Cinnamon spice and everything nice describes this fall layered pumpkin crumb cake pretty darn well. There’s comfort in every bite. The vibrantly orange cake generously combines flavors of pumpkin, maple, cinnamon, spices, layers of crumbly brown sugar goodness, and a drizzle of maple icing to top it off. This cake pairs perfectly with your morning coffee or as a post-dinner treat.
This post is all about creating a coffee crumb cake that packs in fall flavors of cinnamon, maple, spice and pumpkin for a festive and tasty treat.
Jump to RecipeBefore I get down to the details of this pumpkin crumb cake, I want to let you in on my adventure while making this recipe recently. Some of the images in this post already give it away. Perhaps if I call it out, it will prevent someone else from making the same mistake I did (or at least I hope so)!
I moved states a few months ago and am living in a beautiful new home with my fiance and it has been nothing short of fantastic. With a change of living arrangements also came new appliances, of which I haven’t fully gotten the swing of yet. At the top of the list is the oven and it has created quite a challenge when it comes to baking. At this point, you can probably guess where this is headed.
When I made this recipe for the first time in my new place, I overbaked it. Boy was I bummed. I positioned it on the bottom rack (at home I used the middle rack) but turns out this oven is hotter on the bottom than it is on the top (I was used to the other way around). Because I wasn’t aware of this, the cake cooked too fast and I also left it in for 41-42 minutes instead of the 35. If only you could see the way I’m shaking my head at myself for this lol. At least now I know!
A Word of Advise On Baking
Despite my frustration every time I have a baking “fail” due to baking time and rack positioning, I can’t help but think about how common this is for many other people. I wonder on average how many ovens are used throughout a person’s lifetime? Whether it be because you’ve moved homes or are using someone else’s kitchen during a visit, figuring out the optimal cooking time and rack positioning in an oven is a challenge we all might face multiple times throughout our life.
I thought about not photographing my overbaked cake purely because it wasn’t done right. But at the end of the day, the cake still looked and tasted delicious, it was just a bit browner at the bottom and more dry than I’d like. So, if you’re wondering why the pumpkin crumb cake looks a little dark on the bottom in these pictures, this is why *sigh*.
My word of advise when it comes to baking in a new oven is make sure you find out where the heat comes from. Most ovens produce more heat at the top of the oven than at the bottom. This means your baked goods should be positioned towards the middle-lower portion of the oven.
Everything You Need To Make Pumpkin Crumb Cake
I love a simple 5 ingredient recipe but sometimes in order to get that perfect flavor and texture, every now and then you have to accept the challenge of a larger list of ingredients. In this recipe, every ingredient is well worth it. The taste and texture do not disappoint. Plus, this recipe is truly not difficult to make so don’t let the list of ingredients overwhelm you! Here’s everything you will need:
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated white sugar
- All purpose flour (or almond flour if opting for a gluten free option)
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- Maple syrup
- Sour cream
- (optional) powdered sugar for icing
How To Make Pumpkin Crumb Cake
There are three main parts to this recipe which include the cake, the streusel crumble layer, and the maple glaze. The combination of these layers is what makes the crumb cake so spectacular. It’s important that these layers are created separate before baking.
First, you will start by making the streusel crumble layer. To do this, grab a small bowl and whisk together brown sugar, flour, pumpkin spices, and melted butter. A dry-ish crumbly texture should form.
Next, you will make the cake batter. To do this, you will grab a separate medium sized bowl and whisk together flour, white and brown sugar, baking powder and soda, pumpkin spices, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, sour cream, melted butter and eggs.
Then, with a lined 8 x 8″ or 9 x 13″ baking dish you will alternate adding the cake batter and streusel topping. Start by adding half the cake batter to the bottom of the pan followed by half the streusel crumble over it, then add the rest of the cake batter and finish with the other half of the streusel topping over the cake batter. Now it’s time to pop in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
While the cake bakes, you will make the maple icing by combining the powdered sugar and maple syrup in a small bowl. Once the cake has almost cooled, drizzle the maple icing on top using a spoon then cut into squares and enjoy!
What If I Don’t Like Pumpkin?
Although I am a big fan of pumpkin, I understand that pumpkin isn’t for everyone. I would also argue that it can get overused in the fall season. As if everything we eat needs to be pumpkin spice flavored? I don’t think so! The good news about this pumpkin crumb cake is that whether you’re a pumpkin fan or not, it tastes more like a maple cinnamon coffee cake than a pumpkin flavored cake.
For anyone on the fence about the flavor of pumpkin, this cake IS a safe pumpkin dish to try that will not disappoint or overload your tastebuds with pumpkin. In fact, my fiance resisted trying it at first because he is not a fan of pumpkin. Eventually he gave in and tried a piece and to my surprise he said he really liked it and couldn’t even taste the pumpkin. It reminded him of the coffee cake muffins his mom used to make him as a child and I couldn’t have been more happy with that feedback.
Moral of the story here is if you or someone you were hoping to share this cake with is not a huge fan of fall flavored pumpkin foods, the flavor of pumpkin is very subtle in this recipe.
How To Store Pumpkin Crumb Cake
To store the leftover pumpkin crumb cake, you can transfer to an airtight container and leave at room temperature for about 3 days. When you’re ready to have a slice, you can microwave it for 10-15 seconds to warm it up.
Pro Tip: If you anticipate there being leftovers, don’t add the icing on the whole cake after baking. Instead, save the icing in a small airtight container and use it to serve over individual leftovers.
Make it Gluten Free
You can make this cake gluten free for anyone with a gluten allergy, celiac disease or if it’s a personal preference. To do this, you will sub the all purpose flour for gluten free flour. Simple as that! You can follow the rest of the recipe as is. Any gluten free flour or substitution works for this recipe. I suggest a gluten free flour blend, almond flour or oat flour for this recipe. You can use a 1:1 ratio when using gluten free flour in this recipe (2 cups).
My favorite Gluten Free Flour Blend is Target’s Good & Gather, click below to find it in a store near you!
My favorite oat and almond flours are the Bob’s Red Mill brand which you can find at your local Walmart.
Speaking of Walmart, they have a great deal on their Great Value brand 2lb bag of almond flour for $11! Grab the Great Value Almond Flour here.
The first time I made this crumb cake I made it gluten free by using Target’s gluten free flour blend. My younger sister and Grandma have gluten allergies so I wanted to make them something special for brunch. After making this pumpkin crumb cake, I realized it when it was too late that I underbaked it. I skipped the toothpick check because I was in a hurry getting other foods together. With gluten free foods naturally being more dense and dry, we certainly don’t want to make them even drier. Fully baking the cake is the first priority and it apparently went right over my head that day. Another slap to the face on this cake, but hey, we can’t be perfect all the time!
Enjoy a few pictures of the gluten free version below! The crumble and icing on this seriously taste as good as they look!
Fall Favorites That Go Great With This Pumpkin Coffee Cake
This crumb cake is great on its own but with certain drinks and toppings it can be that much better. I like to enjoy mine plain or with a chai tea latte to achieve nothing other than pure fall bliss. Here are some other great ways to enjoy it:
- With a cup of coffee, a latte (did someone say PSL?) or cappuccinos
- Tea (my favorite is an iced chai)
- Apple cider
- Dollop of cool whip on top
- Fruit & Nuts! Top with banana slices and chopped pecans
- Vanilla ice cream (hands down the best way to enjoy any sweet treat)
If you try this recipe, I’d love to know what you think! What is your go-to pumpkin flavored food this season? Let me know in the comments below!
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Streusel Crumble
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 tbs butter, unsalted melted
Pumpkin Spice Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs beaten, room temperature
- 4 tbsp butter melted then cooled
Icing
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray or line an 8×8 inch (9"x13" also works) pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Streusel Crumble
- In a small bowl, mix together the streusel ingredients with a fork until a crumbly mixture forms: light brown sugar, flour, spices, and melted butter.
Pumpkin Spice Cake
- In a large bowl, stir the dry ingredients together: Flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the wet ingredients: pumpkin puree, maple syrup, sour cream, eggs, and coconut oil.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Gently fold until fully combined.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the pan. Sprinkle half the streusel crumble over the batter. Spread the remaining batter over the streusel crumble. Top with the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Recommend starting on the low side and checking it)
Icing
- In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and maple syrup until an icing forms.
- Using a spoon, drizzle the icing over the pumpkin spice coffee cake.
Serve
- Cut into squares and serve with a cup of coffee, latte, or chai tea. You can also serve this with a dollop of cool whip or vanilla ice cream for a special treat.
- Store leftovers covered with saran wrap or aluminum foil at room temperature for about 3 days.
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