The Best Pumpkin Coffee Cake
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake is easily one of my most requested recipes every Fall. It starts with a super moist, warmly spiced cake base, topped with a generous, buttery crumble and finished with a tangy vanilla cream cheese glaze–every bite is bursting with cozy fall flavor! Pair it with your favorite cup of coffee (or my personal favorite: a warm chai latte) for the perfect seasonal treat!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake is easily one of my favorite recipes to make during the Fall season. And it just so happens to be one of the most requested recipes by my family and friends–making it required at every gathering! Which I don’t mind because coffee cake is one of my favorite things to bake. I love that it allows for endless flavor possibilities! Which ends up yielding to a more moist cake, because I’ll use different purees to flavor it. Purees like pumpkin, apple butter, and sweet potato are some of my go-to ingredients for achieving a perfectly tender coffee cake.
The crumble topping needs a spotlight too, as that is what makes a good coffee cake. I specialize in going heavy on the crumble topping! There’s nothing better than a moist slice of coffee cake crowned with a thick, buttery crumble. This flavor screams Fall and I think it’s part of what makes my coffee cake so addicting.
My Pumpkin Coffee Cake’s flavors are brought together with a vanilla cream cheese drizzle. This drizzle adds a slight tang that perfectly balances the sweetness of the pumpkin and brown sugar. It also elevates the look of the coffee cake. Your friends will deem you the top baker of the group when you show up with my Pumpkin Coffee Cake!
If you like my Pumpkin Coffee Cake be sure to try my Apple Cider Donut Coffee Cake or my Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
All-purpose - The structural base. Gives the cake its shape and texture. I love using Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour.
Pumpkin puree - creates a moist, tender crumb. Key for flavor and texture. I use canned pumpkin! This is my favorite
Cane sugar - adds sweetness and helps with structure and browning. I use Whole Food’s store brand Organic Cane SugarUnsalted Butter - browned to create a rich, nutty flavor that enhances the pumpkin. Any unsalted butter will work, but I do find that high quality grassfed butter like Kerrygold really adds a richer flavor.
Eggs - Bind ingredients and help the cake rise and hold together. Make sure they’re room temperature!
Maple Syrup - Adds natural sweetness with warm, caramel notes that deepen the fall flavors, and helps make the cake moist.
Baking powder - leavening agent that helps the cake rise and be light + fluffy
Pumpkin spice - adds a warm, cozy spice flavor. If you don’t have this on hand, make a teaspoon with ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger, ⅛ tsp nutmeg, ⅛ tsp cloves
Salt - balances sweetness and brings out the warm pumpkin flavor
Crumble topping (flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, unsalted butter) - adds a sweet crumby texture, that contrasts with the soft moist cake
Vanilla cream cheese glaze (powdered sugar, vanilla, cream cheese, heavy cream, salt) - adds a sweet, tangy flavor and a visual enhancement
If you make this recipe, leave a comment below or tag @sokoskitchen on Instagram.
FAQS:
Q: Why is it called coffee cake?
A: I often get asked if coffee is in coffee cake. Unless you are going for a special flavor profile, like my Dirty Maple Chai Coffee Cake, there is no coffee in coffee cake. Rather, it is called coffee cake because it’s a breakfast cake made to pair well with coffee.
Q: Can I make this cake ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! This coffee cake can be made a day in advance. Do not put the glaze on. Rather put the glaze in a separate bowl and add when serving. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator, and it will stay fresh and delicious. When ready to serve, warm it up and add the glaze.
Q: What’s the best way to reheat this cake?
A: To reheat, put the cake in the oven at 350°F for 5-8 minutes to restore its softness and refresh the crumble topping. You can also microwave slices for 10 seconds.
Q: How do I know the cake is done?
A: Start checking for doneness about 5 minutes before the suggested baking time, as everyone’s oven is different. Insert a toothpick, butterknife, or fork into the center. It should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
Q: How should I serve this coffee cake?
A: This Pumpkin Coffee Cake is delicious on its own, but it pairs really well with your favorite iced coffee, latte, or warm cup of joe.
The Best Pumpkin Coffee Cake
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake is easily one of my most requested recipes every Fall. With a super moist, warmly spiced cake base, and a generous, buttery crumble, finished with a tangy vanilla cream cheese glaze–every bite is bursting with cozy fall flavor!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the crumb topping ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cane sugar, butter, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth. Mix in the flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt. The batter will be thick.
- Transfer the batter to a lined & greased 9 x 9 baking dish. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45-50 mins, or until it passes the toothpick test. Let this cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, whisk together the vanilla cream cheese icing. Once the coffee cake has cooled, drizzle it with the icing, slice, and enjoy!
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