Go Back

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Brown Butter Streusel

Pumpkin coffee cake with brown butter streusel bakes up tender and warmly spiced beneath a crisp, nutty topping. A 9x13-inch baking dish makes it easy to cut into 12 squares for serving.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the brown butter streusel
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the cake
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree canned; not pumpkin pie filling
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup neutral oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Make the brown butter streusel
  1. Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until the milk solids turn deep golden brown and smell nutty, 5 to 8 minutes.
  2. Pour the browned butter into a medium bowl and let it cool until warm, about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the all-purpose flour, packed light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until clumps form.
  4. Refrigerate the streusel while you make the cake.
Make the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, large eggs, canned pumpkin puree, sour cream, neutral oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
Assemble and bake
  1. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.
  2. Scatter the chilled streusel evenly over the top.
  3. Bake at 350°F until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 35 to 42 minutes.
  4. Cool in the dish for at least 20 minutes.
  5. Cut and serve.

Notes

For tender cake, stir the batter just until no dry streaks remain. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freeze yes, wrapped well, for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use dairy-free butter and sour cream.