This pumpkin streusel coffee cake takes the classic to a new flavorful level. This delicious breakfast or brunch treat is topped with vanilla glaze and chopped pecans.
Traditionally, coffee cake is a buttery, fluffy cake with a streusel topping. In the world of baking, it's delicious to think outside of the box!
This pumpkin coffee cake is made with canned pure pumpkin and buttermilk to make it dense and moist.
How to make streusel topping
One of my favorite things about coffee cake is the scrumptious crumb topping! For this topping, it takes just a few ingredients to whip up a delicious streusel topping for this pumpkin streusel coffee cake.
- Butter- Unsalted and melted
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Flour- to bind
- Chopped Pecans
- Confectioner's Sugar- For the drizzle
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk- Just a tablespoon or two
Using a fork to blend the ingredients helps create a crumbly texture for the crumble topping instead of a goopy mess when using melted butter. If you prefer, you can dice cold butter up into small bits before adding it to the topping mixture. Some people prefer this method to melting the butter.
If using melted butter, I find that placing the crumb mixture in the palm of my hands and rubbing my hands together creates a fine and crumbly topping.
Allow the cake to cool completely before drizzling the vanilla glaze on top of this coffee cake. Otherwise, it will melt into the cake.
What Ingredients are in Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake?
- Canned Pumpkin - 100% Pure Pumpkin
- Brown Sugar - packed and light variety
- Spices - Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Flour - All Purpose
- Egg - room temperature is best
- Buttermilk - helps create a dense and moist coffee cake
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda - leavening agents
- Butter - unsalted, softened
See the recipe card for ingredient amounts.
You may like this Sour Cream Coffee Cake version of this coffee cake.
How to Make Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
One of the most important steps to making this pumpkin streusel coffee cake is NOT overbeat! The coffee cake should be moist, fluffy, and a little crumbly. Overbeating will make it dense and dry.
The first step to making this cake is to line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
The brown sugar and softened butter are beaten until creamy and the egg is then beat into the mixture until fluffy.
Canned pumpkin is added next, making sure to combine well.
Next, the spices, leavening agents, and flour are combined together.
Half of the dry mixture is then added to the wet mixture and beaten until just combined.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Iced Pumpkin Spice Loaf
Buttermilk is then added to the cake batter as well as the remaining flour mixture. It's important to beat until just combined so that it doesn't come out dry once baked.
This cake batter will be very thick and that is completely normal. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
To make the streusel topping for this pumpkin coffee cake, melt the butter and combine it with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. I use a fork to rake the mixture and to create crumbles.
Evenly layer the streusel topping on top of the batter by sprinkling it over the entire top of the pumpkin streusel coffee cake.
Chopped pecans are then added on top of the streusel topping and then it is baked for about 50-60 minutes. Keep an eye on your oven as baking times vary based on ovens! A toothpick stuck in the center of the cake should come out clean before removing it from the oven.
TOP TIP
If you don't have any buttermilk, no worries! Combine ½ cup of milk with ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Allow the milk to sit for at least 5 minutes before adding to the cake batter.
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter - melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 15 oz 100% pure canned pumpkin
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup buttermilk
Streusel Topping
- ⅓ cup butter - melted
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Beat the brown sugar and softened butter together until creamy.
- Add the egg and beat until fluffy.
- Beat in the pumpkin, combining well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the spices and the flour.
- Beat in half of the dry mixture into the wet ingredients.
- Add in the buttermilk*
- Beat in the remaining flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the cake batter into the baking pan.
- Spread out evenly.
- Melt the butter and combine it with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
- Use a fork to rake through the mixture and to make it crumbly. **
- Spread evenly over the cake batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Oven temperatures will vary. Check the center of the cake with a toothpick before removing from the oven.
- Allow the cake to completely cool before mixing together the ingredients for the drizzle and adding to the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Sondra Barker says
TThis is mouthwatering! Looks so tasty. Thanks for sharing.
Dana says
Thanks! I hope you try this recipe soon!