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Author:
Tracy Nawara
Pumpkin is a dessert flavor that only gets love for one season out of the year. It is so delicious that it deserves to be popular all year long. Canned pumpkin is sold no matter the time of year, so utilize it in its off-season!
This Easy Pumpkin Coffee Crumb Cake is the best coffee cake you will ever have. It has all the traditional elements of crumb cake with the addition of pure pumpkin right in the cake batter. A graham cracker crunch topping lays on top of this cake, adding some delicious texture and additional sweetness.
Any crumb cake starts with a homemade crumb topping. This way, the topping is ready to go on top of the cake as soon as the batter is made. This crumb topper is special because graham cracker crumbs are used along with the flour. You can use cinnamon, honey, or any other flavor of graham cracker when you make crumbs. Any variety will add flavor and texture to the crumbs.
The batter calls for 100% pure pumpkin puree, adding that signature flavor and color to the cake. Be careful when buying the pumpkin and be sure that you are not buying pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is a sweetened and spiced version, which is unnecessary because this recipe already has sugar and spices in the batter.
In addition to pumpkin puree, this cake uses buttermilk in the batter. Buttermilk adds a sour element to this sweet cake, which balances out the flavors and ensures a light cake. Since there are two types of sugar in the cake, buttermilk makes sure that the cake is not too sweet.
This is the perfect cake to bring to a tea party, to serve with coffee, or to make for Thanksgiving. It is delicious enough to make all year long. The graham topping is a special, unique flavor profile that is perfect with the rich pumpkin cake. The warm spices will remind you of joyous times with your family and friends.
For the Crumb Topping:
For the Cake:
Begin by making the crumb topping for the cake. To a large bowl, add the brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, graham cracker crumbs, and flour and mix. Drizzle the butter into the mixture and mix with a fork to make coarse crumbs. The crumbs should clump together when squeezed into your hands. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish or a bundt pan.
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix to combine the dry ingredients.
In your stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and pumpkin puree at low speed until homogeneous. Add one egg at a time, beating completely with each addition. Add the vegetable oil and mix once more.
Add the flour mix and buttermilk interchangeably in 2 additions each, starting and ending with the flour. Turn off the mixer once the batter is just combined. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan lightly onto the surface to pop any air bubbles. Top the cake with the crumb topping.
Bake in a preheated oven for 32-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
