Your fall breakfast just got a little sweeter with this small pumpkin spice streusel coffee cake! Layers of tender and moist spiced pumpkin cake, cinnamon sugar swirled center, and pecan studded streusel make this coffee cake the ideal small batch breakfast treat!
Table of contents
Pumpkin Spice Streusel Coffee Cake
Breakfast called and said it is ready for a small batch fall-inspired treat! So, let’s answer that call with this mini pumpkin spice coffee cake – complete with a crunchy streusel stopping and cinnamon sugar swirl in the center.
This coffee cake is as it should be – full of flavor, sturdy enough to hold in one hand while you sip on coffee in the other, and layer after layer of texture. And if you love coffee cake, be sure to try the cherry small batch coffee cake, popular applesauce coffee cake, and my personal favorite – the cranberry Christmas gluten free breakfast cake!
Make Breakfast Sweeter With This Small Coffee Cake
- The cake is moist – While it is a sturdy cake, the combination of pumpkin, oil, and sour cream make the cake incredibly tender and moist.
- Layers of texture – Between the crunchy streusel topping, pillowy soft cake, and caramel-like cinnamon sugar center, this coffee cake is not lacking on texture!
- Sweet enough for breakfast or dessert – Yes, a coffee cake is originally intended to go with your coffee. But, drizzle it with a little brown butter cinnamon glaze and devour a piece for dessert!
- Flavored for fall and winter – Pumpkin, sweet and warm spices, and toasty pecans embody all the flavors we love as soon as the weather turns cool.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – For a gluten free version, you can try a 1:1 gluten free blend. Or try my gluten free small almond coffee cake and add some pumpkin pie spice.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – We use both to give the cake proper rise and texture.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cinnamon – The spice combination gives the coffee cake the proper amount of spice to be worthy of a fall baked breakfast!
- Salt – Salt is key to balance and enhance all the flavors.
- Pumpkin – It should be pure canned pumpkin (like Libby’s), and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Brown Sugar – I have tested the cake with light and brown sugar, and either will work. Dark brown sugar may impart a little more moisture.
- Granulated Sugar – My go-to for granulated sugar is organic cane sugar for the flavor. Though, regular white sugar will work fine.
- Oil – Any neutral oil, like canola, coconut, grapeseed, or vegetable oil will work. The oil is what keeps this pumpkin coffee cake extra moist.
- Sour Cream – Full fat sour cream will impart richness and moisture to the cake. Plus, it makes the cake texture soft and tender.
- Egg – 1 whole egg for texture and structure.
- Vanilla – A little vanilla goes a long way to add flavor dimension to the cake.
Easy Streusel Topping
Arguably one of the most exciting features of this small pumpkin coffee cake is the streusel topping! Not only does it add texture and flavor, it gives the breakfast cake an exciting dimension to be paired with your morning coffee!
The sweet and crunchy streusel only requires a few ingredients:
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Butter
- Pecans
- Cinnamon (or more pumpkin-pie spice!)
Helpful Tips
- Grease the pan well – Make sure to get into all the corners so the cake slices release easily.
- Chill the streusel – Make the streusel first, then pop it in the refrigerator to chill as you prepare the cake. This keeps the large streusel chunks intact when baked.
- Serve the cake from the pan – When using a glass or ceramic baking pan, it is a pretty presentation. Plus, it is just easy!
- Cover with foil, if needed – Streusel likes to brown faster than the cake likes to bake. To keep it from burning, lightly tent the cake with a piece of foil.
- Serve warm – The pumpkin coffee spice cake is extra special when it is still a little warm from the oven!
FAQ
I don’t recommend it. Pumpkin pie filling has a lot of extra ingredients and sweeteners that will change the taste and texture of the coffee cake.
You can! The recipe may yield 5 to 6 muffins. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and start checking the muffins around 18 to 20 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap (or foil) and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate it and bring it to room temperature to serve.
Yes! Wrap completely cooled coffee cake in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing longer than a couple of days, I recommend removing the cake from the pan.
More Pumpkin Breakfast Recipes
Recipe
Small Pumpkin Spice Streusel Coffee Cake
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
Streusel Topping
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons pecans, chopped (optional)
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup pure canned pumpkin
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- ¼ cup brown sugar, light or dark
- 3 tablespoons full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or any neutral oil)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Cinnamon Sugar (for middle filling)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the rack to the middle position. Grease a glass 6-inch baking dish – making sure to get the corners well.
Streusel Topping
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk toghet the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter cubes. Use your fingers or a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is moistened and resembles thick cookie dough. Stir in the chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to use.3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, 2 tablespoons pecans, chopped
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the pumpkin, both sugars, sour cream, oil, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add the egg and whisk until fully combined.2/3 cup pure canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup organic cane sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark, 3 tablespoons full fat sour cream, room temperature, 3 tablespoons canola oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg, room temperature
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet and mix until no dry streaks remain. Pour approximately half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar. Then pour the remaining batter on top.2 tablespoons Cinnamon Sugar
- Top the coffee cake batter with the streusel. Break up any larger chunks with your fingers as you sprinkle to get even distribution. Bake the coffee cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. If the top is browning too fast, lightly tent a piece of aluminum foil on top.
- Cool the cake in the baking dish set on a wire cooling rack. The cake can be served warm. For leftovers, cover the dish and and keep at room temperature, or in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled. Bake in a 8 or 9-inch baking dish and start checking the cake at 35 minutes.
- Baking Dish – You can also bake the coffee cake in a metal baking pan. If so, it may not take as long to bake – start checking at 30 minutes. I like to use glass for this cake for a nice presentation, and if serving warm, it will keep the cake warmer longer.
- Pumpkin – Use pure canned pumpkin (my preference is Libby’s). I do not recommend pumpkin pie filling because it contains extra ingredients and sweeteners we do not want/need in the cake.
- Cinnamon Sugar – You can purchase pre-made cinnamon sugar, or make your own. I typically do 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for every 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Storage – Keep the cake in the pan and cover it. It can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – Cool the cake completely. If storing the cake longer than a couple of days, I recommend removing the cake from the pan. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
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