Pumpkin Coffee Cake is a fall-flavored dessert that you’ll want to make over and over again! Fluffy, moist pumpkin cake is made with a secret ingredient that makes it unbelievably good. Sprinkled across the top is a streusel topping that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon filling that’s sandwiched between every perfectly pumpkin bite!
Oh my gourd… It’s officially pumpkin season! Enjoy fall while it’s still here – I have a feeling we’ll be in peppermint season before we know it. We love to indulge in fall flavors with delicious pumpkin recipes like Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal and Pumpkin Pie!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Every element of this autumnal treat is downright delicious. For starters, the cake itself is made moist and rich with ingredients like pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and… sour cream! Yes, sour cream is our little secret ingredient that makes the pumpkin cake so scrumptious.
In between the two layers of pumpkin cake is a layer of cinnamon filling that really brings that fall flavor home. Oh, and the streusel topping and sweet glaze? Swoon! This is really the only dessert recipe you need for the months of September-November.
How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Whether you serve it as your Thanksgiving dessert or just because you’re craving it, you’ll love every last bite of this pumpkin cake.
Prepare:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 or 11×7 baking dish and set aside.
For the streusel topping:
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until moist crumbs form and you have no dry patches. You can use a bowl with two forks, a pastry cutter, or your hands if you don’t have a food processor!
- Transfer the topping to the fridge while you prepare the rest of the cake.
For the cinnamon filling:
- Use your fingers or two forks to combine the filling ingredients until small crumbs form. Set aside.
For the cake batter:
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Combine the pumpkin piree, brown sugar, white sugar, oil, sour cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until just combined.
- Spoon half the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the filling in an even layer over the batter.
- Spoon the remaining batter over the filling. Sprinkle the streusel topping over that layer of batter.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, then drizzle on the glaze!
For the glaze:
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
Tips and Variations
- The cinnamon filling is a wonderful addition but also optional. Take care to evenly divide the cake batter and carefully spread the top layer of batter without mixing it with cinnamon filling. If you’re concerned that the cinnamon filling may mix with the batter, feel free to omit it.
- The glaze is also optional. It adds a wonderful touch, but the cake is sweet and flavorful without it.
- The amount of servings will change depending on the size of pan you use. A 9×9-inch pan will yield 9 pieces of cake while an 11×7-inch pan will yield 12 slices of pumpkin coffee cake.
Storage
Storage: Pumpkin coffee cake without glaze stores well covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. Cake with glaze stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freezing: A baked pumpkin coffee cake freezes well! Allow the cake to cool completely and don’t add the glaze. Wrap it in a layer or two of plastic wrap followed by a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil.
The pumpkin cake will stay fresh for about 2 months. If possible, bake it in an aluminum foil pan for easy storage. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and add the glaze prior to serving.
Why is my pumpkin cake tough?
A tough cake is usually the result of a single culprit, and that’s overmixed cake batter. Make sure that when combining the wet and dry ingredients, you do so until they’re just combined. If you overmix the batter, it’ll bake into a not so soft and fluffy cake.
What does sour cream do to cake batter?
Sour cream does two big things – it both thickens the cake batter AND adds tons of moisture. Since sour cream contains a good amount of fat, it also makes the cake batter insanely rich. It’s our favorite ingredient to sneak into so many different cakes!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
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Equipment
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cake Batter
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (227 g) pumpkin puree canned (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 mL) canola oil
- 2 ounces (57 g) sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup (57 mL) milk room temperature
- 2 (100 g) large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 cup (114 g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly grease a 9×9-inch or 11×7-inch baking pan. Set aside.
For the Streusel Topping:
- Place the ingredients in a food processor, and pulse briefly until moist crumbs form. There should be no dry sandy patches. (You can use a bowl with two forks, a pastry cutter, or your hands if you don’t have a food processor.)5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Transfer the topping to the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- In a small bowl, use your fingers or two forks to combine the filling ingredients until small crumbs form. Set aside.3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter1 tablespoon ground cinnamon½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar
For the Cake Batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon kosher salt1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- In a medium bowl combine the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, sour cream, milk, eggs and vanilla.1 cup (227 g) pumpkin puree½ cup (106 g) light brown sugar½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar½ cup (100 mL) canola oil2 ounces (57 g) sour cream¼ cup (57 mL) milk2 (100 g) large eggs1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Make sure not to over; otherwise, the cake will be tough.
- Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle the filling evenly over the batter.
- Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the filling and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze.
For the Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk.1 cup (114 g) powdered sugar1-2 tablespoons milk
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, and serve. See post for tips and storage options.