Pecan maple streusel loaf cake with vanilla maple glaze
If you’re looking for the ultimate cozy bake, this plant-based pecan maple vanilla loaf cake is about to become your new favorite. With warm maple flavor, warm vanilla, crunchy toasted pecans, a buttery streusel topping, and a sweet vanilla maple glaze, this loaf is everything you want in a caket. It’s incredibly moist, easy to make, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, afternoon coffee, or dessert. And it’s plant based 🌱you would never know!
This cake comes together really quickly and you’ll find the basic ingredients in your kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
1. 100% plant-based and dairy-free without sacrificing flavor or texture.
2. Perfectly moist and tender with a soft vanilla-maple crumb.
3. Crunchy cinnamon pecan streusel adds irresistible texture.
4. Finished with a sweet vanilla maple glaze for the perfect bakery-style touch.
5. Made with simple pantry staples and easy-to-find ingredients.
6. Stays delicious for several days and freezes beautifully
Ingredients you’ll need:
For the Loaf Cake:
Flour: use an all purpose flour
Baking powder: you want the mix of baking powder and baking soda in this recipe
Baking soda: you want the mix of baking powder and baking soda in this recipe
Salt: regular table salt
Cinnamon powder: use a good quality cinnamon powder
Vanilla powder: I used the vanilla powder from “Vanilla Dream” use a really good quality vanilla
Pecan nuts: roughly chopped pecan nuts
Plant based milk: I used oat milk from “Alpro” but you can use soy or another milk of choice
Water: tap water or filtered water
Brown sugar: use a moist/soft brown sugar
Sunflower oil: you can also use another neutral oil
Apple cider vinegar: the acid helps activate the baking soda
Maple sirup: use good quality maple sirup for the best flavor
For the streusel:
Sugar: white cane sugar
Margarine: any margarine or plant based butter should work here
Flour: use all purpose flour
Vanilla maple glaze:
Icing sugar:Plant based milk: I used oat milk but you can use any plant based milk that you prefer
Vanilla powder: I used the vanilla powder from “Vanilla Dream” use a really good quality vanilla
Maple sirup: use good quality maple sirup for the best flavor
How to make pecan maple streusel cake (step-by-step)
Make the streusel:
- Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix by hand until you get a crumbly texture with big and small chunks.
- Place the streusel into the fridge until ready to use
Make the loaf cake:
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (fan mode) and grease your loaf cake tin or line it with a strip of baking paper (optional)
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl or jug mix together the wet ingredients using a hand held blender until evenly combined and smooth (you can also whisk it by hand until evenly combined) (your cake will have a finer crumb if you hand blend it)
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined and you have a smooth even batter without any clumps. Lastly add in the chopped pecans and mix them in.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin. Spread the streusel on top and bake at 170-175°C for about 45 minutes. Until golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean
- Allow to cool down slightly (about 20-30 minutes) before glazing with the maple vanilla glaz
Make the maple vanilla glaze:
- Mix all the ingredients together until smooth and evenly combined and no clumps remain.
- Drizzle over the cake
Tips for making maple pecan streusel cake:
1. Don’t over mix the batter: mix the batter until it is smooth and clump free. Over mixing the batter will result in a more chewy texture and it won’t be as fluffy.
2. Use a neutral oil: such as sunflower or rapeseed oil. It has the neutral flavor and it gives great moisture to the cake
3. You can make this cake in advance and store it wrapped in cling film or in an airtight container for a few days. It keeps moist for days. It’s also freezer friendly so it’s great for meal prepping.
FAQ’S:
1. Can I make this cake gluten free?
I haven’t tested this cake as a gluten free version but it should be possible if you substitute the flour for a good gluten free flour mix. But you would have to test it out to know
2. How should I store this pecan maple streusel cake:
The best way to store it is wrapped in cling film so it keeps the most moisture and store it in the fridge. You can also store it in an airtight container. I like to cut and wrap each slice individually and freeze them.
It can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and frozen for 2-3 months
3. What plant based milk works best in this recipe?
I would use either oat or soy milk.
4. Can I substitute the pecan nuts for another nut?
Yes, definitely. You can substitute the pecan nuts for pretty much any other nut. It will change the flavor a bit depending on what nut you use. Pecan works best in this recipe in combination with the maple syrup.
5. Can I use coconut oil instead of sunflower oil?
I wouldn’t recommend it. Sunflower or rapeseed oil are best in this recipe because they have the certain viscosity needed to make a super moist cake. Coconut oil for one has a strong coconut flavor (unless you’re using deodorized coconut oil) and it won’t give you such a moist crumb.
6. Can I make this cake non-vegan?
Yes, absolutely! Just substitute the ingredients for non vegan ones such as cows milk instead of soy or oat milk, margarine for butter, etc.
