This Pumpkin Coffee Cake is the perfect treat during pumpkin season! Simple ingredients and fall flavors make this easy Pumpkin Coffee Cake recipe a favorite. Pumpkin spice flavor in a moist cake topped with a crunchy buttery streusel and optional sweet glaze.
There’s no better way to start a fall day than with a hot cup of coffee and a slice of this best coffee cake full of pumpkin flavor! Just one bite of pumpkin coffee cake and you’ll be hooked. It’s perfect for lazy weekend mornings or even to serve as dessert. It’s a perfect fall recipe!
The cake has moist crumbs and crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. It will be soft after baking and crisps up when it has fully cooled. You can add our simple glaze or eat it as is; either way it’s delicious. Move over pumpkin bread there’s a new favorite pumpkin recipe in town.
If you love a good coffee cake for weekends try our Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Banana Coffee Cake or Blueberry Coffee Cake too!
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Recipe Ingredient Notes
All purpose flour. Regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend both work. We use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend for gluten-free baking.
Pumpkin pie spice. This is a blend of warming spices that give pumpkin recipes that familiar spice flavor. You’ll find it in the grocery store with the other spices.
Unsalted butter. You’ll use this each in the cake and in the topping. For the pumpkin coffee cake start with softened or room temperature butter for best results (do not use cold butter). The topping uses 5 tablespoons of melted butter.
Pumpkin puree. Use 100% pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie filling.
Milk. We recommend whole milk for the cake. You can use whole milk or heavy cream for the optional glaze.
Sugar. You’ll use both granulated and light brown sugar in each the cake and the topping. The optional glaze uses powdered sugar.
How to make Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Printable recipe card at the end of the post.
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch by 8-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray (photo 1).
STEP 2. Make batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (photo 2). Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (photo 3).
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin; mix well (photo 4). Add the flour mixture and the milk into the wet ingredients; mix well (photo 5). Pour batter into the prepared pan (photos 6-7).
STEP 3. Make the topping
In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix with a fork (flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt)(photo 8). Add in the butter and mix with the fork until crumbly (photos 9-10). Sprinkle over top of the cake batter (photo 11).
STEP 4. Bake & Cool
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean (photo 12).
Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack before cutting.
STEP 5. Glaze (optional)
A glaze topping is optional, it’s delicious without it.
Add the powdered sugar to a medium bowl. Stir in the milk or cream until the lumps are dissolved (photo 13). Drizzle over the top of the pumpkin coffee cake (photo 14).
Variations
Double the recipe. Recipe can be easily double for a 9×13 pan.
Add toasted pecans to the topping. To add a little more fall flair, toast some pecans in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees. ¼ cup crushed pecans would work, then add it into the topping.
Sweet vanilla glaze. You can add some vanilla extract to the optional glaze to give it some homey vanilla flavor.
Use a different milk. You can substitute other types of milk if desired (plant-based milks). Buttermilk works great too. For the optional glaze we recommend a neutral flavor milk.
How to store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Warm the tender pumpkin cake in the microwave for 10 seconds before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Allow the cake to fully cool. Wrap first in plastic wrap then either foil or place in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. If using glaze add that after the pumpkin spice coffee cake is thawed.
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Recipe
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree use 100% pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup milk
Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Glaze (optional)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat 350 degrees F. Spray 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream the sugar, brown sugar, and butter.½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin; mix well. Add the flour mixture and the milk into the batter; mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup milk
Topping
- In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients: flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt; mix with a fork. Add in the butter and mix with the fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Sprinkle the topping over the pumpkin batter. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting.¼ cup powdered sugar, 2-3 teaspoons milk or heavy cream
Glaze
- To make the glaze, stir the milk into the powdered sugar until the lumps are dissolved. Drizzle over the top of the coffee cake.
Notes
- Double the recipe. Recipe can be easily double for a 9×13 pan.
- Add toasted pecans to the topping. To add a little more fall flair, toast some pecans in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees. ¼ cup crushed pecans would work, then add it into the topping.
- Sweet vanilla glaze. You can add some vanilla extract to the optional glaze to give it some homey vanilla flavor.
- Use a different milk. You can substitute other types of milk if desired (plant-based milks). Buttermilk works great too. For the optional glaze we recommend a neutral flavor milk.
Sandy says
We adore this recipe! But my daughter has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, so we are looking for less sugar in our favorites! Any suggestions? Thanks!
Toni Dash says
I think sugar substitutes are probably your best option however I really don’t work with them so couldn’t guide you. I suggest checking out a website called All Day I Dream About Food. She’s a recipe developer I’ve known since starting my website and develops recipes that are diabetic-friendly (she developed diabetes shortly after starting her recipe website). She definitely uses sugar substitutes and I’m sure has up to date reliable info about them.
Renée says
You had me at Streusel, Toni! This coffee cake is moist and tender, and the topping is so so good. It’s just perfect for a relaxing weekend morning.
Liza says
Love this moist, tasty pumpkin bread, and the streusel topping and glaze really take the flavors to the next level!
nancy says
i love coffee cakes. this one with pumpkin is very moist and flavourful