A sweet, moist, pumpkin coffee cake made with real pumpkin puree and topped off with a rich brown sugar streusel crumb topping! Top off with a simple vanilla glaze and serve with a cup of coffee or enjoy a slice on its own — this is a sweet and simple seasonal coffee cake!
I originally shared this Pumpkin Crumb Cake over on The Stay at Home Chef!
We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? Or at least, I have, anyway. From someone who doesn’t even like pumpkin to becoming so obsessed with pumpkin recipes that I’m currently struggling to space them out justtt enough that I don’t totally and completely overwhelm you with them.
I really hope you’re not feeling overwhelmed (even after the pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin fudge), because today I have a Pumpkin Coffee Cake to share with you, and I think you’re really going to love it.
I really love coffee cakes, but I’ve had far too many where the texture was just… off. Too dry and crumbly and just underwhelming. A moist, dense crumb is critical for a really good coffee cake.
This recipe ticks all the boxes with plenty of pumpkin puree as well as just two tablespoons of sour cream. It is dense, rich, and topped with a ridiculous streusel topping, as well as a vanilla glaze that you’re going to want to eat by the spoonful.
Let’s talk about those crumbs for a minute, though. The streusel topping is perhaps the most important part of the whole coffee cake (at least, in my opinion 😉), so I wanted to be sure to address that separately.
To make a good one, you will need precisely the right ratios of flour, sugar (I use a mix of brown sugar and white sugar, but with much more brown sugar), and butter, otherwise you run the risk of ending up with a streusel that’s too dry and sandy or so caked together and runny that it’s not even a streusel at all.
Some recipes call for cold butter, but for this recipe (and most that you’ll find on my website), you are going to want to use melted butter.
Whisk the dry ingredients together with a fork, then stir in your butter and use a fork to loosely combine. Work in the ingredients with your hands if needed (don’t overdo it and make the mixture into a paste — leave some nicely sized crumbs, like above!) and crumble it over your pumpkin cake batter.
The end result is a perfectly crisp, buttery streusel that gives away to the softest, most perfectly spiced pumpkin coffee cake that I’d bet you’ve ever had in your life. Top everything off with my simple vanilla glaze if you’re feeling ambitious, and try not to eat the whole pan on your own.
Enjoy!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted (allow it to cool several minutes after melting, you do not want it to be too hot or it will melt your sugars)
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar tightly packed
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten (room temperature preferred)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Streusel Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar tightly packed
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Glaze (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper or lightly greased aluminum foil.
- Combine melted butter and sugars in a large bowl and stir until well-combined
- Add eggs, stir well
- Stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add sour cream and stir until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a spatula, gradually add dry ingredients and wet and stir until just combined -- do not over-mix!
- Spread batter evenly into prepared 9x9 pan.
Streusel Topping
- Prepare the crumble by whisking together flour, sugars and cinnamon.
- Pour the melted butter into the mixture and, using a fork, stir until crumbles form.
- Evenly sprinkle streusel topping over the top of your pumpkin batter.
- Transfer pan to oven and bake on 350F (175C) for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before adding glaze.
Glaze
- If desired, make glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and milk. Start with 2 teaspoons of milk and add a third if it isn't thin enough to drizzle.
- Drizzle over cooled pumpkin crumb cake.
- Cut and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Helen
Sugar Spun Run hits another home run with this delicious coffee cake! The cake itself is so moist and seasoned perfectly and the crumb topping is generous as well as crispy and flavorful.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for letting us know how you liked it, Helen! Enjoy ❤️
Jan
Sam, is it essential to line the pan with parchment or foil. What would happen if I just used baking spray or grease and flour?
Sam
Hi Jan! The lining just makes it much easier to take out and slice, but if you’d like to grease and flour your pan that should work as well. 🙂
brinda
So I don’t eat a lot of sweets but when the weather is right I will bake. Came across this recipe (I follow the site already) and it sounded good. I honestly don’t think I can ever make this again………..I couldn’t stop eating it!! I had to give half away to keep from eating the whole thing it is that good! I did not use the drizzle at the end, I didn’t feel I needed it. The cake is moist, not to sweet but sweet enough, perfect pumpkin spice flavor, lots of topping! I kept it in the fridge after the first day, been taking it out for a piece and it is still super moist, no issues. Now I’m going to try all your coffee cakes! Love it!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Brinda! 🙂
Monique B
Best Coffee Cake I Have Ever Made! The texture was luxuriously moist. The flavor was perfectly balanced- not too sweet, not too rich. The generous amount of crumb topping brings it home. I added pecans to both the cake and topping.
I used a loaf pan, as I had misplaced my square pan. It took 55 minutes to bake. The tenderness of the cake did not lend itself well to cutting in 2.5 inch slices. I recommend sticking to a square pan.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you loved the coffee cake, Monique! Adding pecans is a great idea 😊
Sandra
How can I make this a loaf/bead?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sandra! We’d suggest you try our pumpkin bread instead 🙂
Cindy
My co-worker made this & it’s wonderful! Just wondering if the pumpkin could be replaced with something else?
Jillian
I love this recipe so much it was delicious and moist with the crunchy melt in your mouth streusel! However it took over 45 minutes to cook on 350, I used a 9×9 glass baking pan.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jillian! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pumpkin coffee cake. Every oven is different. I’m sorry that it took longer than anticipated but happy it came out tasty. 🙂
Linda G.
I have made this recipe many times and it is easy and delicious. I get many compliments on it. The streusel top is the best. Yum! You cannot go wrong with this recipe.
Dave Martz
Just made it and it’s so soft and moist while house smells like fall
Sugar Spun Run
I love the smell of fall baking. I am so glad that you enjoyed the pumpkin coffee cake, Dave! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Kimm
This was so yummy!! I made a double batch. Used a 9×13 pan and baked it at 325. It took awhile but it did finally bake. It was a huge hit at the function I took it too. The crumb on top wasn’t lacking like some recipes and the crumb was light and fluffy and so moist. This will be my go to fall pumpkin recipe this year!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Kimm! I am so glad that you enjoyed the pumpkin coffee cake. 🙂
Sharalyn Moran
I have gotten spoiled by your leaving a calorie count for your recipes and yet I don’t see one on here. In this case I will need to know for my type 1 diabetic grandson. As long as he knows the carbs and such He can indulge with a insulin shot. We just need to measure his portion. Thanks in advance, Sharalyn Morgan
Sam
Hi Sharalyn! Sorry I missed the calories on this recipe, I just went in and added them (369 calories per slice). I use MyFitnessPal.com to calculate nutrition information for my recipes (you might want to check it out, it is very helpful, you just have to be careful that it matches your ingredients correctly), here is all of the nutrition information it just gave me for this recipe:
Amount Per Serving
calories 369
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19 g 29 %
Saturated Fat 12 g 58 %
Monounsaturated Fat 5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 78 mg 26 %
Sodium 1794 mg 75 %
Potassium 43 mg 1 %
Total Carbohydrate 47 g 16 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g 15 %
Sugars 21 g
Protein 4 g 8 %
Vitamin A 62 %
Vitamin C 1 %
Calcium 6 %
Iron 4 %
I hope that helps, and that your grandson loves the recipe!! 🙂
Claire
Absolutely Beautiful!!