Description
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake recipe is a moist, tender fall favorite layered with spiced pumpkin streusel and topped with a smooth vanilla icing. Perfect for cozy mornings or holiday gatherings, it balances warm cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice flavors with a buttery crumb topping baked to golden perfection. The cake is best served warm and keeps well for several days.
Ingredients
Scale
Streusel
- 3 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
Cake Batter
- 2 &1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 &1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened but still cool)
- 1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling, divided)
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (light-flavor olive oil recommended)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Icing
- 1/4 cup butter (half stick, very soft)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons milk (more to taste)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray or rub with butter to prevent sticking.
- Make Streusel: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. Melt 1 cup butter in a medium bowl and pour into the dry mix. Stir until mixture resembles wet sand with chunks. Set aside or refrigerate if possible.
- Mix Dry Ingredients for Cake: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Add Butter and Pumpkin to Dry Mixture: Chop softened 1/2 cup butter into chunks and add to the dry ingredients. Scoop about half the pumpkin puree (about 7.5 oz) into the bowl and blend using a paddle attachment or electric beaters until the flour and butter come together in a ball, scraping as needed.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: In the medium bowl used for melting butter, whisk the remaining pumpkin puree with 4 eggs, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until well blended.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture in three additions, beating about 20 seconds after each addition. After all added, beat for 1 more minute to make the batter light and fluffy.
- Layer Cake and Streusel: Spread 2 cups batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup streusel on top, breaking large pieces. Spread another 2 cups batter over streusel, then 1 more cup streusel. Add remaining batter and smooth evenly, then top with 2 cups streusel, reserving some streusel for later.
- Bake Initial Phase: Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.
- Add Remaining Streusel Quickly: Remove cake from oven quickly, sprinkle remaining streusel on raised areas, then return cake to oven with door closed as fast as possible.
- Bake Final Phase: Continue baking 10-15 more minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and cake is set without wobbling.
- Cool Cake: Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 15-20 minutes before icing.
- Make Icing: Beat 1/4 cup butter until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 tablespoons milk, and 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat until smooth, adding milk 1-2 teaspoons at a time if too thick.
- Ice Cake: Drizzle icing over whole cake or individual slices. Cake is best served warm. Reheat individual servings for 10-20 seconds if desired.
- Storage: Keep cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days, then refrigerate thereafter.
Notes
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for best texture and flavor.
- Chop softened butter for batter; do not fully cream to help texture.
- Adding extra pumpkin puree to batter helps if it feels too dry before mixing all ingredients.
- Be quick when adding final streusel topping to avoid heat loss in oven.
- Adjust milk in icing to get desired consistency for drizzling.
- Best served warm but can be stored covered for days.
- Use kosher salt or reduce salt amount if using table salt.
- Baking times may vary depending on oven and type of pan used (glass vs metal).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 553
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 114 mg
