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    Home / Breakfast and Brunch Recipes / Breads and Muffins / Healthy Coffee Cake with Whole Wheat and Spelt Flours

    Apr 12, 2015 · Last Updated: Sep 22, 2021

    Healthy Coffee Cake with Whole Wheat and Spelt Flours

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

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    This Healthy Coffee Cake uses whole wheat and spelt flours. There is a generous crumb topping on top, and a layer of cinnamon chocolate swirl in the middle. It's delicious served served as is, but grilling it and adding a touch of salted butter gives it a savory edge. 

    Healthy Coffee Cake with Whole Wheat and Spelt Flours | The Worktop

    When I first made this healthy coffee cake, I immediately knew it was a winner with its light buttery texture, perfect ratio of crumble to cake and right touch of cinnamon spice (I credit Tim at Lottie + Doof for sharing the great recipe that I started with). I loved the chocolate and cinnamon swirl in the middle, but also could not get enough of the beautiful crumbly top.

    Healthy Coffee Cake with Whole Wheat and Spelt Flours | The Worktop

    I proudly brought it in to share with my fellow co-workers, and when the morning queue and coffee regulars were all served, one of the other baristas snuck off to our kitchen, where I had left this healthy coffee cake. In the ten minutes she was away, she did the best thing that has ever happened to a coffee cake.

    Healthy Coffee Cake with Whole Wheat and Spelt Flours | The Worktop

    She sliced it as if it were banana bread, grilled it in a panini press and spread a thin layer of butter on top. After my initial shock of "what have you done to the soft buttery texture of the cake by smushing" I took a bite and WOW! The toasted sides and the salted butter changed the entire character of this healthy coffee cake.

    Healthy Coffee Cake with Whole Wheat and Spelt Flours | The Worktop

    The sweet coffee cake had taken on a savory edge. The saltiness of the butter added richness to the crumble, and the melted butter brought creaminess to each bite of the cake. Grilling this healthy coffee cake also brought all the aromas to life again. It was a whole new coffee cake eating experience.

    After my coworker took her first bite, she gave me one of those quintessential British responses - polite, but you know something's off: "It's delicious, but sorry, I can't seem to taste the coffee flavour much." So I shared some good ol' American food culture with her and explained that coffee cake doesn't even contain coffee. And naturally, I apologized on behalf of the cake for having such a misleading name. I don't get this quirk either.

    Sprouted Whole Wheat Coffee Cake

    Healthy Coffee Cake - Whole Wheat and Spelt Flours

    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Serves: 18 slices
    Prep: 20 mins
    Cook: 1 hr
    Total: 1 hr 20 mins
    This healthy coffee cake is uses with whole wheat and spelt flours. It's delicious grilled and served with a slice of salted butter.

    Ingredients

    For the crumble topping

    • ¾ cup spelt flour
    • ¾ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
    • ¾ cup pecans
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter - cut into 1-inch (2cm) pieces

    For the cinnamon chocolate swirl

    • ½ cup unrefined sugar
    • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

    For the cake

    • 3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 sticks unsalted butter - at room temperature
    • 1 ¼ cups coconut palm sugar
    • 4 medium eggs
    • 16 ounces sour cream
    • 1 ½ teaspoons quality vanilla extract
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Make the Topping

    • In a small food processor, pulse the spelt flour, dark brown sugar, pecans and butter together until you have a coarse crumble. Set aside in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

    Make the cinnamon chocolate swirl

    • In a small bowl, mix the unrefined sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon together. Set aside.

    Make the cake

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C. Line an 8-inch x 12-inch pan (23-cm x 33-cm) with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, mix together the spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
    • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until fluffy. Add in the eggs and continue beating for about 1 minute, until they are incorporated. Add in the sour cream and vanilla and continue beating for another 1-2 minutes, until everything is well mixed.
    • Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture until everything is just combined, being careful not to over mix.
    • Carefully pour ⅓ of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread it out evenly. Using a spoon, evenly distribute on ½ of the cinnamon chocolate mixture over the cake batter. Carefully pour half of the remaining cake batter on top of the cinnamon chocolate mixture, and spread it out evenly. Using a spoon, evenly distribute the remaining cinnamon chocolate mixture over the cake batter. Carefully pour on the remaining cake batter on top of the second cinnamon chocolate layer. Evenly sprinkle on the crumble topping over the top.
    • Bake for about about 1 hour, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
    • To serve, slice the cake into about 4-inch x 1-inch slices (or larger if you prefer). Grill on high heat in a panini press for about 2-3 minutes, until the sides are toasted (or grill both sides on a skillet on medium-high heat). Serve with a slice of salted butter.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from Lottie & Doof.
    Course: Breads and Muffins
    Author: The Worktop
    Cal : 408kcal
    Note: Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
    Love this?I would appreciate a star review! Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using #theworktop and tagging me @theworktop.

    Rude Health provided me with the Sprouted Whole Wheat Flour and compensated me for the ingredients used in this post.

    « Apple Peanut Butter Smoothie (Vegan, GF, Dairy-free)
    Tina, We Salute You »

    By Tina Jui
    Filed Under: Breads and Muffins, Breakfast and Brunch Recipes, Breakfast for a Crowd, Christmas Morning Breakfast Recipes, Cooking Style, Fall Breakfast Recipes, Father's Day Brunch Recipes, Kid Friendly, Make Ahead, Oven, Quick and Easy Brunches, Valentine's Day Brunch Recipes, Vegetarian, Winter Breakfast RecipesTags: cakes, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, nuts, spelt, whole wheat

    About Tina Jui

    A breakfast lover and food blogger. Tina develops everyday breakfast recipes on The Worktop, and writes about all things related to breakfast and brunch. Read more about Tina Jui or drop an email to say hi.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Teresa jui says

      April 22, 2015 at 1:01 am

      5 stars
      I like it coffee cake with coffee ice cream yum

      Reply
    2. Josefine says

      April 16, 2015 at 6:31 pm

      It sounds so damn delicious grilling your coffee cake :) Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
    3. Trish says

      April 15, 2015 at 3:36 am

      YUM YUM YUM! I luuuuuv coffee cake! I guess I never really thought about why it's called coffee cake. Hmmmm......

      Reply
      • Tina Jui says

        April 15, 2015 at 9:56 pm

        Yea such a funny name for that cake! It never struck me as being odd, until I moved here, and I find myself having to explain it to everyone I share the cake with!

        Reply
    4. nagi.maehashi@gmail.com says

      April 14, 2015 at 11:30 am

      5 stars
      How did I not know that there is no coffee in coffee cake???

      I had to giggle at your description of your taste testing co worker.

      And BTW, you are giving out free food - the word "sorry" should never come into a sentence!!

      Reply
      • Tina Jui says

        April 15, 2015 at 9:56 pm

        It's such a misleading name, isn't it?! Is it common in Australia?

        I think I'm just picking up more British habits now that I'm apologizing for everything (including giving away free food! ha!).

        Reply
    5. jonathan says

      April 13, 2015 at 3:56 pm

      5 stars
      No more butter on toast for me :D

      Reply
      • Tina Jui says

        April 15, 2015 at 9:57 pm

        More butter on coffee cake, please!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tina and a lover of breakfast! The Worktop is where I share my everyday breakfast recipes. You can find lots of breakfasts and brunch ideas on my site. Many of the recipes are easy to make and healthy, but of course, you'll also find big brunch indulgences.

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