This is the best pumpkin coffee cake! It's extra moist with lots of pumpkin spice flavor, topped with crunchy brown sugar crumb topping and drizzled with maple cream cheese frosting. This easy pumpkin dessert pairs perfectly with a pumpkin spice latte and is the perfect thing to bake for pumpkin season!
If you're looking for other pumpkin desserts, try my favorite pumpkin recipes: pumpkin cheesecake cookies, pumpkin cheesecake bars, pumpkin blondies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin bundt cake, chocolate pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bread or chewy pumpkin cookies. Ahh, pumpkin season really is just the best time of year!
Why You'll Love This Easy Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe
It's full of fall flavors. It has the perfect amount of pumpkin pie spice that compliments the pumpkin flavor exquisitely.
It's a super soft and moist cake. This coffee cake is super moist thanks to the pumpkin and buttermilk combination. One bite and you'll see what I'm talking about!
It's topped with crunchy brown sugar streusel. The best part of coffee cake is the streusel and this has LOTS and lots of streusel that adds a delicious sweet crunch to each bite.
It's drizzled with maple cream cheese frosting. To top things off, we're adding a little drizzle of cream cheese frosting to really make this coffee cake incredible.
Simple Ingredients for Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- All Purpose Flour– gives the cake the best, most tender crumb
- Granulated White Sugar– used to sweeten and add moisture to the cake
- Brown Sugar- used to make the crunchy streusel
- Eggs– make sure they are room temperature
- Butter- make sure it is softened
- Buttermilk– makes the cake extra moist (you can use ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk mixed with 2 ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to make buttermilk)
- Canned Pumpkin Purée - not pumpkin pie filling, I recommend using Libby's canned pumpkin for the most consistent pumpkin puree texture from can to can. It really makes a difference in pumpkin desserts!
- Ground Pumpkin Pie Spice- a blend of warm spices like ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and mace is used to add warm flavor to the cake. I love Spice Island pumpkin pie spice!
- Vanilla Extract – adds a sweet note to the cake
- Baking Soda– helps to give the cake it's fluffy texture
- Salt– helps to bring out all the flavors
- Powdered Sugar– used to sweeten the cream cheese frosting
- Milk- used to make the cream cheese drizzle
- Pure Maple Syrup- used along with the powdered sugar to sweeten the cream cheese frosting
- Cream Cheese- used to make the delicious frosting
Step by Step Instructions
See the recipe card below for complete measurements and baking time.
STEP ONE: Make the cinnamon streusel topping by adding the butter and brown sugar to a medium bowl. Mix together with an electric mixer on high speed until combined. Add in the flour, pumpkin pie spice and pinch of salt and mix together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pop in the fridge to chill while making the coffee cake batter.
STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
STEP THREE: Add the softened butter and granulated white sugar to a large bowl. Cream together for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on high speed.
STEP FOUR Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
STEP FIVE: Add in the buttermilk and canned pumpkin puree and mix on medium low speed until combined. (The batter will look curdled at this point but don't worry. It will pull together once the dry ingredients are added.)
STEP SIX: Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix on medium low speed just until the batter is combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
STEP SEVEN: Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 9 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the chilled buttery streusel on top of the batter, making sure to cover the entire top.
STEP EIGHT: Bake the coffee cake and then let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cool.
STEP NINE: While the cake cools make the cream cheese drizzle by adding the cream cheese and maple syrup to a small bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Then sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time until all is combined. Lastly, mix in the milk. Drizzle the cream cheese frosting on top of the cake, then serve!
FAQs
How do I store this coffee cake? Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree? I really recommend sticky with Libby's canned pumpkin if you can. I have not tested this recipe with homemade puree so I can't say for sure if it would turn out the same.
Can I use sour cream instead of buttermilk? No. You will not get the same results if you use sour cream instead of buttermilk. If you don't have buttermilk on hand you can easily make it with ¾ cup (180 ml) of whole milk and 2 ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
Pro Tips
For best results, measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead, scoop spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 120-125 grams.
Make sure all your wet ingredients are room temperature. You'll have the best textured cake when the ingredients are room temperature instead of cold. Cold wet ingredients can make any kind of cake batter/donut batter "gummy".
Don't over mix your batter. Mix just until the dry ingredients are blended in to avoid an overly dense coffee cake.
If you make this pumpkin coffee cake please leave a star review! Tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Recipes to Try Next Time:
Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- pinch salt
For the Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup (244 g) canned pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Drizzle
- 2 oz (56 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) pure maple syrup
- 3-4 tablespoon (25-32 g) powdered sugar add to your sweetness preference
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole milk
Instructions
For the Streusel
- Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium bowl. Mix together with an electric mixer on high speed until combined.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
- Add in the flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt and mix together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, pinch salt
- Pop the streusel in the fridge to chill while making the coffee cake batter.
For the Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 inch metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.1 ¾ cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the softened butter and granulated white sugar to a large bowl. Cream together for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on high speed.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated white sugar
- Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.2 eggs, at room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add in the buttermilk and canned pumpkin puree and mix on medium low speed until combined. (The batter will look curdled at this point but don't worry. It will pull together once the dry ingredients are added.)1 cup (244 g) canned pumpkin puree, ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix on medium low speed just until the batter is combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the chilled streusel on top of the batter, making sure to cover the entire top.
- Bake the coffee cake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center with only a few moist crumbs. (If the top is getting too brown towards the end of the baking time, loosely cover with aluminum foil.)
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.
For the Cream Cheese Drizzle
- While the cake cools make the cream cheese drizzle by adding the cream cheese and maple syrup to a small bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on medium high speed until smooth.2 oz (56 g) cream cheese, softened, 2 tablespoon (30 ml) pure maple syrup
- Then sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing on low speed, until all is combined. Lastly, mix in the milk.3-4 tablespoon (25-32 g) powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole milk
- When the cake is cool enough to handle, gently pull up on the parchment paper to release the cake from the pan. Drizzle the cream cheese frosting on top of the cake, then serve.
Do yo
Do you think this recipe could be doubled in a 9x13 pan?
yes, I don't see why not 🙂 You will just need to adjust baking time!
Really? Canned pumpkin?