Teff Flour Apple Breakfast Cake with Cinnamon Streusel

Name: Teff Flour Apple Breakfast Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Ethiopian-American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (180 g) teff flour; ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoon (7 g) baking powder; ¼ teaspoon (1 g) baking soda; ¾ teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon (1 g) fine sea salt; ⅓ cup (80 ml) coconut oil, melted, melted; ¾ cup (150 g) coconut sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; ½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt; 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch chunks; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; ⅓ cup (65 g) coconut sugar; 1½ teaspoon (4 g) ground cinnamon; ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened coconut flakes; 3 tablespoon (45 ml) coconut oil, cold, cold, cut into small pieces; ⅛ teaspoon (½ g) fine sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A warm, tender breakfast cake made with nutty teff flour and studded with fresh apple chunks. The cake batter is naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and bound with coconut oil, while a crumbly cinnamon-coconut streusel tops it all off. Teff's mild flavor and fine crumb pair beautifully with autumn spices, making this a wholesome choice for weekend brunch or weekday mornings.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: 1 cake (8 slices)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the cake
1½ cups (180 g) teff flour
¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon (7 g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1 g) baking soda
¾ teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon (1 g) fine sea salt
⅓ cup (80 ml) coconut oil, melted, melted
¾ cup (150 g) coconut sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt
2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch chunks
For the streusel
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (65 g) coconut sugar
1½ teaspoon (4 g) ground cinnamon
⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened coconut flakes
3 tablespoon (45 ml) coconut oil, cold, cold, cut into small pieces
⅛ teaspoon (0.5 g) fine sea salt

Equipment (7)

8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square baking pan
medium mixing bowl
small mixing bowl
whisk
wooden spoon
measuring cups and spoons
vegetable peeler or knife

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position rack in the center
Prepare an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square baking pan by lining with parchment paper or greasing lightly with oil
Cut apples into ½-inch chunks just before mixing to prevent browning

1
Make the streusel
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup (65 g) coconut sugar, 1½ teaspoons (4 g) cinnamon, ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened coconut flakes, and ⅛ teaspoon (0.5 g) sea salt.
- Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold coconut oil cut into small pieces and use your fingertips to pinch and work the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized clumps.
- Do not overwork it.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized clumps
Tip: Keep the coconut oil cold so the streusel stays crumbly and doesn't turn into a paste.
2
Blend dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1½ cups (180 g) teff flour, ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder, ¼ teaspoon (1 g) baking soda, ¾ teaspoon (2 g) cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon (1 g) fine sea salt.
- Mix thoroughly to distribute the leavening and spices evenly.
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Ready when: no streaks of teff flour visible, spices are evenly distributed
Tip: Whisk well so the baking powder disperses evenly, preventing dense spots in the cake.
3
Combine wet ingredients
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together ⅓ cup (80 ml) melted coconut oil, ¾ cup (150 g) coconut sugar, 2 large room-temperature eggs, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, and ½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt.
- Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 1–2 minutes.
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Ready when: smooth, homogeneous mixture with no visible egg streaks
Tip: Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly and create a finer cake crumb than cold eggs.
4
Fold in apples and combine
- Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until no dry flour streaks remain—do not overmix.
- The batter should look slightly lumpy.
- Fold in 2 medium apples (peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch chunks) until evenly distributed.
- Be gentle to avoid crushing the apple pieces.
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Ready when: no white flour streaks visible, apple pieces distributed throughout
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and creates a tough, dense cake. Stop as soon as you see no dry flour.
5
Fill the pan and add topping
- Pour the batter into the prepared 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the reserved streusel evenly over the entire surface, pressing down gently so the pieces adhere to the batter.
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Ready when: batter is level, streusel covers the top and is gently pressed down
Tip: Don't press too hard on the streusel, or it will compress and become dense instead of crumbly.
6
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the pan in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 32–35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake (avoiding the streusel) comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- The cake will feel set when lightly pressed, and the edges may pull away slightly from the pan.
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Ready when: toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs, top is golden, cake feels springy when lightly pressed
Tip: If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
7
Cool and serve
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- This allows the structure to set so the cake doesn't fall apart when cut.
- The cake can be served warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: cake is warm but has firmed up enough to cut without falling apart
Tip: Resist cutting into the cake while it's piping hot—this cooling time is crucial for structure.

Good to know

Tips

Teff flour has a slight, pleasant earthiness and is naturally gluten-free. It creates a tender crumb but needs the structure of some all-purpose flour to prevent crumbling.
Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh; teff flour benefits from reliable leavening to rise properly.
For the most tender cake, don't overmix the batter once you combine wet and dry. Fold just until you see no white streaks.
If you can't find teff flour, you can substitute spelt or whole wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio, though the flavor will be different.

Make ahead

Prepare the streusel topping up to 1 day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dry ingredients for the cake can also be whisked together up to 4 hours ahead and kept in a sealed bowl or bag. Combine the wet ingredients and mix the batter only when you are ready to bake.

Storage & reheating

Store the cooled cake covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or place the entire cake in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or reheat a slice in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until warm and tender.

Substitutions

plain Greek yogurt → whole-milk plain yogurt or sour cream. Use the same amount; Greek yogurt adds extra protein, but regular yogurt will yield a slightly less dense, more tender crumb.
medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith) → pears, fresh peaches, or a mix. Any firm, juicy fruit works. Aim for the same weight and cut size. Avoid very watery fruits that may make the cake soggy.
coconut oil, melted → melted butter or neutral oil (canola, sunflower). Butter will give a slightly richer flavor and crumb; neutral oil creates a lighter texture. Coconut oil adds subtle coconut notes.
coconut sugar → brown sugar or cane sugar. Brown sugar may make the cake slightly moister; cane sugar will be a touch drier. Both work well. Use the same weight.