Description
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake is a moist, spiced dessert perfect for fall, combining tender cake layers with a crunchy streusel topping and a smooth, sweet icing drizzle. With warm spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, it’s ideal for cozy mornings or teatime treats.
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
- 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 (use less if using table salt)
- 3 tablespoons milk (more to taste)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray or butter to prevent sticking.
- Make the Streusel: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Melt butter, pour into this mixture, and stir halfway until crumbly with chunks, resembling wet sand; do not overmix. Optionally, chill the streusel in the fridge.
- Mix Dry Cake Ingredients: In another large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
- Add Butter to Dry Mix: Chop softened butter into pieces and add to the flour mixture. Use paddle attachment or beaters to blend.
- Incorporate Half Pumpkin Puree: Add about half the pumpkin puree from the can to the flour and butter mixture. Beat with paddle or mixer until the butter moistens the flour and it forms a ball; scrape bowl as needed and add more pumpkin puree if necessary to bring together.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: In the medium bowl used for melting butter, whisk remaining pumpkin puree with eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Add Wet to Dry Mixture: Add the wet mixture in three additions to the flour batter, beating about 20 seconds after each addition. Then beat for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
- Layer Batter and Streusel: Spread 2 cups of batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup streusel evenly on top, breaking large pieces apart. Repeat: 2 cups batter, 1 cup streusel, then the remaining batter, and finally top with 2 cups streusel, saving some streusel for later.
- Bake Cake: Bake for 35 minutes at 350°F.
- Add Remaining Streusel and Continue Baking: Quickly remove cake from oven, sprinkle all remaining streusel on top focusing on puffed areas, then return cake to oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. The total bake time is about 45-50 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick; it should come out clean. Cake should not wobble when shaken.
- Cool Cake: Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes before cutting.
- Make Icing: Beat 1/4 cup very soft butter until smooth. Add vanilla, kosher salt, milk, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and thin to desired consistency with extra milk if needed.
- Serve: Drizzle icing over the entire cake or on individual servings. The cake is best served warm. Reheat individual slices for 10-20 seconds in the microwave if served later.
- Store: Keep the cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. After that, store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to ensure proper texture and flavor.
- Do not overmix the streusel; it should be crumbly with chunks to create a crunchy topping.
- Butter for the cake should be softened but still cool to achieve the best texture.
- If batter is too dry, add small additional dollops of pumpkin puree to help it come together.
- Use kosher salt for best flavor but reduce amount if only table salt is available.
- The baking time varies slightly based on oven type and pan material; monitor with toothpick test.
- Warm cake enhances flavor and texture, so reheat individual slices if serving after cooling.
- Store leftover streusel in the fridge for future use.
