This Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake is exactly what I would make at the bakery if I still had the bakery. Dark with pumpkin and streusel this deeply flavored, moist, easy, pumpkin coffee cake is loaded with the warm spices of fall with rivers of streusel running through it and on top. A maple glaze pulsl it all together.
The idea came to me when I was thinking about posting just the pumpkin bread that one of my boys brought home from school over 40 years ago. The pumpkin bread is the basis for this very tall coffee cake that is sure to become one of your go to recipes for the fall. And it's actually even better the next day after all the flavors have a chance to meld together.
Here are a few other coffee cakes perfect for breakfast, brunch or anytime of the day: Easily Made Raspberry Ripple Coffee Cake, Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Apricot Crumb Coffee Cake, and the Easier "Danish Pastry" Recipe
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Why YOu'll Love This Coffee Cake
- It's easy to make.
- The reward is great.
- Since it can be made the day ahead or frozen for longer storage, it's perfect for that something special to serve when you don't have time.
- It screams "Fall" and make me.
Recipe Ingredients
Streusel
FRONT ROW: Cinnamon, unsalted butter, old fashioned oats
BACK ROW: Cake flour, brown sugar
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
FRONT ROW: Salt, nutmeg, baking soda
SECCOND ROW: Cloves, baking powder, cinnamon
THIRD ROW: Granulated sugar, chopped pecans
BACK ROW: Canola or vegetable oil, pumpkin, all-purpose flour
Maple Glaze
FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter
BACK ROW; Powdered sugar, pure maple syrup
Key Ingredients
- For the streusel I use cake flour to keep the streusel soft. All-purpose flour flour can be substituted but the texture will not be the same.
- Either dark or light brown sugar can be used.
- Old Fashioned Oats have more flavor and hold together better than the quick oats.
- Either canola or vegetable oil can be used.
- Look for cans that say pure pumpkin .
- All-purpose flour is used for the coffee cake.
- Pure maple syrup is called for. It is not the same as pancake syrup.
HOw to get a shiny glaze
When making a powdered sugar based glaze for cookies, cakes, coffee cakes, etc. the liquid to dilute it determines how shiny the glaze will dry. There are 4 basic liquids to add to the powdered sugar. Let's take a look at them.
Water will produce the dullest glaze when dried. It's flat and not attractive.
Milk is better and usually dries with a shine.
Cream will give you the shiniest glaze hands down.
Fruit juice is hit or miss. I use straight lemon juice for the best flavor in some of my glazes. I have no idea why it sometimes shines and sometimes doesn't. But it always tastes good.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Streusel
Step 1. Combine the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, old fashioned oats, and cinnamon in the bowl of a mixer. Step 2. Mix briefly to blend the ingredients. Step 3. Add the cold, cut up butter to the mixing bowl. Step 4. Mix on low to medium until crumbs form. This may take 3 to 4 minutes. Towards the end the speed can be raised higher but be careful not to over-beat and make a paste. Refrigerate while making the coffee cake.
The Pumpkin coffee Cake
Step 5. Add the granulated sugar and oil to a mixing bowl. Step 6. Mix briefly the blend. It may not blend completely but it will in the next step. Step 7. Add the eggs. Step 8. Beat on medium to bring it all together.
Step 9. Add the spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the egg mixture. Step 10. Mix to thoroughly combine everything. Step 11. Add the flour and mix completely. Step 12. Add the pumpkin mixing well.
Step 13. Add the nuts. Step 14. Beat briefly to mix the nuts into the batter. Step 15. Pour half the batter (about 650 grams) into the prepared pan and distribute half of the streusel (about 230 grams) over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and add the rest of the streusel on top. Step 16. Bake as directed.
Maple Glaze
Step 17. This is a jug of pure maple syrup. It can be found in grocery stores as well as Aldi's. Step 18. Place all of the ingredients in a medium size bowl stir with a spoon to bring it together. Don't use a whisk as air bubbles may form. If it is too thick, thin it with a teaspoon of milk at a time. Step 20. Drizzle it over the coffee cake.
Recipe FAQ'S
Yes, the flavors are even better after a day or it can be frozen up to a couple of months.
It's all about the pumpkin and oil. The pumpkin adds moisture as does any puree in a cake or coffee cake and the oil keeps any cake moist because it is a liquid. Butter cakes or coffee cakes tend to dry out much faster since it is semisolid at room temperature.
Like most recipes made with a puree and oil as its fat, it will be more dense. Oil and sugar do no cream so no air is added to the mixture. Dense is not a problem as long as it is moist.
Expert tips
- Make sure to use real pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pure maple syrup has a different taste and texture than pancake syrup so don't confuse the two.
- There is a lot of streusel in this coffee cake It can be reduced by half if you wish
- Use old fashioned oats and not quick oats which have a different texture and are softer.
- This is a tall, rich coffee cake so i cut mine it into 12 pieces.
- Making this a day ahead, cooling and covering as it helps the flavors blend.
More bake Worthy Coffee Cakes
A lot of work goes into each of my recipes and my only ask is that if you like the recipe or even the looks of it, please leave me a star rating to help me rank better. It’s important and I appreciate it and I appreciate you.
Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake – Moist Easy Fall Recipe
Equipment
- 9"x 9"x 2" baking pan
Ingredients
Streusel
- 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
- 1 cup cake flour (125 grams)
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (40 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold (114 grams or 1 stick)
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
- 3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (340 grams)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (315 grams)
- 1/2 cups chopped pecans (60 grams), optional
Maple Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (130 grams)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (58 grams)
- milk as needed
Instructions
Streusel
- Place the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, oats and cinnamon in the bowl of a mixer. Mix together briefly to combine.
- Cut the cold butter into pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium until crumbs form. This may take 3 or 4 minutes. Refrigerate while preparing the coffee cake.
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Line a 9"x9"x2" square pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides. Spray the paper and sides of the pan with a non-stick baking release. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Beat the sugar and oil until combined. There may be some oil unincorporated - that's fine.
- Add the eggs and mix until everything is blended.
- Add the spices, salt, baking soda and baking powder to the egg mixture, Mix on low to incorporate everything.
- Mix in the flour and then the pumpkin, scraping down as necessary.
- Add the nuts, and finish mixing everything together.
- Place half of the batter (about 650 grams) in the prepared pan. Top with half the streusel (about 230 grams). Repeat with the remaining batter and streusel.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack. Lift out of the pan with the aid of the overhanging parchment.
Maple Glaze
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Stir them together vigorously until smooth. The glaze will probably be too thick. Thin with milk a teaspoon at a time until thin enough for a thick drizzle.
- Drizzle over the coffee cake and allow to set up if serving the same day. If holding for a day for the flavors to meld, cover the coffee cake without the glaze. Glaze the next day.
- The finished coffee cake can be stored, covered, for several days or frozen for longer storage. If freezing, freeze until hard, then wrap well in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw: unwrap and thaw in the refrigerator, then serve at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Lynette Pruett says
This recipe sounds delicious, and I plan to make it very soon. Your streusel recipe is absolutely the best anywhere, and I’m glad I’ve learned from you that cake flour in the streusel makes such a textural difference. I often make a double batch and freeze the extra to add on the spur of the moment when I’m pressed for time! I noticed that on the recipe card for the streusel, all purpose flour is inadvertently listed instead of cake flour. Thank you for the explanation of which liquids give a shiny glaze…another lesson learned from Helen! I admit that I have used water when pressed for time, thinking that a tablespoonful of water vs. milk or cream couldn’t make much difference! Now I know, and I’ll take the extra few seconds to get the cream from the fridge.
Thanks once again for teaching me to be a better baker!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Lynette - thanks for letting me know. I proof read but don't always catch everything.