Easy Pumpkin Coffee Cake (With Streusel Topping)

If you’re a fan of pumpkin pie, cake, and coffee, might I suggest this Pumpkin Coffee Cake?

It's tender and moist, sweet and perfectly spiced, and crowned with a buttery, crumbly streusel. Every bite is packed with pumpkin flavor. Plus, a sweet vanilla glaze is drizzled all over the top just to make it…well…over the top.

Have it with coffee for breakfast, brunch, dessert, snack, or just whenever. It’s so good, you’ll fall for fall.

Ingredients 

For the Streusel Topping:

For the crumbly, buttery topping, you'll mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter with a fork until coarse crumbs form. 

A lot of recipes use cold butter and the cut-in method, and you can do that too. I just find melted butter easier, and it works just as well. The key is to stop mixing before the flour fully absorbs the butter, so you’re left with those chunky streusel crumbles.

For the Cake:

• Pumpkin Puree: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The mix already has sugar and spices in it, so it will make your cake too sweet and overly spiced.
• All-Purpose Flour: Measure it accurately. Too much will make the cake dense and dry. Instead of scooping, spoon it into your measuring cup and level it flat with the back of a knife. 
• Sour Cream: This is the secret to a moist, tender crumb. If you don’t have sour cream, plain full-fat yogurt is a great substitute.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Make sure they’re fresh; if not, your cake won’t rise. 
• Spices (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves): You can swap in pumpkin pie spice, but note that it has less cinnamon than this recipe calls for. 
• Sugars (Granulated and Brown): Use a mix of both for a balanced sweetness and a deeper flavor.
• Melted Butter: Let the butter cool before adding it. Hot butter can scramble your eggs!
• Egg & Yolk: Use room-temperature eggs for a smoother batter.

For the Vanilla Glaze:

For the glaze, you'll whisk powdered sugar, milk or cream, and pure vanilla extract until smooth. You can adjust the consistency by adding milk if too thick or sugar if too thin. 

How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Bring this cozy fall treat to life in your kitchen with these easy steps:

1. Make the streusel topping. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the melted butter with a fork until crumbs form. 

2. Combine dry ingredients.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.

3. Combine wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sugars, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth.

4. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Assemble and bake. Pour batter into a greased 9×9-inch baking pan and sprinkle streusel on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°F. Cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before glazing.

6. Make the glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. 

7. Enjoy. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Pro Tips

Want the perfect pumpkin coffee cake? These tips have you covered.

• Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix. The mix already has sugar and spices in it, so it will make your cake too sweet and overly spiced.
• Measure your flour accurately. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it flat with the back of a knife. Too much flour will make your cake dense and dry.
• Don't overmix. An overmixed batter will result in a dense coffee cake. Just mix everything until you no longer see clumps of flour.
• Use pumpkin pie spice in a pinch. It has cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves – everything this recipe needs. Just keep in mind that the blend has less cinnamon than the recipe calls for, but it still works perfectly as a substitute.
• Streusel add-ins: Mix in 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to your streusel for added crunch and flavor.
• Make pumpkin muffins. Pour the batter into a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.

How to Store Pumpkin Coffee Cake

To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Wrap either the whole cake or slices in plastic wrap and foil, then place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To Serve: Thaw on the counter and enjoy either chilled or warmed briefly in the microwave.