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Pumpkin coffee cake is loaded with warm spices and fall flavors! The crunchy streusel topping is so buttery. We elevate the classic vanilla glaze with maple syrup for extra fall flavor. This homemade pumpkin cake is delicious with a pumpkin spice latte!
Homemade Pumpkin Coffee Cake: Hello, Fall Flavors!
The best time of year has finally arrived: it’s PUMPKIN SEASON! And we’re celebrating all the best fall flavors with homemade pumpkin coffee cake.
The homemade pumpkin cake is moist, swirled with cinnamon sugar, and has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor. But that’s not all; this pumpkin coffee cake features a generous layer of crumb topping and a maple syrup glaze!
If you love pumpkin coffee cake, you’ll also love pumpkin coffee cake muffins!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Ingredients
- Flour: All-purpose flour works best for this recipe! But some readers have reported good results using a 1-for-1 gluten free substitute.
- Pecans: Add crunch to the crumb topping! Walnuts make a nice sub in the streusel topping.
- Sugar: To enhance the pumpkin flavor without increasing the amount of pumpkin, use all brown sugar. You could sub half the brown sugar in the cake recipe for granulated sugar. You’ll need confectioners’ sugar for the glaze.
- Butter: Unsalted butter works best but salted butter will work. Omit the salt called for in the dry ingredients.
- Spices: Salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cocoa powder add cozy fall flavors to this cake recipe. If you don’t have the individual spices called for in the cake, use 3 and 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Oil: A neutral oil like vegetable or canola works best. Melted and refined coconut oil will also work.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat plain Greek yogurt is the best substitute for this ingredient.
- Molasses: Use mild molasses, not the blackstrap variety.
- Eggs: Use large variety eggs and bring them to room temperature before use.
- Vanilla Extract: This super hero ingredient adds rich flavor and enhances all other flavors.
- Pumpkin Puree: This is not the same as pumpkin pie filling. If you use pumpkin pie filling, omit all spices called for in the pumpkin cake recipe.
- Chemical Agents: Baking powder and baking soda help the cake spread and rise.
- Maple Syrup: I suggest using a quality maple syrup with great flavor. Don’t use pancake syrup here, which is overly thick and usually has a chemical taste.
- Milk: I use whole cow’s milk, but almond milk, oat milk, or pretty much any other variety of milk will work.
How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Make Crumb Topping: Combine the dry ingredients, then drizzle in the melted butter. Feel free to do this step up to an hour before you plan on baking the cake!
- Make the Filling: Again, you can complete this step hours before you plan to assemble the cake batter. Just cover and set aside until needed.
- Make the Pumpkin Cake: Combine all the wet ingredients and dry ingredients – except the flour – in a large bowl. Then gently fold in the flour in mixing just to combine.
Jump to recipe box below for the entire list of ingredients and instructions!
How to Assemble Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe
- Scrape half the batter into the baking pan.
- Sprinkle with the filling, being sure to cover all the batter.
- Then add the remaining batter on top. Finally, you’ll sprinkle on the buttery crumb topping.
- Bake until the streusel topping is golden brown. About 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean!
- I suggest cooling the cake in the pan, on a cooling rack, until completely cool! But be sure to cool it for at least for 1 hour. Otherwise the cake will fall apart when cut.
For best results, use a metal or aluminized steel baking pan. If you use a glass or ceramic baking pan, you’ll need to increase the baking time. Start with an extra 5 minutes and keep an eye from there.
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More Coffee Cake Recipes:
- Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake Donuts
- Bakery-Style Coffee Cake Muffins
- Coffee Cake Donuts with Vanilla Glaze
- Chocolate Swirl Coffee Cake
- Cranberry Apple Coffee Cake
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze
Pumpkin coffee cake is loaded with warm spices and fall flavors! The crunchy streusel topping is so buttery. We elevate the classic vanilla glaze with maple syrup for extra fall flavor. This homemade pumpkin cake is delicious with a pumpkin spice latte!
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (57g) pecans roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (106g) light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter melted
For the Filling:
- 1/3 cup (71g) light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder regular or Dutch-process (both work fine!)
For the Cake:
- 2/3 cup (151ml) oil vegetable or canola
- 1/2 cup (113g) full-fat sour cream room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons (35ml) regular molasses not the blackstrap variety
- 2 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (213g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 and 1/4 cups (312g) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
For the Glaze:
- 1/2 cup (57g) confectioners' sugar sifted
- 2 Tablespoons (28ml) pure maple syrup not pancake syrup
- 1/2 Tablespoon (7ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Crumb Topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the melted butter, mixing just until combined.
- Set aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe. The mixture will absorb the butter as it sits and become more crumbly by the time you’re ready to use it.
For the Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder until evenly combined. Set aside until needed.
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper, allowing two of the sides to overlap. Spray the parchment paper, and any exposed pan, with nonstick baking spray. Set aside. (Note: if you use a glass or ceramic baking pan/dish, you may need to increase the bake time).
- In a large bowl, whisk the oil, sour cream, molasses, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together until smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, stirring just until smooth and completely combined. Do not over mix.
- Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it all the way to the edges.
- Sprinkle the filling evenly on top of the batter.
- Then spread the remaining batter on top of the filling.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter in the pan.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown, don’t look wet, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before removing from the pan, slicing in squares, and serving. Serve with coffee!
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla. (If the mixture appears too thick to drizzle, add a teaspoon more of milk, until desired texture is reached.)
- Drizzle on top of cake and let set, about 5 minutes, before serving.
Notes
A note on baking pan size: this recipe was tested in an 8-inch baking pan and it yields a VERY thick cake, like you see in the photos. If you doubt your 8-inch pan can handle all the batter, feel free to use a 9-inch baking pan instead.
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can i make it into muffins instead?
Delicious!
I am confused by the title. Do you mean it’s good to eat with coffee? I am inUK.
“Coffee Cake” is a moist cake with a crumbly strudel topping, to be served WITH coffee, like after a church service, or if ladies get together to talk. It was very popular in the US in the 1940s-1960s.