Each bite of pumpkin coffee cake with crumb topping is moist and flavorful thanks to power ingredients like pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup, and seasonal spices like ground nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Piled high with brown sugar cinnamon crumble topping and drizzled with easy vanilla icing, this spiced breakfast cake certainly hits the spot during the fall season.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips.
Perfectly acceptable for breakfast, snack, or dessert, today’s pumpkin coffee cake is a must make during the fall season. Heavy on the crumb topping, this is a fall version of my New York-style crumb cake and tastes just like my pumpkin crumb cake muffins but in cake form. We love it so much, we also created a cookie version with these pumpkin crumb cake cookies! It’s bursting with pumpkin flavor and will have you racing to the kitchen table any morning of the week! Not to mention, it’s the perfect treat to serve on Thanksgiving morning as a prelude to all the pumpkin pie in the evening (see my complete list of 30+ make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast ideas for even more inspiration).
And if you’re looking for dessert, this pumpkin crumb cake is perfectly acceptable or you may love my regular pumpkin cake instead. For even more inspiration, here are my 30+ best pumpkin dessert recipes.
One reader, Jamie, commented: “This recipe turned out exceptionally. I baked it for about 35 minutes. The crumb topping is not as floury as coffee cakes but blends into the cake beautifully. The vanilla glaze took it over the edge. One of the best recipes I have made in some time. I used 1/2 dark and 1/2 light brown sugar and enjoyed the result. Thank you! ★★★★★“
This Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake Is:
- Simple and quick to prepare
- Ultra soft and moist
- Incredibly pumpkin-y
- A perfect fall breakfast indulgence (serve alongside another fall favorite, cranberry cake!)
- Wonderfully spiced with cozy fall flavors
- Piled high with crumb topping
- Garnished with a sweet vanilla icing
This recipe also joins 30+ others in my collection of Quick Dessert Recipes—ready in 1 hour or less!
Video Tutorial
3 Parts to My Best Pumpkin Coffee Crumb Cake
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake: There’s incredible flavor in each soft, moist bite of the pumpkin cake layer.
- Crumb Topping: Top today’s coffee cake with a thick layer of cinnamon-spiced crumbs.
- Vanilla Icing: It’s not coffee cake without a drizzle of icing. For something different, you may love this pumpkin crumb cake paired with the same brown sugar icing we use on pumpkin donuts.
Overview: How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping
This recipe is made completely from scratch with no boxed cake mix in sight. Made with pantry basics, the cake comes together in minutes without a mixer. Ingredients like oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree make this the moistest coffee cake you’ll ever taste. (Careful not to over-bake it!) Pumpkin takes the place of egg and helps bind everything together, so this is an entirely egg free recipe. (This cake is vegan-friendly as well—use dairy free milk in the cake and dairy free butter in the crumb topping.)
See more egg-free baking recipes.
Make sure you’re using real pumpkin puree (I like canned puree), not pumpkin pie filling. We’ll use a little brown sugar and maple syrup to sweeten. There’s lots of spices and you can absolutely use homemade pumpkin pie spice here, see recipe Note. The crumb topping and glaze sweeten the cake, so there’s no need for more sugar in the cake itself. You’ll love how the sweet maple flavor pairs with real pumpkin and warm spices!
Be prepared, this is a super, super thick batter. Why? We’re using lots of heavy, wet ingredients to yield a moist and satisfying cake.
Crumb Topping
We can all agree that the crumbs are the best part of coffee cake, so we’re going heavy on the crumb topping today. (For more recipes loaded with crumbs, try apple crumb cake, zucchini crumb cake, pumpkin french toast casserole, and apple cinnamon muffins.) Today’s crumb topping is cinnamon-spiced—you need flour, brown sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, and cold butter. Cut the cold butter in with a fork or pastry cutter until it begins to clump together and form crumbs. Pour that glorious crumb streusel on top of the batter and gently press it down into the cake before baking. So easy!
Vanilla Icing
While the cake bakes, make the icing. If I have it on hand during the fall season, I like to use pumpkin spice coffee creamer instead of milk. If you have any leftover pumpkin puree, you can even make and use homemade pumpkin coffee creamer in the icing. Milk works just as well, though. Mix the coffee creamer or milk with a little confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract, and then pour the glaze on top of the warm coffee cake. Instead of vanilla icing, try a drizzle of salted caramel or dollop of homemade whipped cream.
More Fall Breakfast Recipes
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Pumpkin Scones
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins or Mini Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Pancakes or Pumpkin Waffles
And if you are looking for dessert, here is a list of 30+ fall cake recipes.
Print
Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: serves 9
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
An incredibly moist and flavorful spiced pumpkin coffee cake, piled high with a crumb topping and finished with vanilla icing.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons; 56g) unsalted butter, cold
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg*
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves*
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger*
- 1 cup (226g) pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup (82g) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk*
Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin spice coffee creamer, half-and-half, or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch square or 9-inch springform baking pan (or any 2.5 quart baking dish) with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Make the crumb topping first: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or a fork. Mix to create clumps and crumbs. Set aside.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger together in a large bowl until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, and milk together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until *just* combined. Avoid over-mixing the batter. Batter will be very thick. Spoon/pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread to make an even surface. Pour the crumb topping evenly on top and gently press them down into the batter.
- Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes. Check the cake’s doneness at the 30 minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean or with a couple moist crumbs, the cake is done. If the toothpick has wet batter on it, bake the cake for 5 more minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Make the icing: Whisk the icing ingredients together. Add an extra splash of creamer/milk to thin out if desired. Drizzle over warm or cooled cake. (We like serving this warm.)
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: This cake may be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Pan, 9-inch Springform Pan, or any 2.5-quart Baking Dish | Glass Mixing Bowls | Pastry Blender | Whisk | Rubber Spatula
- Spices: Instead of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in the batter, you can use 2 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. You could also just replace the nutmeg, cloves, and ginger with pumpkin pie spice and keep the cinnamon in the recipe.
- Milk: You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy, in the cake batter. I really like using buttermilk when I have it on hand. Makes the cake very moist.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi! Quick question – if I needed to bake this in an 8×8 what, if any, modifications should I make? Thanks!
The bake time will be a little longer. I’m unsure how much longer.
Made for the second time, and for the second time, swooned. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
I made this for a new mom after the baby was born and she said it was the best cake she ever had! I just made a batch for my family and can’t wait to try it! I added a dash of cinnamon to the glaze for an added touch. Also, I think the crumb topping would be greatly enhanced with some pecans! Next time. ..
Amazing!!! I substituted milk for plain Greek yogurt and it was delish! Thank you for such a fab recipe 🙂
I’ve made this cake twice now…once for work and another time for a neighbor. I’ve gotten so many complements on it. Plus while this cake is baking, it makes my house smell better than any pumpkin-whatever candle I have ever bought.
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake was AMAZING!!! I was craving something pumpkin today and this totally hit the spot. It was so unbelievably good, I am beyond impressed with your recipes!
Just a quick note, I ended up using honey in place of the maple syrup since I had run out and it worked perfectly. The cake was so moist, perfect flavor and texture!
So I just made this coffee cake and…WOW! This is the moistest cake EVER! Sally, your recipes never disappoint. This is definitely a winner! I think I might have to take it out of the pan and make another one because it’ll be gone quickly and I’ll want some more. Thanks again!
This was amazing! I’ll definitely be making it again. I didn’t have the pumpkin coffee creamer so I added some cinnamon to the glaze. I also substituted the oil for applesauce because ya know, it’s important to save those calories for when I eat the whole cake in one sitting. Which I almost did.
I made this coffee cake and it is as amazing as you described it! I did not glaze. The crumb topping was so delicious we didn’t need any more sweetness. Love it, love it, love it! Thanks so much!
Hi Sally! I would love to make this coffee cake, but is not easy for me to find Maple syrop, is there any substitute that I can use instead?
Thank you so much!
You may try using brown sugar instead – maybe even honey. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! I made this cake this morning and it was delicious! I used maple extract in the glaze since I didn’t have the pumpkin coffee creamer and it paired well with the flavor of the pumpkin! So good with a cup of coffee. I adapted the recipe a bit since I’m at high altitude and it was perfect! No sunken middle :). Thanks for all your hard work making fool proof recipes!
I made this for a few special occasions that I needed to bring something for and every single time people have begged me for the recipe. I think it has definitely been a hit! I made one small modification. I added a teaspoon of brown sugar cream cheese to the icing and used amaretto creamer since that is what I had on hand, and I loved how it turned out!
Thanks for the great receipt!
I made this last night so we could eat it this morning. I didn’t have a 9 x 9 pan, so I used an 8 x 11.5. Turned out amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
I made this cake tonight and it is absolutely one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted. Only care and effort can create a recipe this wonderful, and I thank you for sharing it.
Wow! Delicious! We’re having this for post-Thanksgiving Dinner. I used a little eggnog in the frosting drizzle. Yum! Thank you for sharing this.
Well, this is just about the best thing I’ve ever been able to make. It came out absolutely perfect, and was a hit at Thanksgiving! Thank you!
This is hands down the best pumpkin coffee cake I’ve ever had! I will join the chorus in singing your praises! 🙂 excellent recipe! I made this the first time last week and my husband discovered it the 2nd day, so as the story goes, it was devoured by the days end (and the man doesn’t even like pumpkin supposedly! Ha). The point: we both loved it! I’m making another batch and doubling it so I have some to share with my mom, who requested a piece of the first batch, but alas, she was not quick enough to get even a sliver. Oh and the pumpkin spice creamer is spectacular for the glaze. If I pace myself from using it all in my coffe, I might be able to use it on this batch coming out of the oven! Thanks for your genius masterpieces in the kitchen!
Sally~ This is by far my favorite recipe from you. I have made it numerous times and am dreading the day that I run out of pumpkin creamer!! Im thinking of freezing some in an ice cube tray so that I can have it for this crazy delish glaze!! I made jumbo muffins out of this the last time and oh my Lord it was so good. The best part of this cake is its not only amazing crumbs… The cake is to die for. That syrup really sets this cake apart from any ordinary crumb cake. Thanks again for doing what you do!!
Hi Sally-
Made this over the weekend for a small gathering and it was a HUGE success, many have asked for the recipe!! I LOVE it and can’t wait to make it again, definitely going to be on the table at my brother’s home day after Thanksgiving for breakfast!!! Thanks for sharing, I love your recipes!! 🙂
Hi sally! I am thinking about making this coffee cake later but i was wondering if it would be okay to make it in a loaf pan?
Hi Samantha! This would be wonderful baked in a 9×5 loaf pan. What a great idea! Unfortunately, I am unsure of the exact baking time. But it will be longer than the coffee cake. Enjoy!
I’ve just made this cake with homemade pumpkin puree and it’s fabulous! I was a little sceptical about the lack of eggs in the recipe, but the texture is lovely and soft and it puffed up nicely. I’ll be taking it into work for my colleagues tomorrow and have no doubt it will disappear quickly! Thanks for the great recipe!
– Claire (UK)
Hi Claire! Pumpkin replaces the need for eggs in the recipe. I’m so glad you enjoy the texture. The pumpkin taste will be intensified tomorrow (sort of like how banana bread’s flavor gets better the next day). Enjoy!
Sally this cake is wonderful – my family loved it and finished it by the 2nd day! Going to make it again this weekend. Congrats on another fabulous recipe!
Seriously good coffee cake! Recipe keeper 🙂
Just made this and I was blown away on how amazing it was. This would have to be one of the best things I have ever baked. YUM!!
I made this coffee cake on Friday, and it is absolutely delicious! Everyone loved it!
We don’t have the pumpkin pie spice creamer here in Canada, so I used milk, and added about 1/4- 1/2 a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the icing sugar before mixing the milk in.
AMAZING recipe. Just made it, and cannot stop eating it. My husband and I, BY OURSELVES, just ate half of the cake. All I can say is thank goodness I run as much as I do, because I can’t stop making your delicious goodies!!!
Can’t wait to try it! We don’t have canned pumpkin in Cyprus so planning on making my own puree by baking. Do you think I will have to drain the pumkin puree so there is hardly any liquid left?
Never seen pumpkin in can before so not sure what the consistency is meant to be like.. Help please!! Dont want the cake to be too watery x
Hi Natalie! Yes, drain the fresh pumpkin puree very very well. Canned pumpkin is fairly wet, but I find that fresh pumpkin is even moister. Just drain it as best you can. Enjoy!
I made this cake last weekend and it is simply wonderful ! I love the texture and the deep dark brown sugar taste is perfect with the pumpkin. Also the trick with the coffee creamer for the icing is just too good.
Thanks so much for all the amazing recipes – can’t wait for the cookbook !
I saw the recipe this morning and made it immediately! I just finished eating a piece and had to comment because it was so perfect! Moist, pumpkiny, and just sweet enough. Sally, I read a lot of blogs, but yours is my favorite. Happy Fall!
Looks delish! I love all things pumpkin! However, I’m not a huge maple syrup fan, so my question is does it taste much like maple syrup or does that simply make it more moist? Thanks 🙂
You can hardly taste the maple syrup. It’s very slight. Try using honey or agave instead.