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Perfect Brown Sugar Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

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This moist and tender pumpkin coffee cake features a generous buttery streusel topping and deep brown sugar flavor. Perfect for fall brunches, breakfasts, or desserts, it’s a crowd-pleaser that stays delicious for days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (for streusel)
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed (for streusel)
  • ½ cup (60g) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, for streusel)
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (for glaze, optional)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk (for glaze, optional)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
  2. Make the streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add cold cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Stir in chopped pecans if using. Refrigerate while making batter.
  3. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Do not overmix.
  6. Layer: Spread half the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the streusel over batter. Drop remaining batter in spoonfuls over streusel and carefully spread. Top with remaining streusel, pressing gently into batter.
  7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If streusel browns too quickly after 30 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
  8. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use parchment to lift cake out and cool completely on rack.
  9. Make glaze (optional): Whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract. Add more milk if needed for drizzle consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Notes

For best results, keep streusel cold until baking. Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter. The cake tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free butter and buttermilk substitute. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin coffee cake, brown sugar coffee cake, streusel topping, fall baking, pumpkin recipe, coffee cake with streusel

Find it online: https://emmastirs.com/perfect-brown-sugar-pumpkin-coffee-cake-with-streusel-topping/