Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bun Cake with Egg Nog Glaze (Dairy-Free Option)

This gorgeous and delicious Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bun Cake with Eggnog Glaze comes from my friend Kim Maes (formerly Cook IT Allergy Free and now at Healing the Gut and here).

When Kim first shared this recipe, she reminisced about special Christmas mornings with her family—“like sitting around the breakfast table together in our pajamas during the cold December weekends and enjoying special breakfast treats that are not normally made during the other times of the year.”

She added; “Yes. Those are the kind of traditions that are making the season for me.” I think those are the kinds of traditions that mean so much to all of us!

About this cake, she said: “This Cinnamon Bun Cake plays a big role on these special holiday mornings for us. It actually looks like and tastes similar to a giant cinnamon bun, but it is yeast-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, and easily egg-free.

Oh. And it is waaaay easier (and much faster) to make than real Cinnamon Buns.

I place a layer of cinnamon bun filling (and a layer of raisins) on the bottom of my pan, then pour half of the batter in. Then, using a ziplock bag with a corner snipped off, pipe a swirl of the filling and add another layer of raisins. Then I place the remaining batter on top of this and pipe the remaining filling in that same spiral pattern. Because we love the filling so much, I have been known to double the filling recipe below for an extra dose of decadence.

The result when it is done baking? Does it not look like a giant cinnamon bun?”

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bun Cake Before Adding Glaze

It really does; doesn’t it? And that’s before the glaze is added. It looks even more like a giant cinnamon bun once the glaze is drizzled over it.

I am so grateful to Kim for the absolutely delightful recipe! It pretty much satisfies your cinnamon bun craving in coffee cake form.

More Recipes From Kim Maes Here on Gluten Free Easily Plus Additional Cinnamon-Centric Treats

~ Gluten-Free Chocolate Fondue

~ Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

~ Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls for Two

~ Gluten-Free Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake (tastes like Friendship Bread!) and Other Gift Ideas

~ Gluten-Free Lemon Berry Muffins

~ Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Mexican Pizza

~ The Softest Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bun Cake with Egg Nog Glaze Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bun Cake with Egg Nog Glaze (Dairy-Free Option)

Print

Kim says: "This Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cinnamon Bun Cake with an Eggnog Glaze plays a big role on special holiday mornings for us. It actually looks like and tastes similar to a giant cinnamon bun, but it is yeast-free and gluten-free, and optionally dairy-free, corn-free, and egg-free.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 cup superfine brown rice flour (I like Authentic Foods brand) (see notes)
• 1/2 cup finely ground almond flour, such as Honeyville or Wellbees (for nut-free use cornstarch, quinoa flour, or millet flour) (see notes)
• 1/4 cup millet flour (see notes)
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch (see notes)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, aluminum-free
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 8 tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter or Miyokos vegan butter, softened to room temperature (IMPORTANT) (if not dairy-free, you can use regular butter)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar OR coconut sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature-IMPORTANT (For egg-free option: Mix together in small bowl: 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce with 1 1/2 tsp additional baking powder with 2 tbsp warm water and with 1 1/2 tsp Ener G Egg Replacer---use mixture where you would add eggs)
• 1 cup plain coconut milk yogurt (such as So Delicious brand) OR plain dairy-filled yogurt OR sour cream-room temperature---IMPORTANT
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 6 tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter, melted, OR regular butter, melted, OR coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins (divided)

Glaze Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter, or regular butter, melted
• 3 tbsp corn-free powdered sugar, such as 365 Organic Powdered Sugar made with tapioca starch (available at Whole Foods)
• 2 tbsp dairy-free egg nog, such as So Delicious Holiday Nog, or regular dairy egg nog
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Grease a 9-inch round cake pan on the bottom and sides. Then cut a piece of parchment paper to fit just in the bottom of pan, without letting it go up the sides.
2. In medium bowl, mix together superfine brown rice flour, almond flour, millet flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.  Whisk together until light and airy.
3. In bowl of electric stand mixer, beat vegan butter (or butter) and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Then add eggs (or egg replacer), one at a time, continue mixing.  Add yogurt and vanilla and mix again until incorporated.
4. While mixer is going on low speed, slowly add dry ingredient mixture. Stop occasionally to scrape down sides with rubber spatula. Once all dry mixture is added, continue to mix until well-incorporated and batter seems light.
5. Mix together filling ingredients (Note: if you like a lot of filling, double the filling ingredients).  Spoon 3 to 4 tbsp of filling into bottom of pan and spread evenly with back of spoon. Sprinkle half of the raisins over the filling.  Pour remaining filling into a ziplock bag and snip small corner off one side of bottom.
6. Pour half of batter over bottom raisin/filling layer. Then, pipe filling from bag in a circular spiral, starting in center of pan and working outwards. Sprinkle remaining raisins over filling.  Then pour remaining batter over raisins. And, again pipe all remaining filling in circular spiral pattern. Use a toothpick to follow the spiral to incorporate it slightly into the batter.
7. Bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. During the final few minutes of baking, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients. Once cake is out of oven, let cool for 5 minutes then cover pan with dish and flip onto plate. Then cover cake with another plate and flip onto that one so cake is right side up.
9. While it is still warm, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top of cake. Enjoy!
   
   

Notes

If you prefer you can sub in a total of 2 cups of gluten-free flour mix for all the flours and starch (i.e., brown rice flour, almond flour, millet flour, and arrowroot starch). Omit xanthan gum if you're using a flour mix that already contains it or guar gum.

One reader substitute a chia gel egg successfully for the egg replacer.

As Kim says above, sometimes she doubles the filling for this Cinnamon Bun Cake to make it extra decadent! Although personally, I might replace the raisins with chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts).

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Originally published December 6, 2011; updated December 16, 2024.

Free Email Updates to gfe Please enter all required fields Correct invalid entries