By I don't mean to be dramatic, but when I say this protein pancake coffee cake rivals any bakery coffee cake, I mean it. It's got a super tender texture, sweet filling, and an out-of-this-world crumb topping. But here's the kicker: There's no protein powder, and it's got 18 grams of protein, half the sugar (and it's all natural!), half the carbs, and less fat than the same serving of a traditional coffee cake. So, go ahead and enjoy this one for breakfast!
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When we set out on this mission of making high-protein baked goods without protein powder, I was passionate about making not just good protein recipes but hands-down the best baked goods, protein or not.
Recipes like our Dutch baby pancakes and blueberry protein muffins that readers have said over and over are some of the best recipes, and they are amazed that they are healthy and high protein. That is why I do what I do, so you can eat better without sacrificing taste. And that is exactly what this protein pancake coffee cake is! Even if you think of this as a dessert, this one is actually a high-protein breakfast.
Jump to:
spoon the batter
To get that really nice cinnamon sugar layer, you need to carefully spoon the second layer over. If you just pour it over quickly or in one spot, it will push the middle crumb layer to the top, and then we don't get double the fun!
key ingredients & swaps
See the recipe card for quantities and full ingredient list.
- Flour: We use all purpose flour but have tested it and had good results with 1:1 gluten free flour replacement like King Arthur's.
- Dairy: While this recipe calls for milk and Greek yogurt, we often make it with soy milk (high in protein) and Siggis plant-based yogurt or Icelandic Provisions oat milk yogurt (also high in protein). It works with both and is delicious, dairy-free!
- Sugar: Because of the yummy crumb topping, we need to use two different types of sugar - a liquid one and a granulated one. Maple syrup adds moisture while the coconnut sugar helps the crumb topping set up. You can always use brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar.
- Toppings: Of course, I love and serve this with Greek yogurt but you can also drizzle it with protein syrup or any of these other high protein pancake toppings.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
step by step: tips to nail this pancake cake everytime
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe!
- One bowl is just fine: Some recipes you really do need to use a bowl for wet ingredients and dry but not this one! It's a no fuss recipe, just like me 🙂
- Use your hands: If you try to mix the crumble part with just a utensil, it will not be right. You need to squeeze the ingredients together with your hands to really work it in with the oil. The result should feel just like wet sand!
- Spoon the batter: In my first few tests of this recipe, I poured the second layer of batter straight onto the cinnamon sugar layer. This then pushed all that goodness to the side and up creating a fun little smiley shape but also getting rid of that yummy cinnamon layer. The only way to avoid this is to spoon the batter over the top gently and evenly. Then I like to spread it out with the back of the spoon or with an offset spatula.
quick recipe video
how to know it's done baking
To make sure this is baked through, there's 2 main ways I check. one is inserting a tooth pick to make sure it comes out clean. But I actually prefer to gently tap the top. It should be firm but bouncy and sound hollow. Then it's done! Also - let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing for the best texture!
leftovers? great!
This recipe stores great and is a popular option for meal prep in our house because even our toddler is smitten with it.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up 5 days in the fridge. You can store it at room tempurature but it will only last for 2-3 days this way.
- Freezer: This is what I do! I slice it up and freeze indivdually wrapped slices for up to 3 months. Then just reheat straight from frozen. Even for meal prep I do this.
Recipe
Protein Pancake Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten free flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1.25 cup plain greek yogurt (or plant based Greek style)
- 2 eggs (or flax egg)
- ¼ cup milk (I prefer soy milk, but any higher protein plant based milk or cow's milk works)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or agave)
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or olive oil)
Crumb Mixture/Filling
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten free flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt (I prefer fine grain sea salt)
- 2.5 tablespoon avocado oil
- Plus 1.5 cups Greek yogurt for serving (or plant based Greek style)
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the batter in a large bowl by whisking together 1.5 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Then add in the 1.25 cup plain greek yogurt, 2 eggs, ¼ cup milk, ¾ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup, and ¼ cup avocado oil. Stir until just combined.
- Make the crumb mixture/filling in a separate medium bowl. Use your hands to mix together the ⅓ cup coconut sugar, ⅓ cup all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 2.5 tablespoon avocado oil. I first mix with a fork then use my hands to really hydrate all the dry ingredients until it's a wet sand consistency.
- In the pan, evenly spread out about half of the batter (a little less than half is probably best). Sprinkle over half of the crumb mixture. Use sparingly and use your hands to spread it out evenly to make sure to reserve enough crumb topping for the top.Then, carefully spoon the rest of the batter over the top of the crumb mixture. If you pour it, it pushes the cinnamon sugar crumb to the sides and up, therefore missing the whole point of the center layer of a coffee cake. Use the back of the spoon or an offset spatula to spread it evenly across the top. Finish with the rest of your crumb topping.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. You can also tap on the top; if it sounds hollow, it should be good to go!
- Serve with Greek yogurt and enjoy!For the topping, you can either just top each slice with ¼ cup of greek yogurt or mix the greek yogurt with ¼ cup of milk to make it more of a pourable consistency, or mix it with 2 tablespoon of maple syrup for a sweeter topping.
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
This is one of my new favorite breakfasts!
This was honestly so good. Made a very delicious breakfast for my husband and I for three days straight. Filling too...yum!
You describe this as having a super tender texture and that describes this cake perfectly! The texture is fabulous and has just enough sweetness. I had to use brown sugar as that's what I had. It did bake up quicker and I was happy I check it earlier as I always do when baking. It was the perfect treat to bake to enjoy on my birthday today. Thank you. I look forward to sharing it with friends and family today.
Thats awesome to hear and happy birthday!
I’m confused, it is called protein pancake coffee cake, but I don’t see any protein pancake mix in it.
Am I being too literal with the recipe?
Help an old lady out here.
Hey there! It’s called a protein pancake because it’s high in protein and it bakes much more like a fluffy baked pancake would (texture wise) but has the vein of cinnamon sugar like coffee cake. Hope that makes sense!
Soooo delicious!! The cake is spongy and moist, with the perfect amount of sweetness.
YA!! So happy you enjoyed 🙂
Hi, this sounds so good! Is the nutritional info based on eating it alone or with the additional Greek yogurt, please? Thank you!
It includes the greek yogurt topping, Without that, its around 400cals and 13g of protein.
Hi,
I just took the coffee cake out of the oven, it smells so delicious! Had a little taste and it tastes delicious too! Thanks for a great recipe!
I wanted to confirm the pan size is a 9 x 9, my cake definitely isn’t as tall as yours, and also while watching the video it looked like you added at least six eggs but the recipe calls for two so I wanted to confirm that also.
Thank you!
Thank you for letting me know! Yes, the video is incorrect because I updated the recipe to be more tender like a true coffee cake as opposed to a pancake. I've added it to my list to remake the video for!
so obsessed with this recipe! its so good and so filling 😭 i recommend for anyone wanting a sweet and more pourable topping to mix the greek yogurt with a little bit of syrup, vanilla extract, as well as milk. would give this 6 stars if i could!!
This is so so great to hear!!
I made this with the gluten free option. It was amazing! Such great texture and guilt free. Yum!!
So happy to hear that!!
Been working up being more intentional with my protein intake, so when I came across this recipe I had to try it.I’ve now made this recipe twice in a day and a half, because my family and I devoured it. Comes together so quickly and is so yummy! Love that’s it’s not super sweet and uses all real ingredients. The crumb topping doesn’t stay crispy for me, I think from all the moisture in the cake, but none the less it’s delicious, and my kids actually prefer it not crumbly. The cake texture is really good, it totally reminds me of a pancake in cake form. Excited to have a guilt free-high protein/low sugar delicious option to add to the breakfast mix, Win-win!
So happy to hear that! Ya, I should adjust the description because I prefer it softer too.