Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake has a soft, moist cinnamon-ginger cake under a generous layer of buttery dark brown sugar crumbs.
Servings: 12 pieces
Equipment
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (150 g) dark brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (113 g) salted butter melted and slightly cooled
Pumpkin Cake
- 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar packed
- 1 1/4 cups (about 284 g) canned pumpkin puree plain, not pie filling
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup (110 g) neutral oil vegetable or canola
- 1/3 cup (80 g) full-fat sour cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the pan and crumb topping. Heat the oven to 350°F. Add a little oil or nonstick spray to a light-colored 9-inch square metal pan to hold the parchment in place. Line it with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides. Stir the crumb flour, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Add the melted salted butter and mix with a fork until clumps form. Set aside. 1 cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup dark brown sugar 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ cup salted butter
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the cake’s dark brown sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth, with no streaks of sour cream. 1 cup dark brown sugar 1¼ cups canned pumpkin puree 2 large eggs ½ cup neutral oil ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the cake flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add them to the pumpkin mixture. 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground allspice 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- Fold the batter. Use a spatula to fold just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick and spreadable, not pourable.
- Fill the pan. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Scatter the crumb topping over it in small and large clumps without pressing it into the batter.
- Bake and cool. Set a timer for 35 minutes, then check the cake. Continue baking as needed, up to about 45 minutes. The center should spring back lightly, and a toothpick inserted into the cake through a gap in the crumbs should have moist crumbs but no wet batter. Let the cake rest in the pan for 30 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and slice. Cool completely before covering for storage.
Notes
- Pumpkin and batter: Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The batter should be thick and spreadable, not pourable. Weigh the flour if possible: 260 g for the cake and 130 g for the crumb.
- Pan: Use a light-colored 9-inch square metal pan. The Nordic Ware storage lid is for the cooled cake, not for baking. Glass or dark metal may change the bake time.
- Spice shortcut: Replace the five individual cake spices with 2 tablespoons of store-bought pumpkin pie spice. Still add the 1½ teaspoons cinnamon to the crumb. Spice blends vary in flavor.
- Do not overbake: Start checking at 35 minutes; both of my cakes were done at 38 minutes. A toothpick inserted through a gap in the crumb should have moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Keep the crumb loose: Mix until clumps form, then scatter them over the batter without pressing them down.
- Make ahead and storage: Once cooled, keep the cake covered for up to 2 days at room temperature or 4–5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 285mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g