Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Say hello to the most incredible, buttery, rich, and moist pumpkin coffee cake EVER! Made with brown butter, warm spices, and a double layer of streusel, it's got all the best flavors and textures going on. It's also so incredibly easy to whip up by hand and keeps moist for days!

what makes this pumpkin coffee cake SO good?

This is truly the best pumpkin coffee cake around (for so many reasons). It's FULL of warm and cozy flavor with plenty of rich, buttery goodness in every bite. Here's a closer look at the highlights that make this cake absolutely incredible:

1. Brown butter - In EVERY component. It really makes everything better and adds a depth of flavor that makes this coffee cake extra special.
2. THICK crumble topping - I LOVE crumble toppings, so this cake has a nice, thick layer. It's perfectly crisp, crumbly, with just a hint of sandiness. It also doubles as the base for the cinnamon swirl, making for an all around easier recipe.
3. Pumpkin cake - To say this cake is moist is an understatement. Pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and sour cream all work together to create an unbelievably perfect texture. It's dense enough to hold up against the crumb topping but still so tender, spongy, and moist.
4. Simplicity - Finally, despite looking and tasting like something straight out of a bakery, making this cake just involves some mixing here and there. There are no strange ingredients or complicated techniques. The worst part is really just waiting for it to bake and cool so you can dig in!

how to stop the cinnamon swirl from disappearing

If you've ever made anything with a cinnamon swirl and had it completely melt and disappear into the batter... I feel you. Especially in a cake like this (where the batter is a rich, dark color itself), it's easy for the center swirl to vanish. So my favorite trick to ensure that doesn't happen is to simply mix in some cocoa powder.

The cocoa will darken the swirl and make it POP. It adds the slightest bitterness which helps offset the sweetness in the rest of the cake. It also adds an extra oomf to the flavor and makes the whole bite feel like a slice of cake out of a fancy bakery.

Does it taste chocolatey? Nope! It just makes the cake taste a little more special. You can't tell it's there but you can tell when it's gone!

how to make pumpkin coffee cake

This recipe starts with browning the butter. To make things a bit easier, we're browning the butter for both the streusel and cake together and then dividing it afterwards.

Next comes a simple homemade streusel. We're using the same streusel mixture for both the cinnamon swirl and the topping. All the streusel ingredients are first mixed together in a bowl to form the crumbly base mixture, then a portion of it is scooped out and mixed with the cocoa powder for the center swirl.

Finally, whipping up the cake batter involves whisking together the wet ingredients and then mixing in the dry. Then it's all ready to be layered and baked!

Here's a closer look at the most important tips for ensuring your pumpkin coffee cake turns out incredible every time:

1. Brown butter: There are three main things to keep in mind when browning butter. 1) whisk constantly to ensure the butter browns evenly. 2) keep an eye on it - it won't look like much is happening then it will suddenly be perfect! And 3) transfer it to a separate cup immediately after it's browned so the residual heat from the pan doesn't burn it. Also on this point, make sure you scrape in all those brown bits from the bottom - that's where all the flavor is!
2. Room temperature: To ensure everything whips up smoothly and seamlessly, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Also make sure the butter cools fully but is still liquid before mixing it into the streusel or cake components.
3. Flour: When measuring flour, it's best to use a food scale to ensure the most accurate results. If you prefer to use cups, NEVER scoop the measuring cup directly into the bag of flour. This will pack it in and leave you with more weight per cup. Instead, use a spoon to spoon the flour into the cup so it's very lightly packed.
4. Pumpkin: Make sure to grab a can of "PURE" pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling will have added sugar and spices which can throw off the flavor of the cake. The only ingredient listed on the can should be pumpkin.
5. Mixing: Once the flour is added into the wet ingredients for the cake batter, watch out for overmixing. Overmixed batter will lead to a dense, tough cake. Just mix until the dry streaks disappear - a few small clumps are fine!
6. Baking: To tell when the cake is done baking, the surface should be evenly puffed and golden brown with slightly darker edges. If you insert a skewer into the center of the cake, it should come out mostly clean but with a few moist cake crumbs on the tip. That means the cake is fully cooked through but perfectly moist!
7. Cooling: Make sure to allow the cake to cool for at least 45 minutes in the pan before serving. If it's too hot, it can break apart when you try to slice it. It will still be warm after 45 minutes (my personal favorite way to serve it!) But if you want to serve it at room temperature, you can just leave it to cool for a bit longer.

how to serve pumpkin coffee cake

Like I mentioned above, I personally prefer to serve coffee cake warm, but it's also delicious at room temperature.

For topping, I like to just dust the cake with some powdered sugar. If you prefer to add an icing, you can use the maple icing from THIS recipe, a simple powdered sugar glaze, or whatever else you like! Some caramel sauce drizzled on top could also be delicious.

storing & reheating pumpkin coffee cake

Once the coffee cake has fully cooled to room temperature, cover tightly with plastic wrap to keep it protected from air. Store for 3-4 days. Avoid slicing it until right before you plan on serving it so the center doesn't dry out. Also avoid topping it with powdered sugar before you plan on serving it or the sugar will lose its powdery finish.

To warm pumpkin coffee cake, place the slices on a baking sheet and heat in a 350F oven for 3-5 minutes or until warmed to your liking. I wouldn't warm them in the microwave because it can make the streusel topping soft.

check out these other pumpkin recipes!

• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Super Moist Pumpkin Bread
• BEST Pumpkin Muffins
• Giant Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Spiced Pumpkin Truffles
• Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.

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Enjoy!

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