Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

If my husband and I are going to enjoy something sweet, there’s a good chance it’ll be coffee cake. And during the fall, there’s nothing better than this easy pumpkin coffee cake recipe! Real pumpkin puree gives this coffee cake plenty of flavor and an ultra-moist and light crumb. Meanwhile, there’s cozy cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice throughout, and a sweet and crunchy streusel on top. Every coffee cake needs a crumbly streusel!

A plate of this pumpkin spice coffee cake with a cup of coffee is the best fall breakfast. Especially when I bake it the night before to free up my morning.

About This Easy Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe

• Bake it ahead of time. Coffee cake stores well, and this pumpkin version is perfect for making ahead before a big Thanksgiving brunch or holiday breakfast.
• Moist, tender crumb. Pumpkin purée works its magic in this cake! Not only does it flavor the batter, but the finished cake is super moist, tender, and fluffy thanks to the added moisture from the purée.
• Rich fall flavors. Between the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, you couldn’t ask for a more fall-appropriate breakfast than homemade pumpkin coffee cake.
• Easy to make. Best of all, like quick breads and muffins, coffee cake is simple to make with common pantry ingredients.

Key Ingredients

The ingredients in this recipe double as the streusel topping and the cake batter. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full measurements.

• All-Purpose Flour: Don’t scoop your measuring cup directly into the flour. Instead, spoon it in and level it out with a butter knife. This ensures accurate measurements. You could also just measure it with a food scale.
• Sugar: I use a combination of white sugar and brown sugar for a more caramelized flavor and extra moisture.
• Canola Oil: Or another neutral-flavored oil or vegetable oil.
• Pumpkin Spice Seasoning: Also called pumpkin pie spice. This is a pre-mixed blend of fall spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Apple pie spice, or any mix of these individual spices, is a good substitute if you need one.
• Cinnamon: I like to spice up the streusel even more with a little cinnamon. You could use extra pumpkin pie spice, too.
• Chopped Pecans: I quickly pulse them in a food processor. You can also use almonds or walnuts. Or, omit the nuts for a nut-free cake.
• Milk: This can be any dairy or non-dairy milk you’d like.
• Egg: To bind all the ingredients together. Bring the egg to room temperature first so it blends more smoothly into the batter.
• Pumpkin Puree: Make sure you’re using 100% pure canned pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. They aren’t the same ingredient!
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: One teaspoon of each, for extra lift in the cake crumb.

How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel

This pumpkin coffee cake is the easiest, because you set aside a portion of the dry ingredients to make the streusel, and the rest becomes the cake batter! No need to mix the topping separately. The only thing easier than making this coffee cake is eating it!

1. Combine the dry ingredients. First, you’ll combine the flour with both sugars, vegetable oil, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Give that a mix.
2. Make the streusel. From these dry ingredients, set aside about 1 ½ cups in a smaller bowl for the topping. To the topping, add your chopped pecans and cinnamon.
3. Finish the cake batter. To the bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients, add the milk, pumpkin purée, egg, baking soda, and baking powder. Slowly mix until no lumps are remaining.
4. Assemble. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 3×9 glass baking dish. Spread the pecan topping evenly over the batter.
5. Bake. Bake your pumpkin streusel coffee cake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool for a bit, and then serve with a warm cup of coffee or tea!

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cake

Not all that familiar with making coffee cake at home? Here are some quick hints to help you out.

• Don’t use pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has additional ingredients, like thickeners and sweeteners, and is not interchangeable with pumpkin purée in recipes. Make sure you’re picking up the right can!
• Grease and flour the pan. Since this cake is so light and fluffy, it’s extra important to grease the pan well for easy removal. I find that it works best to use a combination of oil (or cooking spray) and flour, similar to how I prepare the pan for my pumpkin bundt cake.
• Avoid overbaking. Once your coffee cake has been in the oven for 35 minutes, do a toothpick test. Insert the toothpick into the middle of the cake, and if it comes out clean, it’s done!
• Add a cinnamon sugar filling. Combine equal parts all-purpose flour and brown sugar, about 1 ½ cups in total. Season to taste with cinnamon. When assembling the cake, add half of the cake batter to the pan, and spread the cinnamon sugar filling over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, followed by the streusel. Now you have an additional layer of goodness in your cake!

How to Store

• Store airtight. Once cooled, the leftover coffee cake should be stored in an airtight container. From there, you can keep it on the counter for up to 3 days, or about 4 days in the fridge. Enjoy leftovers warmed up in the microwave or at room temperature.
• Freeze. Place the completely cooled cake into a freezer-safe container and keep it in the freezer. Frozen pumpkin coffee cake lasts for up to 2 months. Thaw it out in the fridge before digging in.

More Pumpkin Recipes to Try

• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
• No-Bake Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls
• Apple Pumpkin Muffins