This Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake is everything we love about fall: tender, warmly spiced pumpkin cake topped with buttery cinnamon-pecan streusel. Finish it with a simple maple glaze, pour a cup of coffee, and enjoy a cozy treat that’s perfect for brunch or dessert.
Jump to:
- 🥚 The Ingredients
- 📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- 📌 Tips and Tricks for Perfect Coffee Cake
- 👩🏼🍳 Getting Started with Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- 👨🍳 How to Bake Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- 🍽️ How to Serve
- 🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
- 🎃 More Amazing Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel
🥚 The Ingredients
The ingredients come together to create a moist, tender crumb, cozy fall flavor, a crisp streusel topping, and a sweet, delicate finish. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pumpkin purée: Use plain canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. If using homemade purée, make sure it’s thick and not watery.
- Sour cream: This adds moisture and a tender crumb. Full-fat Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
- Pecans: They add a lovely crunch to the streusel. Chopped walnuts work well, too, or leave the nuts out.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give the cake its classic pumpkin-spice flavor. You can use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of the individual spices.
- Maple glaze: Pure maple syrup brings a subtle maple note. For a lighter-colored glaze, use just a small amount of syrup and thin it with milk or cream.
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📌 Tips and Tricks for Perfect Coffee Cake
- Bring the cold ingredients to room temperature. Room-temperature eggs and sour cream blend more evenly into the batter.
- Don’t overmix. Once the flour goes in, mix just until the batter comes together for a tender cake.
- Keep the streusel chunky. Mix until clumps form, then chill it while you prepare the cake batter.
- Layer gently. Dollop the top layer of batter over the streusel and spread carefully so the layers stay distinct.
- Check for doneness near the center. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil.
- Cool before glazing. Let the cake cool so the maple glaze stays on top instead of melting into the streusel.
- For neat slices, use the parchment overhang to lift the cooled cake from the pan, then cut with a sharp knife.
👩🏼🍳 Getting Started with Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- Step 1: Make the streusel by whisking the flour with the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and pecans and gently mix until lumpy and fully combined. Chill the mixture while you prepare the batter.
- Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves.
- Step 3: In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter with the two sugars for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy.
- Step 4: Mix in the eggs (1 at a time) and the vanilla extract.
- Step 5: Mix in the pumpkin purée.
- Step 6: Mix in half of the flour mixture and then beat in the sour cream.
Expert Tip:
No stand mixer? Use a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugars, or beat them vigorously with a sturdy whisk or wooden spoon until lighter and fluffy. Then stir in the remaining ingredients by hand, mixing just until the flour disappears to keep the cake tender.
👨🍳 How to Bake Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- Step 1: Beat in the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Step 2: Lightly grease an 8×8″ baking pan and then line it with parchment paper, allowing the edges to hang over the sides. Spread about half of the batter into the pan.
- Step 3: Sprinkle about one third of the chilled streusel over the batter.
- Step 4: Spread on the rest of the batter and then top with the rest of the streusel.
- Step 5: Bake at 350°F for about 50-55 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (see NOTES). Let cool in the pan for 30-60 minutes.
- Step 6: In a bowl, stir the powdered sugar with the cream (or milk), maple syrup until the desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Slice and serve!
🍽️ How to Serve
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, with coffee, tea, or hot cider.
- Add a dollop of lightly whipped cream or a spoonful of vanilla yogurt for a brunch-style treat.
- For dessert, pair a slice with homemade vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of maple glaze.
- Dust with a little cinnamon or powdered sugar just before serving for a simple finishing touch.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake be made ahead?
Yes. Bake it a day ahead, let it cool completely, and store it covered at room temperature. Add the glaze shortly before serving.
How should I store Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake?
Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 5 days. Let refrigerated slices come to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly.
Can Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake be frozen?
Yes. Freeze the cooled, unglazed cake tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then add the glaze.
Why is my Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake dense or gummy?
Too much pumpkin, overmixing, or underbaking can make the cake dense. Measure the purée carefully, mix the batter just until combined, and check the center for doneness before removing it from the oven.
Can I make Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake without nuts?
Absolutely. Simply leave the pecans out of the streusel; no other changes are needed.
🎃 More Amazing Pumpkin Recipes
Ready to make the best coffee cake this side of the Great Pumpkin Patch? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel
A tender, warmly spiced pumpkin coffee cake topped with buttery pecan streusel and finished with a simple maple glaze—perfect for fall brunch or an afternoon treat.
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Servings: 8
Calories: 691kcal
Video
Equipment
- 8×8-inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Pecan Streusel
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar light
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup pecans roughly chopped
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (1 stick)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar light
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
For the Maple Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream or milk, see NOTES
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup 100% pure, not pancake syrup
Instructions
Make the Streusel
- Stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix until clumps form. Fold in the pecans. Refrigerate while you make the batter.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup pecans
Make the Cake Batter
- Prepare the pan. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment, leaving a little overhang for lifting the cake out.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.2 cups all-purpose, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- In your stand mixer, beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the pumpkin purée and vanilla. The mixture may look slightly curdled; that’s okay. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the sour cream, mixing on low just until combined. Don’t overmix.½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 cup pumpkin purée, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup sour cream
Prepare the Cake and Bake
- Spread about half the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle over roughly one-third of the streusel. Carefully spread the remaining batter on top, then scatter the rest of the streusel evenly over the surface.
- Bake for 50–55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth, adding just enough milk or cream to make it drizzle-able. Remove the cake from the pan by lifting the parchment paper straight up. Place on a cutting board or platter. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Use a large knife to cut into squares. Serve slightly warm, or store and then serve at room temperature.¾ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
- Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. If using homemade purée, make sure it’s thick and not watery.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream.
- To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
- For the glaze, start with ¼ cup of milk or cream and add more a little at a time until it’s thick but pourable. If it gets too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
- Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The recipe can be frozen unglazed for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 5656IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 3mg
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Wesley says
This coffee cake is so moist and the flavors are absolutely perfect! Love the streusel!!