work.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bakery-style texture – tender, moist vanilla cake with layers of filling and crumbly topping.
- Rich almond flavor – thanks to a homemade frangipane (almond paste mixture) that’s incredibly easy to make.
- Creamy swirl – dairy-free cream cheese adds a luscious ribbon of tangy sweetness.
- Crunchy topping – almond streusel bakes into the perfect crisp finish.
- Fully vegan – no dairy, no eggs, but all the flavor.
Recipe Components
- Soft Vanilla Cake – moist and tender, made in one bowl.
- Frangipane – almond flour, vegan butter, and sugar blended into a rich, nutty paste.
- Vegan Cream Cheese Filling – a simple blend of dairy-free cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Almond Vanilla Crumble – sweet, buttery, and loaded with sliced almonds for crunch.
Ingredients (full amounts in recipe card)
Frangipane Filling
- Vegan butter
- Sugar
- Almond flour & all-purpose flour
- Almond or vanilla extract
- Almond milk & salt
Crumble Topping
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Vegan butter
- Vanilla extract & salt
- 1/3 of the frangipane
- Sliced almonds
Cream Cheese Filling
- Vegan cream cheese
- Brown sugar
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla extract
Cake Batter
- Vegan buttermilk
- Vegan butter
- Sugar
- Dairy-free yogurt or sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt
How to Make Vegan Almond Coffee Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prep a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease.
- Make Frangipane – mix all ingredients into a paste and set aside.
- Make Crumble – combine ingredients (minus almonds), rub in frangipane until evenly distributed.
- Cream Cheese Filling – beat together all ingredients until fluffy.
- Cake Batter – whisk wet ingredients, then fold in dry ingredients with vegan buttermilk.
- Assemble – layer half the batter, cream cheese, frangipane, remaining batter, crumble, and almonds.
- Bake for 75–77 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool & Serve – let rest for 1 hour, dust with powdered sugar, slice, and enjoy.
Tips & Variations
- No Cream Cheese? Swap for a cinnamon-sugar layer for a more traditional coffee cake.
- Gluten-Free – Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum (King Arthur’s works great).
- Make Ahead – Bake the night before and store covered; flavors get even better by morning.
This vegan almond coffee cake is rich, nutty, perfectly sweet, and every bit as decadent as the real thing. Whether served at brunch or as a cozy afternoon treat, it’s guaranteed to impress.
If you’d like, I can also make you a Pinterest-perfect description for this almond