Pumpkin Coffee Cake (9×13) with Ridiculous Streusel

There’s a moment in fall baking when the whole house goes quiet just the whisper of cinnamon in the air, pumpkin warming in the oven, and a ribbon of glaze waiting on the counter. That’s the promise of this pumpkin coffee cake: plush crumb, generous streusel, and a finish that’s both cozy and a little celebratory. It’s engineered for reliability moist crumb that slices cleanly, a streusel that bakes into pebbly clusters, and a glaze that brings everything into balance. NATYRALI in spirit and approach, this cake leans on pantry staples, straightforward technique, and the comforting aroma that makes pumpkin season feel complete. If you need a crowd-pleaser for brunch, holidays, or late-night tea, this Pumpkin Coffee Cake 9×13 is the one you’ll make on repeat.

Table of Contents

🎃 Why You’ll Love It

• Plush, tender crumb with a bold pumpkin–spice profile and a mountain of streusel on top.
• Easy to scale, dairy-optional, and adaptable to gluten-free for a Gf Pumpkin Coffee Cake that still tastes indulgent.
• Designed for a 9×13 pan with balanced sweetness and a comforting aroma that feels like a café at home.

🛒 Ingredients (cups + grams)

Pan: 9×13-inch (metal preferred), parchment sling recommended
Bake: 45–50 minutes total
Serves: 12–16

Streusel

• All-purpose flour: 3 cups (375 g)
• Brown sugar, packed: 1 cup (200 g)
• Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g)
• Kosher salt: 1 tsp (or 1/2 tsp fine sea salt)
• Ground cinnamon: 1 tbsp
• Pumpkin pie spice: 1 tbsp
• Unsalted butter, melted: 1 cup (226 g)

Cake

• All-purpose flour: 2 1/4 cups (281 g)
• Granulated sugar: 1 1/2 cups (300 g)
• Baking powder: 1 tbsp
• Baking soda: 3/4 tsp
• Kosher salt: 3/4 tsp (or 1/2 tsp fine sea salt)
• Pumpkin pie spice: 1 tbsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
• Unsalted butter, cool-softened: 1/2 cup (113 g), cubed
• Pumpkin puree (not pie filling), divided: 1 can 15 oz (425 g)
• Large eggs: 4 (about 200 g without shells)
• Neutral oil (vegetable or light olive): 1/4 cup (60 ml)
• Vanilla extract: 1 tbsp

Glaze

• Soft unsalted butter: 1/4 cup (56 g)
• Confectioners’ sugar: 2 cups (240 g)
• Milk: 3 tbsp (45 ml), plus more to thin
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• Pinch of salt

Optional mix-ins (choose 1–2)

• Chopped pecans or walnuts: 1/2 cup (55 g)
• Mini chocolate chips: 1/2 cup (85 g)
• Orange zest: 1 tsp
• Extra cinnamon: 1/2 tsp

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep

• Heat oven to 350°F (177°C); grease a 9×13 pan and line with a parchment sling for easy removal.

2. Make the streusel

• Whisk flour, sugars, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour in melted butter and stir just until chunky, sandy clumps form; don’t overmix into a paste. Chill while making the batter to keep crumbles defined.

3. Whisk dry for cake

• In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until evenly combined.

4. Butter + pumpkin rub-in

• Add cool-softened butter cubes and about half the pumpkin (roughly 200 g) to the dry mix. Beat on low (paddle) or with hand beaters until the mixture turns into moist, pebbly crumbs that start clumping coating flour with fat yields a fine, tender crumb.

5. Wet mixture

• In a separate bowl, whisk remaining pumpkin with eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.

6. Combine

• Add wet to the flour-butter mixture in 3 additions, beating about 20 seconds after each, then 1 minute more at the end until the batter looks light, creamy, and pourable. Scrape bowl to ensure even mixing; avoid overbeating.

7. Layer and bake, part 1

• Spread about 2 cups batter in the pan. Sprinkle 1 cup streusel evenly. Spread another ~2 cups batter, then another 1 cup streusel. Finish with remaining batter in a thin, even layer. Top with about 2 cups streusel; reserve the rest for halfway. Bake 35 minutes.

8. Streusel finish, part 2

• Working quickly with the oven door closed as much as possible, pull the cake, sprinkle remaining streusel evenly to reinforce the top, and return to bake 10–15 minutes more, until a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and no jiggle at center.

9. Cool and glaze

• Cool on a rack 15–20 minutes. Whisk glaze ingredients until silky; adjust milk to drizzle. Pour in loose zigzags over warm cake. Slice into neat squares.

Texture & timing tips:

• Glass/ceramic pans may add 5–8 minutes; metal gives a better rise and crisper edges.
• If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

🎨 Customizations & Variations

• Dairy Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake
  Swap melted dairy-free butter in streusel and glaze; use neutral oil or vegan butter in cake and a plant milk for both batter and glaze.
• Gf Pumpkin Coffee Cake
  Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (by weight). Let batter rest 10 minutes to hydrate starches, then bake as directed and check early.
• Pumpkin Butter Vegan Coffee Cake
  Replace eggs with 1/2 cup (120 g) pumpkin butter plus 2 tbsp plant milk; use oil instead of butter in the cake; dairy-free butter in streusel and glaze.
• Less-Sweet Brunch Style
  Reduce cake sugar by 1/4 cup (50 g) and glaze sugar by 1/2 cup (60 g); keep spices as written for a stronger aromatic finish.
• Nutty Maple Crunch
  Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans under the final streusel layer; thin glaze with 1–2 tbsp maple syrup and a pinch of flaky salt.
• Chocolate Swirl
  Fold 1/2 cup mini chips into the batter; add 1 tsp espresso powder to the glaze for mocha vibes.
• Slow Cooker Desserts Adaptation
  Line a large oval slow cooker with parchment; spread batter, top with streusel, and cook on High 2–2.5 hours (no peeking) until set at center. Cool 15 minutes, glaze, and slice.
• Inspiration Paths
  For a richer spice-forward take, browse Baker By Nature Pumpkin Coffee Cake styles and echo with extra cinnamon + cloves and a thicker glaze finish.

🍽️ Serving Ideas

• Café morning
  Serve warm with a strong coffee or chai; the spice blooms with heat, and the glaze melts into the crumb for a plush bite.
• Dessert board
  Pair slices with vanilla ice cream and a light maple drizzle; the cold-hot contrast highlights the streusel crunch.
• Holiday brunch
  Plate alongside citrus salad and soft-scrambled eggs; the cake’s balanced sweetness lets savory sides shine without competing.

Sensory snapshot:

• Expect a velvety, pumpkin-hued crumb under a craggy streusel that breaks softly; the glaze adds shine and a gentle vanilla finish that lingers.

🧊 Storage & Freezing

• Counter
  Cover tightly and keep at room temp up to 2 days for best streusel texture.
• Fridge
  Store airtight up to 5 days; rewarm slices 10–15 seconds in the microwave or 5–7 minutes in a 300°F (150°C) oven for a just-baked feel.
• Freeze
  Chill, slice, and wrap pieces individually; freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and glaze fresh, or freeze unglazed and finish after thawing.

Make-ahead:

• Bake the day before and add glaze the morning of serving; streusel stays defined and the finish looks bakery-fresh.

💡 Pro Tips

• Measure precisely
  Spoon-and-level flour or weigh it to prevent a dry or crumbly outcome; pumpkin adds moisture, so small errors matter.
• Streusel discipline
  Stir just until clumpy; overmixing creates paste. Chilling keeps the crumble pebbly and crisp after baking.
• Halfway streusel hack
  Adding the final streusel mid-bake prevents the topping from sinking and preserves a lofty crumb.
• Doneness check
  Look for a gentle spring at center and a clean tester with a few moist crumbs; don’t chase a bone-dry poke.
• Clean cuts
  Rest at least 15 minutes; wipe the knife between slices. For event plating, cut while just warm for neat edges and soft glaze.

💬 Emma’s Note

This cake tastes like a fall morning that doesn’t rush you warm, generous, and a little decadent in the best possible way. It’s the streusel crown that keeps everyone hovering, and the pumpkin crumb that makes them stay for seconds. Try the dairy-free path for a weeknight bake, the gluten-free blend for potlucks, or the maple–pecan finish when you want something to gather around. If this becomes your new go-to for Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipes and Streusel Coffee Cake cravings, share your favorite twist and follow on Pinterest for more NATYRALI bakes, 9×13 crowd-pleasers, and cozy seasonal menus.