Pumpkin spice coffee cake is one of those treats I look forward to every fall. It’s perfectly sweet, full of warm spices, and finished with a buttery streusel and simple glaze. In our house, it never lasts long enough to decide whether it’s breakfast or dessert.

Love coffee cake? Try our apple sour cream coffee cake and cranberry coffee cake! 

sliced pumpkin coffee cake on white board. this recipe

Why I Love This Recipe

I love a classic coffee cake, but once fall comes around, this is the version I want. The pumpkin and sour cream keep the cake really moist, while the cinnamon streusel gives you that crumbly topping that, to me, is the best part of any coffee cake.

I use oil in the batter instead of melted butter as it keeps the crumb soft, then add a simple glaze once the cake has cooled. It’s easy enough to make without a mixer and works just as well for breakfast or brunch as it does for dessert.

Ingredients You’ll Need

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

  • Pumpkin Purée: Make sure you’re using 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Sour Cream: This helps keep the cake soft and moist and gives the crumb a little richness.
  • Oil: I use avocado oil for its neutral flavor. Another neutral-flavored oil works too.
  • Butter: Keep the butter cold for the streusel. Cold butter creates those crumbly pieces instead of blending completely into the sugar and flour.
ingredients for pumpkin coffee cake.

How to Make Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

You’ll need a 9×9 baking pan or a 9-inch springform pan along with three to four mixing bowls. Check out the recipe card below for detailed instructions. 

dry ingredients in glass bowl for streusel topping.

Step 1: Whisk the streusel ingredients except the butter in a bowl.

streusel topping with butter in glass bowl.

Step 2: Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Set aside.

dry ingredients for coffee cake in a bowl.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients for the cake batter. 

wet ingredients in a glass bowl.

Step 4: In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients for the cake.

dry and wet ingredients mixed together in a bowl.

Step 5: Stir in the flour mixture, working in batches. Be careful not to overmix! 

coffee cake batter in a springform pan topped with streusel.

Step 6: Pour the batter into a greased pan. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack. 

My Best Baking Tips

  • Keep the butter cold for the streusel. You want distinct buttery crumbs on top rather than a smooth mixture.
  • Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the flour, stir only until you no longer see dry streaks. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft and tender.
  • Check the cake away from the streusel. A thick patch of streusel can make your toothpick look wet even when the cake underneath is done.
  • Let the cake cool before glazing. If the cake is still warm, the glaze will melt right into the top instead of setting over the streusel.

What Sour Cream Does in the Cake

Sour cream is one of the reasons this coffee cake stays so soft and moist. It adds richness and a slight tang that balances the sweetness, while also helping create a tender crumb. Paired with the pumpkin, it keeps the cake from drying out.

sliced up coffee cake with pumpkin and streusel topping.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Skip the glaze. The cake is plenty flavorful with just the cinnamon streusel, so you can leave the glaze off if you prefer it less sweet.
  • Add nuts. Chopped pecans or walnuts can be mixed into the streusel for a little crunch.

Serving Ideas

This coffee cake works just as well for a fall breakfast or brunch as it does for dessert. I usually keep it simple with coffee or tea, but if I’m serving it as part of a bigger brunch, something savory alongside it balances out the sweet streusel.

Try it with my Breakfast Casserole with Bacon or Asparagus Frittata for an easy fall brunch.

You May Also Like

Cherry Coffee Cake

Pear Cake

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

5-Ingredient Pumpkin Bread

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sliced pumpkin coffee cake on white board.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Streusel

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  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 40 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
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Description

Pumpkin coffee cake made with pumpkin purée and sour cream for a soft, moist crumb, then topped with buttery cinnamon streusel and a simple vanilla glaze.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spoon & leveled
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup granulated or cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek plain yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup avocado or light olive oil

For the Streusel Topping:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cubed

For the Glaze (optional):

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a square 9×9-inch baking pan or a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
  2. For the Streusel Topping: In a bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. Set aside.
  3. For the Cake: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and both sugars.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sour cream, eggs, and oil. Add the flour mixture to the wet batter in thirds, whisking after each addition. Do not overmix.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter, covering the entire surface.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking for doneness at 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s done. If it comes out with wet batter, bake for 5-10 more minutes and test again. Avoid areas with thick streusel, if possible. Streusel will be wet when testing the cake for doneness. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack.
  7. Prepare the Glaze (Optional): In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake before serving.

Notes

  • Leftovers: Once cool, you can store coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If possible, I recommend leaving off the glaze until just before serving. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 336
  • Sugar: 25.4 g
  • Sodium: 121.2 mg
  • Fat: 14.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 47.7 g
  • Protein: 5.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 42.7 mg