This fluffy pumpkin coffee cake is the epitome of what a coffee cake should be, but made with pumpkin puree and topped with a decadent crumb topping.
As a devout pumpkin lover, I knew I needed to perfect my pumpkin coffee cake just like I did with my pumpkin waffles and my irresistibly fluffy pumpkin pancakes. Coffee cake is one of those "cakes" that can be virtually any type of meal, and never ceases to deliver on flavor and texture.
TL;DR Recipe Summary
- 👩🏼🍳 Bake Level - Easy/Beginner
- ⏱️ Bake Time - 30 minutes, with the prep taking 10 minutes.
- 😋 Taste - Fluff factor is 100%, moist, tender with an ultra buttery topping.
- 🍽️ Best Served With - Coffee cake goes well with anything, but specifically, serve a slice of this cake with a creamy espresso martini recipe, on a dessert table along with funfetti blondies, s'mores blondies, or my apple crumb cake.
Jump to:
Tried and True Tips and Key Reminders
- Be gentle when making the batter. I've tested my coffee cake recipe several times, and had to discard or retry a few of those tests because I severely over-mixed the batter. Over-mixing works the gluten too much causing a gummy texture and loss of flavor.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and milk so that it blends easier together and doesn't clump.
- Do NOT use pumpkin pie filling as it will be way too overpowering with flavor and spice. Use plain pumpkin puree in the cake.
The Main Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: this is what gives the texture, color, and added flavor to these bars
- Eggs: eggs are always a staple in baked goods, and give the end result a beautiful texture and rise.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: this goes into the coffee cake mixture as well as the streusel topping.
- Cane sugar: The sugar helps add to the overall structure and taste of this coffee cake.
- Sour cream: adding sour cream to ANY recipe adds additional fat, aka making it moist and adds lots of flavor.
- Milk: Using a little milk helps create more moisture and texture.
- Oil: a little oil goes a long way. More fat = more delicious crumb and mouthfeel.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Swaps and Substitutions
- Flour: this won't really change the bake time, but it will alter the taste and texture. I swear by Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour, which you can find on Thrive Market or in a variety of other stores.
- Milk: if you want to make this dairy free, swap out the regular milk for almond or oat milk.
- Sugar: you can use coconut sugar if you don't want to use regular cane sugar.
How to make pumpkin coffee cake
Step 1:
For the Crumb Topping: Combine the flour, sugar, melted butter and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Let sit and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Step 2:
For the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350º and line a 9x9 or 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Crack two eggs into a large bowl and combine with the cane sugar. Whisk until pale and fluffy.
Step 3: To the bowl, pour in the milk and olive oil, then whisk to combine.
Step 4: Add in the pumpkin and sour cream then whisk again.
Step 5: In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the baking powder, flour, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 6: Pour the flour directly into the wet ingredients and fold together with a spatula until the flour has fully combined.
Step 7: Add the cake batter to the greased pan.
Step 8: Top the cake with all of the crumb mixture, then let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the oven.
When ready, bake the pumpkin coffee cake for 33 minutes and let cool completely before slicing.
Pumpkin Coffee Cake FAQs
This coffee cake will do well on the counter for up to 3-4 days in a tightly sealed tupperware container.
I highly recommend wrapping tightly with plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, indicating the date the cake was baked. This cake should be defrosted and consumed within two months.
No, the funny part about the name of this recipe is that there is absolutely no coffee in the cake itself. Rather, it's meant to be enjoyed with coffee!
Yes, you can easily swap the milk for a dairy-free alternative, and similarly, in the crumb topping, use your favorite -dairy free butter. I know that Miyokos is a popular dairy-free butter.
Looking for other pumpkin recipes? Try these:
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 kitchen scale optional
- 1 whisk
- 1 spatula
- measuring spoons and cups
- 1 9x9 square cake pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the cake
- 256 grams all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 200 grams cane sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Crumb
- 100 grams flour ¾ cup
- 100 grams cane sugar ½ cup
- 6 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
For the Crumb Topping
- Combine the flour, sugar, melted butter and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Let sit and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350º and line a 9x9 or 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Crack two eggs into a large bowl and combine with the cane sugar. Whisk until pale and fluffy.
- To the bowl, pour in the milk and olive oil, then whisk to combine.
- Add in the pumpkin and sour cream then whisk again.
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the baking powder, flour, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Pour the flour directly into the wet ingredients and fold together with a spatula until the flour has fully combined.
- Add the cake batter to the greased pan.
- Top the cake with all of the crumb mixture, then let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the oven. When ready, bake the pumpkin coffee cake for 33 minutes and let cool completely before slicing.
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