Print

Cozy Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel and Cinnamon Buttercream

pumpkin coffee cake - featured image
Print Recipe

A tender pumpkin coffee cake topped with crunchy toasted pecan streusel and whipped cinnamon buttercream frosting, perfect for cozy fall mornings and gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (320g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240g) pure pumpkin puree (canned or fresh, not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk (or almond milk with 1 tsp vinegar for dairy-free)
  • For the Pecan Streusel Topping:
  • 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans, toasted
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (55g) brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup (55g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • A pinch of salt
  • For the Cinnamon Buttercream:
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) milk or cream (add more if needed for consistency)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
  2. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Prepare the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine toasted pecans, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add cold cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients with fingers or a pastry cutter until crumbly and clumpy. Set aside.
  4. Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, cream softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes using an electric mixer.
  5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  7. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and pumpkin puree with buttermilk to the creamed butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined; do not overmix.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
  9. Sprinkle pecan streusel evenly over the batter, pressing lightly so it sticks but remains crumbly.
  10. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. The edges will pull slightly away from the pan and streusel will be golden and crackly.
  11. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
  12. Make the cinnamon buttercream: Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cinnamon, alternating with milk or cream, until smooth and spreadable. Adjust cinnamon or sweetness to taste.
  13. Spread cinnamon buttercream evenly over the cooled cake. Optionally pipe swirls or dollops with an offset spatula.
  14. Slice and serve. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

[‘Toast pecans before adding to streusel for deeper flavor and crunch.’, ‘Use softened butter for batter but cold butter for streusel to achieve crumbly texture.’, ‘Avoid overmixing batter to keep cake tender.’, ‘Cool cake completely before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting.’, ‘If streusel browns too fast, tent cake loosely with foil halfway through baking.’, ‘For gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free baking flour blend.’, ‘For dairy-free buttercream, use vegan butter and coconut milk instead of cream.’, ‘Reduce sugar in batter and streusel to make cake less sweet.’, ‘Pecan substitution options include walnuts, hazelnuts, toasted oats, or pumpkin seeds.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin coffee cake, pecan streusel, cinnamon buttercream, fall dessert, cozy cake, pumpkin recipe, coffee cake

Find it online: https://avabowls.com/cozy-pumpkin-coffee-cake-recipe-with-pecan-streusel-and-cinnamon-buttercream-easy-steps/