Pumpkin Crumb Cake

This easy pumpkin crumb cake is a moist and tender pumpkin cake spiced with cinnamon and topped with an unbeatable coffee cake crumb. It’s the perfect fall treat with a morning cup of coffee or a

If you love this recipe, try these pumpkin crumb cake cookies, next! And check out my best pumpkin recipes for fall for more cozy baking ideas, like this dreamy pumpkin cobbler, and more.

Why I Love This Pumpkin Crumb Cake Recipe

I can’t think of anything better than a slice of this pumpkin crumb cake with a hot cup of coffee on a crisp fall morning. The flavors of cinnamon and pumpkin are just so comforting together! I’ve made this crumb cake recipe for breakfast during the holidays on many occasions, too. It’s the best fall treat! Here’s what makes it great:

• Perfect texture. This pumpkin crumb cake is perfectly spiced and unbeatably soft yet crumbly in texture, giving it that extra something special right down to the last crumb.
• Easy ingredients. The recipe is so straightforward, that you likely have most of what you need in your pantry already! A few ingredients overlap between the cake and the crumb, too, making it even easier.
• Versatile. Call me obsessed, but I’ll never get tired of this crumb cake. I love it as a cozy fall spin on classic coffee cake, and it’s delicious as a snack with tea or coffee. It’s also festive enough to bring out during the holidays, and all it takes to make it into an easy dessert is a scoop of ice cream on top!

Ingredients You’ll Need

I’ll admit, I was a late bloomer when it comes to using pumpkin as a baking ingredient. The only pumpkin dessert I grew up eating was pumpkin pie! It wasn’t until I started baking for this blog that I realized all the possibilities for pumpkin in desserts, from cakes to cheesecake bars, and more.

This pumpkin crumb cake recipe keeps it simple with real pumpkin puree and a few pantry staples, which I’ll cover below. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list with the full amounts.

• Flour – All-purpose works well here. You’ll need flour both for the cake batter as well as the crumb topping.
• Pumpkin – Make sure you’re using canned pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. They look similar in the grocery store aisle, but they aren’t interchangeable in this cake.
• Cinnamon – For some cozy fall spiciness, you could also use pumpkin pie spice or a blend of individual spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.
• Milk – This can be whole milk or any dairy or non-dairy alternative.
• Butter – Allow the butter for your cake mix to get to room temperature, but leave some in the fridge since you’ll need it cold to make the crumb topping!
• Granulated Sugar – This cake is sweet, but not too sweet. Still, you can swap white sugar out for brown sugar if you prefer a cake that’s still rich in flavor but slightly less sweet.
• Eggs – I always choose free-range when I can, but any large eggs will do.
• Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Baking Powder and Salt
• Light Brown Sugar – To combine with cold butter, flour, and a pinch of salt for the crumb topping. You can use dark brown sugar or granulated sugar if needed.

How to Make Pumpkin Crumb Cake

This tender pumpkin crumb cake recipe is actually so simple to make. What’s better is that it can be served warm or at room temperature, so you can even make it the night before! Here are the steps, and you’ll find the full recipe instructions in the printable recipe card below the post.

• Make the batter. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. I like to sift the flour to break up any lumps, but that’s optional. In a separate bowl, cream the butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet batter, alternating with milk, until combined.
• Fill the pan. Spread the cake batter into a greased 9×13″ baking pan. Set that aside while you make the crumb.
• Make the crumb topping. To make a crumble, use a fork or pastry cutter to cut cold butter into the dry ingredients. You can use your hands, too, making sure it’s mixed with large clumps of crumb throughout.
• Add the topping and bake. Sprinkle the crumb generously over your prepared pumpkin cake batter. Finally, bake at 350ºF until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Enjoy this cake warm from the oven or let it cool to room temperature. Serve alongside a hot cup of coffee and get cozy!

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Sift if you can. You can sift your flour using a fine-mesh strainer if you have one – not necessary if you don’t! Sifting will just make the flour lighter and therefore a bit easier to mix into the batter.
• Use cold butter for the crumb. If your butter for the crumb isn’t fresh-out-of-the-fridge cold when making the topping, or if you leave your crumb to sit too long before adding it over your cake batter, it will become chewy and hard after baking. If needed, pop your prepared crumb in the fridge until it’s time to cover the batter.
• Keep the top from over-baking. If you notice the crumb topping is getting overly brown before the time is up, you can cover the pan with foil to prevent the crumb from burning.
• Serve warm or cold. This pumpkin crumb cake tastes just as delicious cooled off as it does fresh out of the oven. It’s great to bake the night before a holiday gathering! See below for storage tips.
• Add a glaze. Adding a sweet glaze frosting after baking gives an extra bakery-inspired touch and amps up the sweetness of the crumb cake. This glaze icing that I drizzle over this apple coffee cake is great for this recipe, too. The choice is yours!
• Add crunch. Mix some crushed pecans into the crumb topping for some extra crunch.

How to Store Pumpkin Crumb Cake

• On the counter. Store your cake in an airtight container or cover it tightly with saran wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
• Freeze. You can freeze this crumb cake for up to 4 months. Let it cool completely and wrap it tightly, or keep it in a freezer-safe container and thaw it overnight at room temperature. 

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Banana Bread
• Easy Pumpkin Blondies
• Perfect Pumpkin Cake with Maple Frosting

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