This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This Pumpkin Coffee Cake is the definition of fall comfort. It’s soft, spiced, and layered with buttery brown sugar streusel and a drizzle of brown butter maple glaze that’s downright irresistible. Whether you’re baking for brunch, a cozy weekend treat, or a fall get-together, this cake always steals the show.
For more pumpkin recipes, make my pumpkin olive oil cake and chocolate chip pumpkin bread!
I am unabashedly obsessed with this Pumpkin Coffee Cake. It’s loaded with warm pumpkin spice flavor and has the softest, butteriest texture, you could honestly cut it with a spoon.
There’s a buttery cinnamon crumb layer throughout the middle and top of the cake, giving it that classic coffee cake feel… but with a cozy fall twist.
I could talk about this cake all day, but truly, you just have to make it! The pumpkin layer is plush and melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the crumb topping adds the perfect sweet crunch. And that brown butter maple glaze? Oh. My. Gosh. It’s rich, caramel-y, and absolutely dreamy.
Pair it with your morning coffee and you’ve got the ultimate fall breakfast all pumpkin season long!
Reasons You’ll Love This Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
- Super moist and fluffy. The combo of pumpkin puree and oil keeps the texture soft and plush (no dry crumbs here!).
- The brown butter maple glaze. Sweet, nutty, and perfectly glossy—this glaze melts right over the streusel for a dreamy finish.
- Simple, reliable, and crowd-pleasing. No fancy techniques required—just a whisk, a spatula, and a whole lot of delicious payoff.
- It tastes like fall in every bite. The pumpkin, maple syrup, and brown sugar come together with warm spices for that cozy, “straight from the bakery” flavor.
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Canned Pumpkin Puree (not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling) adds both flavor and moisture. It’s what gives the cake that signature fall taste and soft, plush texture.
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice made of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and ground cloves. It brings all the cozy warmth that makes this pumpkin crumb cake so deliciuos!
- Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil is the key to keeping the cake extra moist. Unlike butter, which solidifies as it cools, oil stays liquid, ensuring your cake stays soft and tender for days. Olive oil can add a slightly fruity, rich undertone, while vegetable oil keeps the flavor neutral.
- Brown sugar adds deep, caramel-like sweetness and a subtle molasses flavor that pairs beautifully with the pumpkin and spices. It also helps keep the cake incredibly moist by drawing in and retaining moisture during baking.
- All purpose Flour gives the structure and stability needed to hold all that moisture from the pumpkin and oil.
- Maple Syrup adds sweetness and complexity. It enhances the pumpkin and spice flavors that makes the cake taste richer and more layered.
- Salted Butter brings richness and flavor to the streusel and glaze. It’s what gives that crumbly texture and a buttery finish that ties every bite together. The salt in salted butter also enhances the spices and sweetness, balancing the overall flavor.
Substitutions
- You can use unsalted butter if you prefer, just add an additional 1/4 tsp to the coffee cake batter.
- If you don’t have any maple syrup, you can also use honey. It’s a bit sweeter so be sure to taste as you do.
- Any neutral oil like canola, avocado, or grapeseed oil works well. For a slightly richer flavor, you can swap half the oil for melted butter (just note that the texture will be a touch denser but still soft).
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel for extra crunch.
How To Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 1: Make the brown sugar streusel topping first – combine all purpose flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Whisk together and pour in the melted butter. Use your hands or a fork to gently mix together until crumbles begin to form and there are no dry patches of flour. Place into the refrigerator to chill.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until combined and smooth, then add in the eggs and whisk until combined.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together until just combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed to ensure the batter properly mixed.
Step 4: Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan (it may look like a thin layer, this is OK!). Remove the streusel from the fridge and sprinkle half of it on top of the batter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, then add the rest of the batter on top, ensuring all of the streusel is covered. Add the remaining streusel on top, covering all of the batter underneath.
Step 5: Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Now make the brown butter maple glaze. Brown butter in a skillet. Once browned, pour into a bowl and whisk in powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Pour on top of the cooled pumpkin cake.
Pro Baking Tips
- Chill your streusel. Letting the streusel firm up in the fridge before baking keeps those crumbles from melting into the cake too fast. You’ll get those distinct, crunchy pockets of brown sugar goodness.
- Layer carefully. When adding the second half of the batter, dollop it over the streusel and gently spread it with an offset spatula. This helps keep the middle layer intact so you get that perfect ribbon of spiced crumble.
- Don’t overbake. Start checking around the 1 hour 10 minute mark. A few moist crumbs on the toothpick are perfect—it’ll continue to set as it cools.
- Cool completely before glazing. If the cake is even slightly warm, the brown butter glaze will soak in instead of sitting beautifully on top.
- Always line your pan with parchment and leave some overhang so you can lift it out easily. Run a knife around the edges while it’s still warm if needed to prevent the cake from adhering to the pan.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just make sure it’s thick and not watery. If it looks loose/runny, strain or blot it first. Extra moisture can make the cake gummy in the center.
Insert a toothpick in the center, it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The edges should pull slightly away from the pan.
You can swap it for honey or brown sugar in the batter and glaze, though maple gives the best fall flavor.
No, I don’t recommend it. This is a very moist batter and needs room to expand. Baking in a bundt pan or loaf pan can cause it to be gummy.
More Coffee Cake Recipes
Breakfast
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Desserts
Coffee Cake Cookies
Breakfast
Coffee Cake Bundt Cake
Desserts
Cardamom Coffee Cake
Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter to receive the latest seasonal creations as soon as they’re released!
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Streusel
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish (preferably metal or ceramic, please don't use glass)
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crumb Streusel
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 1 cup Salted Butter , (melted)
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 15 oz Pumpkin Puree
- 1 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 3 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 large Eggs, (room temperature)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Maple Brown Butter Glaze
- 6 tbsp Salted Butter, (browned)
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp Whole Milk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the brown sugar streusel topping first – combine all purpose flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Whisk together and pour in the melted butter. Use your hands or a fork to gently mix together until crumbles begin to form and there are no dry patches of flour. Place into the refrigerator to chill. 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 3/4 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Sugar 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 1 tbsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Nutmeg 1/2 tsp Allspice 1 cup Salted Butter
- In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 1 tbsp Cinnamon 1 tsp Nutmeg 1 tsp Ground Ginger 1/2 tsp Allspice 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Baking Soda 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until combined and smooth, then add in the eggs and whisk until combined. 15 oz Pumpkin Puree 1 1/4 cups Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Sugar 3 tbsp Maple Syrup 1 cup Vegetable Oil 4 large Eggs 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together until just combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed to ensure the batter properly mixed.
- Combine brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl – this will be for the cinnamon sugar swirl. 1/4 cup Brown Sugar 2 tsp Cinnamon
- Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan (it may look like a thin layer, this is OK!). Remove the streusel from the fridge and sprinkle half of it on top of the batter. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, then add the rest of the batter on top, ensuring all of the streusel is covered. Add the remaining streusel on top, covering all of the batter underneath.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Now make the brown butter maple glaze. Brown butter in a skillet. Once browned, pour into a bowl and whisk in powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Pour on top of the cooled pumpkin cake. 6 tbsp Salted Butter 1 cup Powdered Sugar 2 tbsp Maple Syrup 1 tbsp Whole Milk 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Notes
- Don’t forget to chill your streusel. Letting the streusel firm up in the fridge before baking keeps those crumbles from melting into the cake too fast. You’ll get those distinct, crunchy pockets of brown sugar goodness.
- Layer carefully. When adding the second half of the batter, dollop it over the streusel and gently spread it with an offset spatula. This helps keep the middle layer intact so you get that perfect ribbon of spiced crumble.
- Don’t overbake. Start checking around the 1 hour 10 minute mark. A few moist crumbs on the toothpick are perfect—it’ll continue to set as it cools.
- Cool completely before glazing. If the cake is even slightly warm, the brown butter glaze will soak in instead of sitting beautifully on top.
- Always line your pan with parchment and leave some overhang so you can lift it out easily. Run a knife around the edges while it’s still warm if needed to prevent the cake from adhering to the pan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is now the 2nd dessert that I have made from this blog and I am now officially blown away by how extraordinary the end results are. I feel like baking can be daunting because you want things to be perfect and often I lack the skills to have the cake look like the picture on the page- but Britney’s tips and instructions are spot on and both this and the Apple Fritter Cake have been huge hits with family and friends. The recipes are fool proof and well researched because the end results are as good as- or better than anything you could buy and spend hundreds having shipped to your door. Make this delicious, rich, warm spiced coffeecake with an outrageously good glaze and impress yourself and everyone lucky enough to get a taste. It’s totally awesome and definitely something I’ll make again.
This is the kindest comment I’ve ever received, thank you so much for your words, they mean the world to me!