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Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Pumpkin coffee cake with a thick brown sugar cinnamon streusel topping and a cinnamon swirl layer. Baked in a greased 9x13 pan until the center is set and the top turns golden-brown.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
refrigerate 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

streusel
  • 1.5 cup flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.75 cup butter cold, cubed
cinnamon swirl
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp butter melted
pumpkin cake
  • 2 cup flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • powdered sugar for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease a 9x13 pan so the cake releases cleanly after baking.
Make the streusel and swirl
  1. Make streusel by combining flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cut in cold cubed butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  2. Refrigerate the streusel so the butter stays cold and the topping bakes up thick.
  3. Mix the cinnamon swirl ingredients (brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter) until you get a thick, paste-like mixture.
Mix the pumpkin cake batter
  1. Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and lighter in color, then add eggs one at a time and mix until combined.
  2. Add pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla, mixing only until the batter looks cohesive and orange.
  3. Fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt) until you no longer see dry streaks.
Assemble and bake
  1. Spread half the batter in the greased 9x13 pan for an even base.
  2. Drizzle the cinnamon swirl over the batter in thin streaks, visible as dark cinnamon ribbons.
  3. Add the remaining batter on top and spread gently so the swirl partially disappears under the surface.
  4. Scatter streusel generously over the top, letting clumps sit high for a craggy, crisp finish.
  5. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden-brown and a toothpick in the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are okay).
Serve
  1. Let the cake cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar just before serving for a bright, snowy finish.

Notes

For the thick streusel texture, keep the butter cold and use the full 10 minutes of refrigeration before topping. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze baked slices wrapped well for up to 2 months. For a lighter dairy swap, use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream (same amount) while keeping the batter’s tang and moisture.