Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
A bit of spice to a classic breakfast treat.
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Nothing says back to school, back to the daily grind, back to the workweek like a tray of this Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake. It’s a brown sugar-infused delight of cake and crumb that calls you into the kitchen from the doorway, requiring you to take a slice, pour a glass of milk, and put an end cap to finish off the hectic marathon of a day. It’s simple and versatile, adapting to whichever season, infusing classic warming spices to compliment the pumpkin in a satisfying way.
Nowadays, pumpkin spice is slapped onto a variety of foods, even if they are questionable pairings. But pumpkin spice is a perfect companion in this any-time-of-the-day crumb cake. An array of complimentary spices pairs with pumpkin to make a batter that is rich and perfumed with a wonderful aroma. The crumble too is lightly spiced with a bit of autumn in each and every bite.
This batter is quick to whip up and doesn’t require a hand mixer to prepare. After it’s made, it gets poured into the prepared pan and covered with the crumble coating.
Once the crumb cake is fully baked and slightly cooled down, pour the icing on top.
Ready to serve, this Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake is a taste of autumn!
The cake is tender, light, and moist and spiced crumble stays together in big pieces.
The glaze gives just the right sweetness to balance the rich cake and the warm spices, a winning treat to have as a snack or as a sweet start to the day.
Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
Yield(s): Makes 9 large or 12 small servings
25m prep time
30m cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
For the crumb topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 ground ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk or milk, room temperature
For the vanilla icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
To make the crumb topping:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x9 square or 9x13 rectangle pan with baking spray and set aside.
- In a bowl whisk together flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Cut in the small cubes of butter by using a pastry cutter or using your hands, blending the butter into the dry ingredients. Mix until you can form big crumbs, set aside.
To make the cake:
- In one bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, set aside.
- In another bowl whisk pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and sugar.
- Add in eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add in vanilla.
- Add in the dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan and add crumble on top, gently pressing the crumble into the batter.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist, not wet crumbs. (For a 9x13 pan check for doneness at 20 to 25 minutes). Let it cool partially before adding the glaze.
To make the glaze:
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until it’s smooth and lump free. Drizzle onto the still warm crumb cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Neighbor Food Blog and Sally's Baking Addiction.