Two layers of pumpkin spiced cake with two layers of a brown sugar crumb, this Brown Sugar Pumpkin Coffee Cake is perfect for a fall brunch.
How do you make a moist pumpkin bread?
Dry pumpkin bread is simply the worst so this pumpkin coffee cake uses oil instead of butter as well as buttermilk for extra tenderness.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
A lot of people like to make a makeshift buttermilk by combining lemon juice and milk but I find it doesn’t really act like whole milk buttermilk. Instead, I recommend mixing together half greek yogurt (unflavored & unsweetened) and half milk to replace buttermilk if you don’t have it.
Which pan is best for pumpkin coffee cake?
This pumpkin coffee cake is best baked in this 8″ square metal pan but you could also scale it up by 1/3 and bake it in this 9″ metal pan. I don’t recommend glass or ceramic pans because they don’t transfer the heat as well.
Tips for making a Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The cans tend to be right next to each other at the grocery store so just double check!
- The butter for the brown sugar crumb needs to be very soft but not melted. If it’s too cold it will be difficult to mix.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own!
- Be sure to use a neutral oil for the batter. You can definitely get away with using olive oil just make sure it isn’t a very strong or flavored olive oil.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, replace it with half unflavored greek yogurt and half milk!
Additional Cake Recipes to try!
Pumpkin Coffee Cake Ingredients
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds tenderness and moisture to the cake, see the tips section for a swap!
- Oil: A neutral oil such a vegetable or avocado oil is best for this recipe.
- Sugar: This cake uses granulated sugar and dark brown sugar in the cake batter as well as brown sugar in the crumb.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the sweetness and flavor of the bread.
- Fine Sea Salt: A little bit of salt enhances the flavors and balances out the sweetness.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I like to use premade pumpkin pie spice but you can absolutely mix your own!
- Eggs: This recipes uses standard large eggs from the store.
- Flour: I used all purpose flour but you could substitute half whole wheat flour in this recipe.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cake rise and keep a tender texture.
- Butter: I recommend using salted butter for both the topping and the batter.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is added into the crumb for flavor and warmth.
How to make a Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
Brown Sugar Crumb
- In a medium mixing bowl, add in the soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Use a fork to smush it all together until smooth.
- Add in the flour and again use the fork to smush the flour into the wet ingredients until no more dry flour is visible. Set aside.
Pumpkin Batter
- In a medium mixing bowl add in the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, salt, vanilla, buttermilk, pumpkin spice and oil. Whisk to combine.
- Sprinkle the flour over the surface of the wet ingredients and then the baking soda on top of the flour.
- Gently whisk and fold the wet ingredients into the dry.
Bake
- Line an 8″ square baking pan with a rectangle of parchment that reaches from one side to another.
- Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the pan and spread it into an even layer. Crumble half of the brown sugar crumb over the pumpkin batter. Spoon the second half of the batter over the crumb and gently spread it into an even layer. Finally sprinkle the second half of the crumb over the top.
- Bake the cake on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Use the parchment sling to carefully lift the coffee cake out of the pan. Optionally dust the top with powdered sugar and slice to serve.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Brown Sugar Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Two layers of pumpkin spiced cake with two layers of a brown sugar crumb, this Brown Sugar Pumpkin Coffee Cake is perfect for a fall brunch.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- 1 8" x 8" square metal pan
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Crumb
- 150 grams salted butter soft
- 150 grams dark brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180 grams all purpose flour
Pumpkin Batter
- 300 grams pumpkin puree
- 100 grams buttermilk
- 100 grams neutral oil vegetable, avocado
- 75 grams granulated sugar
- 75 grams dark brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 eggs large
- 200 grams all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
Brown Sugar Crumb
- In a medium mixing bowl, add in the soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Use a fork to smush it all together until smooth.
- Add in the flour and again use the fork to smush the flour into the wet ingredients until no more dry flour is visible. Set aside.
Pumpkin Batter
- In a medium mixing bowl add in the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, salt, vanilla, buttermilk, pumpkin spice and oil. Whisk to combine.
- Sprinkle the flour over the surface of the wet ingredients and then the baking soda on top of the flour.
- Gently whisk and fold the wet ingredients into the dry.
Bake
- Line an 8″ square baking pan with a rectangle of parchment that reaches from one side to another.
- Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the pan and spread it into an even layer. Crumble half of the brown sugar crumb over the pumpkin batter. Spoon the second half of the batter over the crumb and gently spread it into an even layer. Finally sprinkle the second half of the crumb over the top.
- Bake the cake on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Use the parchment sling to carefully lift the coffee cake out of the pan. Optionally dust the top with powdered sugar and slice to serve.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Tips for making a Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The cans tend to be right next to each other at the grocery store so just double check!
- The butter for the brown sugar crumb needs to be very soft but not melted. If it’s too cold it will be difficult to mix.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own!
- Be sure to use a neutral oil for the batter. You can definitely get away with using olive oil just make sure it isn’t a very strong or flavored olive oil.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, replace it with half unflavored greek yogurt and half milk!
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