Give your favorite coffee cake a fall makeover with this simple and delicious Cinnamon Streusel Pumpkin Coffee Cake. Ready in about 15 minutes of prep, it stays extra moist and fluffy thanks to pumpkin. Spiced with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, then finished with a buttery streusel and vanilla icing — the perfect addition to brunch or any autumn gathering.
Adding pumpkin to classic coffee cake boosts both moisture and flavor. This recipe was inspired by the popular Pumpkin Pie Crumble and delivers that same cozy, spiced profile in a crumb-topped coffee cake. Try it with a dollop of pumpkin-spiced whipped cream for an extra indulgent finish.
If you love pumpkin season, these other favorites are worth trying too: Pumpkin Chip Banana Bread, Pumpkin French Toast Casserole, and Pumpkin Carrot Muffins.
Why you will love this Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe:
- Quick and easy. Apart from creaming the butter and sugar, the recipe is mainly mixing and combining. You can make the streusel in the same bowl as the dry ingredients to cut down on dishes.
- Three perfect parts: cake, streusel, and icing. The moist pumpkin cake, cinnamon streusel, and vanilla icing combine for a classic, balanced coffee cake experience.
- Full fall flavor. The pumpkin and warming spices create a cozy, seasonal treat ideal for breakfasts, brunches, or potlucks.
- Consistently moist and delicious. This cake holds up well each time you make it — tender crumb with a satisfying streusel topping.
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling). It’s convenient and works well year-round.
- Butter: Unsalted, softened for the cake; cold and cubed for the streusel.
- Sugars: Granulated white sugar and light brown sugar.
- Vanilla: Real vanilla extract for best flavor.
- Egg: One large, preferably at room temperature.
- Flour: All-purpose flour. A 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute should work if needed.
- Baking powder: Make sure it’s fresh for reliable rise.
- Spices: Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Adjust amounts to taste or use a homemade blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Streusel Topping:
For the cinnamon brown sugar streusel, start with cold butter so it cuts into the flour and sugar cleanly. You can grate the butter, use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to work it into a coarse crumb.
Vanilla Icing:
The icing needs powdered sugar, a little milk or cream, melted butter, and vanilla. Adding melted butter improves flavor and texture. Adjust milk to reach the consistency you prefer — a pourable drizzle or a thicker spreadable glaze.
I prefer a light drizzle over the warm cake, but you can thicken it and spread it if you like.
How To Make This Pumpkin Coffee Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the dry cake ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice) and set aside.
- Prepare the cake: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown and white sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in the pumpkin just until mixed.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix only until combined. The batter will be thick. Spread the batter into a well-greased 9×9-inch baking pan.
- Make the streusel: Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the cold cubed butter and cut it in with a fork or pastry cutter until coarse and crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter. Bake 27–32 minutes, or until the streusel is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you prefer a crispier top, broil for a minute or two, watching carefully.
- Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Whisk the icing ingredients, adjust thickness with milk, and drizzle over the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerated for 5–7 days.
Recipe Tips
- Pan size: A 9×9-inch pan gives the best balance between cake and streusel. An 8×8-inch pan will work but produces a thicker cake layer and may need about 35–37 minutes baking time.
- Freezing: Freeze the cake in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Individual slices freeze well for quick servings later.
- Extra pumpkin spice: Substitute a bit of milk in the icing with pumpkin spice creamer for a stronger pumpkin-spice note.
Ways To Vary This Recipe:
- Add about 3/4 cup chopped pecans to the streusel for crunch.
- Make a cream cheese drizzle by adding an ounce of softened cream cheese to the icing, thinning with milk as needed.
- Omit the streusel and frost with a maple or brown sugar buttercream for a different finish.
Other Pumpkin Recipes:
Breakfast
Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Overnight Oats
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
Thanksgiving Recipes
Pumpkin Pie Crumble
Breakfast
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
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Cinnamon Streusel Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 c flour (250g)
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ c unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ⅓ c whole milk
- ½ c brown sugar
- ¼ c white sugar
- 1 c pumpkin
Streusel Topping:
- ½ c flour
- ¼ c unsalted butter, cubed, cold
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ c brown sugar
Icing:
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 1 tsp melted butter
- 1 – 2 T milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice for the cake and set aside.
-
In a separate bowl, cream the butter with the brown and white sugars until fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Mix in the pumpkin.
-
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir only until combined. Spread batter into a well-greased 9×9-inch pan.
-
Make the streusel by combining brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add the cubed cold butter and cut in until crumbly.
-
Sprinkle the streusel over the batter and bake 27–32 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
-
Cool for about 10 minutes, whisk the icing together, adjust thickness with milk, and drizzle over the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
-
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerated for 5–7 days.
Notes
- Pan size: Using an 8×8-inch pan produces a thicker cake and may require 35–37 minutes baking time.
- Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Individual slices thaw quickly for a convenient treat.
- More pumpkin spice: Replace some milk in the icing with pumpkin spice creamer for a bolder spice profile.
Nutritional information is an estimate and should be used as a guide only.
Nutrition
Calories: 256kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation.
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9×9 inch Baking Pan
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