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Perfect Pumpkin Cream Cheese Coffee Cake: Easy Fall Recipe

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A moist pumpkin coffee cake with a thick, tangy cream cheese ribbon and a generous crunchy crumb topping. This easy fall recipe comes together in about 20 minutes of active work and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if you have it)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (room temperature)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, but highly recommended)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two sides for easy lifting. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or cooking spray.
  2. Make the Crumb Topping First: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Stir in the chopped nuts if using. Pop this in the fridge while you make the rest.
  3. Make the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until combined. Sprinkle in the tablespoon of flour and mix just until incorporated. Set aside.
  4. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In another medium bowl, whisk together 1½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. This ensures the spices are evenly distributed throughout the cake.
  5. Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with ¾ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer. You want it to look pale and airy.
  6. Add the Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix until just combined. The batter will look a little thin and that’s perfect.
  7. Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed or folding with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix—a few lumps are fine. Overmixing will make the cake tough.
  8. Layer the Cake: Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Spoon the cream cheese filling over the batter in dollops, then gently spread it into an even layer, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges. Pour the remaining pumpkin batter on top and spread carefully to cover the cream cheese layer.
  9. Add the Crumb Topping: Sprinkle the chilled crumb topping evenly over the top of the cake. Don’t press it in—just let it sit on top.
  10. Bake: Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and the edges should be pulling away from the pan slightly. If the top is browning too quickly after 30 minutes, tent it loosely with foil.
  11. Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and cool completely before slicing. I know it’s hard to wait, but cutting it warm will make the cream cheese layer squish out.

Notes

Don’t skip the flour in the cream cheese filling—it stabilizes it so it doesn’t sink. Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable. Use a light hand when spreading the second layer of batter over the cream cheese. Check for doneness early; a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely before slicing to prevent the cream cheese layer from squishing out. This cake tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin coffee cake, cream cheese coffee cake, fall recipe, pumpkin dessert, easy coffee cake, crumb topping, pumpkin cream cheese

Find it online: https://lindabake.com/perfect-pumpkin-cream-cheese-coffee-cake-easy-fall-recipe/