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Cool, crisp mornings. Brilliant blue skies. Perfect Vs of Canadian geese winging their way south. Jewel-hued leaves fluttering silently, through crystal clear autumn days, on their final ascent to the waiting earth. Fall. I love it. Everything about it.
Fall always seems like a fresh new start to me. Perhaps that comes from all the years of raising kids, when this time of the year meant heading back to school; a huge contrast from the lazy days of summer. Life became more orderly, organized, and disciplined once again. And though I loved having kids underfoot all summer, fall gave me a special sense of freedom, with more time to explore interests and activities of my own.
Nowdays, autumn is still a fresh new start to me, especially in the culinary sense. Though I'm crazy for summer's abundant fresh produce, fabulous farm stands, and pick-your-own fruit fields, I secretly long for the delightful, warm flavors of fall the entire time I'm sporting swimsuits and flip-flops. And though some might call me fickle, as each new season finds me quite enchanted, fall is definitely my favorite!
Perhaps part of it is the amazing scents that emanate from my little kitchen on these cool autumn days. Like the enticing aroma of this Pumpkin Coffee Cake. Along with pumpkin puree, its cast of characters includes brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Soon after I popped it in the oven, my entire house was filled with the fragrance of a fine pastry shop. Hmm… would the neighbors suddenly be lined up at the door before it was even finished baking?
This delectably moist cake is layered and topped with a buttery pecan and pumpkin seed (pepita) crumble. The simple, powdered sugar glaze, with a touch of maple syrup, is drizzled over the top, perfectly complementing the other classic autumnal flavors.
Do you have a fall brunch coming up? Want to take a fun treat to work? How about something to make your family and friends feel well-loved? Embrace the season with this fabulous Pumpkin Coffee Cake-it's sure to be a huge hit!
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Pumpkin Coffee Cake w/ Pecan-Pepita Crumble
Ingredients
- For the crumble:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 tablespoon melted butter
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup hulled pepitas
- For the batter:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, make your own!
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoon butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- For the icing:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- For the crumble, combine all-purpose flour, brown and white sugars, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork to combine. Slowly drizzle in butter, continuing to stir with fork until all flour is incorporated and large crumbles form. Add pecans and pepitas and stir gently. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with baking spray. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of pan with heavy duty (or 2 layers) of foil. (The cake bakes for at least an hour; the foil will keep the sides and bottom from browning too much during the long bake.)
- In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat softened butter at medium speed for 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat another minute, scraping sides of bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula. Add eggs and beat until well combined. Again scrape sides of bowl to incorporate all ingredients. Add Greek yogurt and pumpkin and mix until combined. Remove bowl from mixer. Add flour mixture and stir just until flour disappears. Don't over mix.
- Transfer half of the batter to the prepared springform pan. Spread evenly. Scatter about ⅓ of the crumble across the batter. Top with remaining batter and spread as evenly as possible. Scatter the remaining crumble over the batter.
- Place spring form pan on a baking sheet. Bake on center rack of oven for 30 minutes then open oven and cover loosely with foil, taking care not to jar pan. Return to oven and bake another 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 20 minutes, then remove sides of spring form pan. Cool for another 30 minutes, then drizzle icing over the top allowing it to drip down the sides. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.
- While coffee cake is cooling, prepare the icing. Combine melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and milk in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
- Stir with a whisk or fork to combine.
- Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then remove and stir again. Repeat 30 seconds in microwave and stir until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, whisk until smooth. Icing should be thick but still drizzle-able.
Notes
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I was looking for something good and comforting to have on hand these few days before Thanksgiving and this fit the bill perfectly. We think it was even better the second day (not that there was much left!) Our prayers continue daily for those still dealing with the aftermath of the terrible flooding in NC. We made a donation for Thanksgiving to a church that you included in your post several weeks ago. God bless.
Thank you for the kind comment, Julie and the donation! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe.
Canadian Thanksgiving is a few days away ,and a pumpkin dessert to augment the pies fit the bill. This is a marvelous recipe which we sampled heartily. I used all pecans as that was what was in my pantry. The presentation is stunning, and the flavors delicious.
Thanks for another fabulous recipe. Off to make another cake!
Thoughts are with you and the community post Helene.
Awesome! Thank you for the review and the well wishes, Julie!
Hi Chris
Do you have the metric amounts for this recipe?
Thanks
Penny
Hi Penny, the metric should be there now! Enjoy!
Hello Chris! My daughter turned me on to your website with the "ridiculously easy recipes (started with the Rosemary bread first)
I got hooked and it's all been tasty from there!!
Just a comment on this recipe...looks like sections 4 and 5 have a repeat on them and it might be confusing for some. Just an FYI! Thank you for making baking and cooking so much fun (and making me look like a superstar in the the kitchen!)
Thanks, Leigh! I have corrected that!
Hello, I was looking for a Pumpkin bead recipe and came across this recipe that sounded delicious. Plus I had all the ingredients on hand. Wow it is delicious, and easy to make. Love the yogurt addition, I think that keeps it nice and moist. I made it exactly to your directions and it came out perfect. This is a keeper, thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for your review, Michele!
Congrats Chris, your wonderful recipes and photos are perfect for the magazine. This cake looks really amazing.
Congratulations! You recipe truly deserves to be there 🙂
Congratulations, Chris, I am very exicted for you!!! I took a look at your wonderful recipe and pictures on the Parade site - simply amazing!!! This cake is the perfect fall time treat and I love that you used Greek yoghurt for a moist cake and all those lovely spices, nuts and pumkin purée make me want to run to the kitchen immediately and try out this recipe!
All the very best from cool and rainy Bonn!
Congratulations, it's an exciting new... I'm not surprise at all, you are so talented, Chris! This cake is a great great exemple:) It looks really good!
Stunning! It looks so beautiful and delicious.
So completely happy for you! Well deserved honor indeed. This cake looks amazing, as do all your recipes. Very exciting!!!! Congratulations 🙂
Congratulations and this cakes looks brill (as we say here in Blighty). Before I try it can you possibly tell me which cinnamon you use - I understand from something I read a long while ago that the US uses cinnamon from I can't remember where and in the UK and Europe we tend to use another country of origin and the two tastes are entirely different and can change a recipe completely.
Hi Lesley, you posed a good question and I wasn't sure of the answer so I looked ti up. I found an interesting article with some good answers, here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum_cassia
Chris this is the most mouth watering recipe I have seen for a long time. Keep on blogging I love it here xoxo
How exciting for you. I am so happy for both of you. I can't wait to tell my friends I have a famous friend.
Congratulations, Chris!
The cake looks sensational!
How exciting for you, Chris! They hit a homerun when you were added to the contributors!! Your coffee cake sounds so tasty....and with the crumble topping and maple drizzle....amazing.
Chris, so happy to see you back in the U.S.A....or are you still in the UK?...love, love, your perfect coffee cake for the fall. Will check out the parade! xo
Awesome, Chris. That is so exciting. (Yes'm, I remember Parade. Our Sunday paper doesn't include it though.)
Yes'm! I remember Parade. I loved the cartoons and the foodie stuff! 🙂 Congrats!!!! That is awesome!
look absolutely georgeous Chris:)))
Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement, I really appreciate it! ~ Chris
I am doing the happy dance for you. This is an amazing cake and fantastic opportunity, congratulations!!!
How exciting!!!
How exciting! I always look at the recipes first. Phooey, I didn't check this Sunday's Parade...I will have to dig it out of the recycling!!! Congratulations on making it to the BIG TIME!!!
Congratulations! I'm very familiar with Parade magazine- now I'll check it out online. I definitely need the recipe for that yummy coffee cake. 🙂
It clicks now:)
I love Parade when I am in the States..It Beaches with me:)
We had it's twin 100 yrs ago here in Mtl..I miss it..
You guys are made for this..you are:)
Bravo!
That's wonderful news Chris! You most definitely deserve to be published. I too have fond memories of Parade Magazine.
Congrats Chris that is AWESOME!! You deserve it! Woooo hoooo! This is just beautiful and looks so delicious! How do you make all this awesome stuff and stop yourself from eating ALLL of it?!
I do believe that first pic made me whimper... Congrats on being a part of Parade, that's very exciting:@)
Congratulations Chris! That's so very exciting! Beautiful article too and as always mouth-watering photos.
Chris how exciting and weekly - that's a big deal. I just read your article, it's was beautiful and very well written. Congrat's on your new gig. Pretty soon you won't need to do your nursing job, unless it's something you just can't part with. Way to go!
Congratulations! That is so awesome! I remember Parade Magazine in the Sunday papers. I loved reading it!! You will make a great addition to the magazine! Your pumpkin coffee cake looks amazing! I saw it on my phone, and I was drooling when I saw the photo! Going to check it out now!
Awesome! and congratulations! The cake looks fabulous, as always! 🙂
Congratulations! I think you have the best food blog on the planet, so you deserve to share your recipes with even more people.
This coffee cake looks delicious. I definitely want to try it. However, I can't get the link to work.
Thank you Patti, you are very kind. The link should be fixed now.
I'm so proud and happy for you! Congrats!
Congratulations on the opportunity! What a fabulous coffee cake, I love the pecan-pepita crumble!
Congratulations, how exciting to be a contributor to a national magazine! This cake sounds and looks divine, the perfect recipe to start your new gig with!