Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Moist, dense, and rich Pumpkin Coffee Cake with a brown sugar streusel and a vanilla glaze. The perfect fall treat!

Make the most of pumpkin season by baking this regular Pumpkin Cake, making these Pumpkin Cookies, and trying these “famous” Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. Check off baking from your Fall Bucket List!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

We’re entering my favorite time of the year: back-to-school, pumpkin season, and fall. I’m excited to share my latest creation, Pumpkin Coffee Cake, which has been in development for months, even tested in June! Now, let’s dive in.

Why is it called coffee cake? Coffee cake dates back to the 17th century in Europe, where people enjoyed sweet cakes with coffee. These cakes became popular in American cookbooks by the late 1800s, evolving from Viennese sweet dishes.

Does coffee cake have coffee in it? Contrary to what some might think, coffee cake usually doesn’t contain coffee. They are simple cakes with spices, nuts, or fruit, often topped with streusel or a simple glaze.

Our Pumpkin Coffee Cake follows this tradition, combining a delicious streusel topping and a glaze for the perfect fall treat. Below, you’ll find a brief guide on how to make it.

Ingredients

• Dry Ingredients (Flour, Cinnamon, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Nutmeg, Baking Soda, Salt, Baking Powder): These create the structure of the cake. The spices give the classic pumpkin flavor, while the baking soda and powder ensure it rises properly.
• Wet Ingredients (Vegetable or Coconut Oil, Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Heavy Cream, Vanilla Extract, Canned Pumpkin): These add moisture, richness, and sweetness. The oil keeps the cake moist, sugar and syrup sweeten it, cream adds richness, vanilla enhances flavor, and pumpkin gives the cake its characteristic taste and moisture.
• Streusel Topping (Flour, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Salt, Butter): This mixture provides a sweet, crumbly topping that contrasts with the soft cake. Butter binds the dry ingredients, creating the streusel’s texture.
• Glaze (Powdered Sugar, Milk, Salt, Vanilla Extract): This simple glaze adds a sweet, creamy finish to the cake.

How To Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. Dry Mix: Whisk flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Wet Mix: In another bowl, combine oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, vanilla, and pumpkin.
4. Combine: Mix wet ingredients into dry, spread in the pan.
5. Streusel: Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter; sprinkle over batter.
6. Bake: For 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan.
7. Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, milk, salt, vanilla; drizzle over cooled cake.

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5 from 3 votes

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

By Chelsea Lords

Moist and rich Pumpkin Coffee Cake, with its brown sugar streusel and vanilla glaze, is the perfect way to enjoy fall flavors!

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 24 pieces

Equipment

• 9 x 13-inch baking pan lined

Ingredients

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USMetric

Cake

• ▢ 3 cups flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 3/4 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
• ▢ 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
• ▢ 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• ▢ 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups pumpkin

Streusel

• ▢ 1 cup flour
• ▢ 14 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold

Glaze

• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons whole milk
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. You can also line with parchment or foil, then grease for easy cleanup.
• In a large bowl, mix together dry cake ingredients—flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• Whisk the oil (melted and cooled if using coconut oil), packed dark brown sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the vanilla and pumpkin, dabbing the pumpkin with a paper towel if too wet. Avoid adding extra pumpkin to prevent the cake from becoming too moist. Whisk until smooth.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry. Mix until just combined; be careful not to overmix the batter. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the streusel dry ingredients—flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and mix with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the streusel is evenly combined and forms small clumps. Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the cake batter.
• Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached—about 35–40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before icing.
• Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Start with 2 tablespoons milk and add more as needed. Whisk with a fork until smooth. Drizzle over the individual pieces and enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Storage: Store leftover Pumpkin Coffee Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 2560IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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