Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

This Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake is one of my favorite recipes to bake every fall. It has a tender pumpkin-spiced cake, a thick layer of buttery brown sugar streusel, and a sweet maple glaze that settles into all those little cracks on top. Baked in a simple 8x8 pan, it's easy enough for a weekend bake but special enough for a holiday breakfast or brunch. Serve it warm with a cup of coffee and you've got a pretty perfect way to start a fall morning.

If you love everything pumpkin, this Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting and Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal are some of my favorites I bake every year for holiday breakfasts and brunches.

Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Coffee Cake!

This pumpkin coffee cake recipe is the one you'll want to make on repeat all season long. Between the soft pumpkin cake, the buttery streusel layered right through the middle, and that maple glaze drizzled over the top, every single bite tastes like fall.

Here's why this easy pumpkin coffee cake earns a permanent spot in your baking rotation

• Layered, not just topped. The streusel is baked right into the middle of the cake and on top, so every slice gets that buttery crumb.
• Real pumpkin flavor: Pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice work together so this tastes like pumpkin, not just like spice.
• Bakery-style crumb: Cold butter cut into the streusel keeps it clumpy and thick instead of sandy, for real chunky crumbs.
• A maple glaze finish: Maple syrup swapped in for plain milk, or water, gives the glaze a warm, cozy flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
• Simple pantry ingredients: No specialty flours or hard-to-find items, just what you likely already have on hand.

Equipment Needed

• 8x8 inch baking pan: a metal or glass pan; both work well here
• Parchment paper, for easy removal
• Hand or stand mixer affiliate link placeholder for creaming the cake batter
• Pastry cutter or fork, for cutting the cold butter into the streusel
• Wire cooling rack

Key Ingredients

Cake

Pumpkin puree: This is what makes this a true pumpkin coffee cake. It keeps the crumb moist and tender while giving the cake its warm, earthy pumpkin flavor. Be sure to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice: This combination is what turns a simple spiced cake into a truly cozy pumpkin spice coffee cake. The pumpkin pie spice rounds out the cinnamon with warm notes of nutmeg, ginger, and clove.

Butter and vegetable oil: Using both gives you the best of both worlds butter for flavor and oil for extra moisture- so the cake stays soft for days.

Whole milk: Added to the flour mixture, it keeps the batter smooth and helps create a tender, even crumb.

Streusel

Cold, cubed butter: The key to a thick, clumpy streusel instead of a sandy one. Keeping the butter cold helps it hold its shape in the oven, so you get real crumbs on top rather than a flat crust.

Brown sugar and cinnamon: Brown sugar gives the streusel a deep, almost caramelized flavor, while the cinnamon ties it right back to the pumpkin spice in the cake below.

Maple Glaze

Maple syrup: Swapped in for plain milk or water, maple syrup gives this glaze a rich, cozy flavor that pairs beautifully with the pumpkin cake underneath.

Melted butter and powdered sugar: Whisked together with the maple syrup and a pinch of salt, these create a smooth, pourable glaze that sets just enough to hold its drizzle pattern on top of the cake.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper so the coffee cake lifts out easily once it's baked.

In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter with both the granulated and brown sugar.

Beat for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined, then slowly add in the vegetable oil and mix until smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate. Mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla bean paste until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

With the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk to the pumpkin mixture, then repeat with the remaining flour and milk.

Mix just until the batter comes together, and no streaks of flour remain; be careful not to overmix.

Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine to make a streusel.

Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut it into the flour mixture, turning the bowl as you go until you have pea-sized clumps of butter throughout.

Keep the streusel cold in the refrigerator until you're ready to layer the cake.

Assemble the cake by adding half the cake batter to the prepared pan, then use a spatula to smooth it into the corners.

Sprinkle half of the streusel evenly over the batter.

Top with the remaining cake batter, smoothing it into an even layer, then sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before adding the maple glaze.

Maple the maple glaze. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.

Stir in the sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt until smooth and glossy.

Once the glaze reaches your desired consistency, drizzle it over the cooled pumpkin coffee cake and serve.

Storage

Store leftover coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Expert Tips

• Cream the butter and sugars together for the full 2 to 3 minutes to build the light, soft texture this cake is known for.
• Keep the streusel refrigerated right up until you're ready to layer it. Cold butter is what gives you thick, bakery-style crumbs instead of a sandy topping.
• Sift the powdered sugar for the maple glaze to avoid any lumps, and let the cake cool completely before glazing so it doesn't melt right in.