Pumpkin Coffee Cake
This moist pumpkin coffee cake is made with butter, pumpkin purée, warm spices, and a cinnamon-style crumble layered through the center and over the top. A simple pumpkin glaze gives this Bundt cake a beautiful finish for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
I use store-bought pumpkin pie spice for this recipe. This is found in pretty much all grocery stores nowadays. It is a perfect balance of cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon peel, ginger, cloves and cardamom.
The crumble on top and in the middle of this coffee cake is a perfect addition to an already spectacular cake. To top it off, the pumpkin-based glaze just adds the last and finishing touch to it all making it even tastier!
How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
You can make this cake with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. I usually use a stand mixer.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, mix the room temperature butter for 2-3 minutes. The butter will lighten in color and will become fluffy.
Tip! Do not exceed the 3 minutes. Overmixing the butter can result in a grainy textured cake.
Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl and add the sugar. Cream the butter and sugar for 2 more minutes.
Tip! The term cream means to mix the butter and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. This makes the mixture lighter and creamier.
Scrape the mixing bowl and add one egg. Mix well.
Add one egg at a time mixing well in between each egg. About 30 seconds to 1 minute per egg.
Tip! Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl before adding any new ingredients into the mix. This allows all ingredients to mix evenly.
Add the vanilla into the mix and combine well.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
It’s time to add the dry and the rest of the wet ingredients into the cake batter.
These ingredients will be alternated when added. Starting with the dry and ending with the dry as well.
Follow this order: dry, wet, dry, wet and dry.
Start adding 1/3 of the flour mixture, into the mixing bowl. Mix until just combined.
Tip! Overmixing once the flour has been introduced to the batter results in a dry, heavy and dense cake.
Add 1/2 the can of the pumpkin purée . Mix until just combined.
Tip! Don’t forget to take 2 tablespoons out of the can of pumpkin purée to use later in the glaze.
Add the second third of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Add the rest of the pumpkin purée and mix until just combined.
Finally add the final third of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer if using one and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Make the Pumpkin Spice Crumble
In a medium bowl add the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cold cubed butter.
Using your hands, break the butter apart and mix into the flour. Create a crumb-like texture by mixing all the ingredients until they are combined and if pressed together they hold their shape.
Assemble and Bake the Cake
Coat a standard 10–12-cup Bundt pan—or an angel food cake pan—with nonstick baking spray.
Pour half of the cake batter into the bottom of the cake pan and use a spatula to even it out.
Add 1/3 of the crumble on top of the cake batter. Try to spread it evenly.
Pour the rest of the cake batter on top of the crumble and spread evenly.
Add the rest of the crumble on top of the second layer of cake batter.
Bake the cake in the preheated 350º oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.
Tip! Insert a long toothpick into the cake and if it comes out clean the cake is ready. Test the cake at minute 45. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove from the oven.
Let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes before removing it from the pan.
Make the Pumpkin Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla paste, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and reserved 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée until smooth and pourable.
Tip! The texture of the glaze should be as liquid as maple syrup. If it is thicker than that just add 1 teaspoon of water until desired consistency.
Once the cake has been unmolded, place on a cake stand and drizzle the glaze all over the cake. Try to drizzle it as evenly as possible.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 1 stand up mixer or hand mixer
- 1 large bowl
- 1 small bowl
- 1 large bundt cake or angel food cake pan standard 10–12-cup capacity
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 sticks unsalted room temperature butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 can pumpkin pure minus 2 tablespoons needed for the glaze
- nonstick baking spray for the pan
For the crumble:
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cold cubed butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pure
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment—or in a large bowl with a hand mixer—beat the room-temperature butter for 2–3 minutes.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the sugar.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 2 more minutes.
- Scrape the bowl, add 1 egg, and mix well.
- Add the remaining eggs one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds to 1 minute after each addition.
- Add the vanilla and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Add half the pumpkin purée and mix just until combined. Remember to reserve 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée for the glaze.
- Add the second third of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Add the remaining pumpkin purée and mix just until combined.
- Add the final third of the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom with a spatula.
For the crumble:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cold cubed butter.
- Use your hands to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms crumbs that hold together when pressed.
Assembling the cake for baking:
- Coat a standard 10–12-cup Bundt pan—or an angel food cake pan—with nonstick baking spray.
- Pour half the batter into the pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Sprinkle one-third of the crumble evenly over the batter.
- Add the remaining batter and spread it evenly.
- Top with the remaining crumble.
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 45–50 minutes.
- At 45 minutes, insert a long toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven; otherwise, continue baking and check again.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes.
For the glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla paste, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and reserved 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée until smooth and pourable.
- The glaze should have the consistency of maple syrup. If it is too thick, whisk in water 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Unmold the cake onto a cake stand, then drizzle the glaze evenly over the top.