This light and fluffy Weight Watchers Brown Sugar Oat Coffee Cake is the perfect start to your morning at only 5 WW points per serving.
This coffee cake is unique because of its topping in particular. Rather than having a typical streusel topping, it has a mixture made of cinnamon, oats, brown sugar, and honey, which turns perfectly crispy and resembles granola. I found this was an excellent alternative to traditional crumb toppings made with mostly sugar, flour, and butter, which are high in points when combined.
Not to mention, the flavors of the cinnamon and other ingredients are the perfect mixture for fall weather. It’s just so irresistible! The crunchy, sweet topping is the ideal match for the soft and tasty reduced-sugar cake. You can make this coffee cake in an 8 x 8 square baking dish or in a 9-inch cake pan. Or, go ahead and double it for a 9 x 13 pan if you have more people to feed.
If you’re making this coffee cake to have with your breakfast, you can check out my breakfast recipe collection and choose something to pair with the cake! I personally love the quiche, frittata, and egg bake recipes. Any of them would be a hearty addition to help balance the sweetness here!
Why You Should Try This Recipe
- It’s simple yet unique. This recipe has the same classic vanilla coffee cake base that you know and love, but with a special topping. Despite its delicious nature, it is made with simple and easy-to-find ingredients.
- Perfect for gatherings and holidays. Impress your loved ones with this scrumptious treat. It’s perfect for celebrating since it makes so many servings! And it’s a fantastic accompaniment to other breakfast and brunch foods.
- There are plenty of ways to serve it. Slather a warm coffee cake slice with your favorite butter substitute, or drizzle some icing on top. You can also enjoy it with some Greek yogurt and fresh fruit! This versatile cake pairs well with many foods and toppings.
Recipe Overview
- Serving Size: 1 slice (60 g)
- Number of Servings: 14
- Time to Cook: 30-35 minutes
- WW Points Per Recipe: 5 WW points per serving, 75 for the entire recipe (Click Here to view the recipe in the WW app. WW login is required)
Ingredients in Cinnamon Oat Coffee Cake
Coffee Cake Batter
- 1 ⅔ cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¾ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Table salt
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Light butter substitute (I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Light)
- ¼ cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 2 Eggs
- ¾ cup Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Oat Topping
- 1 ½ tbsp Brown sugar
- ¾ cup Quick oats
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Organic Honey
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract, optional
- ¼ tsp Table salt, optional
Instructions for making Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oat Coffee Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix the butter substitute with the sugar. Separately, whisk the eggs and then add them in. Add the vanilla and applesauce; stir to combine.
2. Next, add the yogurt, salt, and leavening agents, mixing until smooth. Add the flour and gently fold in. Mix carefully until a batter forms, and there are no extra pockets of flour. Be careful not to overmix. It will be thick.
3. Make the topping on the stovetop by adding the honey in a medium saucepan, followed by the other ingredients. Stir to coat the oats with the honey and cinnamon. Stop mixing once the mixture is crumbly and remove from heat (add ½ tablespoon of water at a time if needed to achieve desired consistency).
4. Spread the cake batter in a greased or parchment-lined 9-inch round or 8×8 square pan. Sprinkle the oat topping evenly across the top of the cake batter.
5. Bake the coffee cake for 30-35 minutes or until springy and golden brown. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before unmolding from the pan or slicing.
Variations and Substitutions
- Coffee Cake Muffins: Turn this coffee cake into individual muffins by separating the batter into a muffin pan and sprinkling topping over each portion. Keep in mind this will significantly decrease the baking time.
- Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping: Skip the oat topping and make a traditional streusel or crumb topping for the cake. You can still use the cake batter as the base of the recipe since it is low-point.
- Sugar vs Sweetener: I used regular granulated sugar in this recipe since it worked best, but you can also substitute an even amount of zero-calorie sweetener. It might take longer to bake, but it will make the cake lower in points.
- Applesauce Amount: I personally chose to use a combination of butter substitute and applesauce here since this recipe uses the creaming method. If you use all applesauce in place of the butter sub, it might affect the overall texture of the cake. You can try this technique if you want to lower the points; I suggest adding 1-2 tablespoons less at first and seeing what the texture of the batter is like.
- Coffee Cake with Glaze: Put some powdered sugar in a bowl and then mix in a small amount of milk or water to turn it into a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the finished cake to upgrade its presentation, like in the photos.
Tips and Tricks for Making Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oat Coffee Cake
- Be careful not to overcook the topping on the stovetop. It really only needs to heat so the honey can melt and evenly coat the oats. If you toast the oats too much, they might burn in the oven.
- Store any leftovers tightly with plastic wrap/foil and keep at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also refrigerate it to extend its shelf life to 5 days.
- To make measuring the honey easier, you can spray the measuring spoon with avocado spray between each measurement, and the honey will not stick to it.
- Spread the topping in small, even bits on top of the batter. If there is too much weight, it might sink into the cake. You can also sprinkle the batter with flour first before adding the topping to create a barrier and prevent the oats and cake from sinking in.
- Check the doneness of the coffee cake by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center. It should come out clean. If it isn’t, bake for a few minutes longer.
Related Recipes
Brown Sugar Oat Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake Batter
- 1 ⅔ cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¾ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Table salt
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Light butter substitute, I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Light
- ¼ cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 2 Eggs
- ¾ cup Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Oat Topping
- 1 ½ tbsp Brown sugar
- ¾ cup Quick oats
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Organic Honey
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract, optional
- ¼ tsp Table salt, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix the butter substitute with the sugar. Separately, whisk the eggs and then add them in. Add the vanilla and applesauce; stir to combine.
- Next, add the yogurt, salt, and leavening agents, mixing until smooth. Add the flour and gently fold in. Mix carefully until a batter forms, and there are no extra pockets of flour. Be careful not to overmix. It will be thick.
- Make the topping on the stovetop by adding the honey in a medium saucepan, followed by the other ingredients. Stir to coat the oats with the honey and cinnamon. Stop mixing once the mixture is crumbly and remove from heat (add ½ tablespoon of water at a time if needed to achieve desired consistency or if the oats seem too dry).
- Spread the cake batter in a greased or parchment-lined 9-inch round or 8×8 square pan. Sprinkle the oat topping evenly across the top of the cake batter.
- Bake the coffee cake for 30-35 minutes or until springy and golden brown. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before unmolding from the pan or slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
