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Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake

Pumpkin pecan coffee cake with a thick, cinnamon pecan streusel crown and a moist spiced pumpkin crumb. Bakes in a single 9x13 pan for a tender slice topped with golden crumble.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pecan streusel
  • 0.75 cup flour
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 cup butter cold
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
For pumpkin cake
  • 2 cup flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup butter melted or softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan with a thin coating to prevent sticking.
Make pecan streusel
  1. Cut cold butter into flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until crumbly, using short pinches so the mixture looks like coarse sand.
  2. Stir in chopped pecans until evenly distributed with visible nut pieces.
Make pumpkin cake batter
  1. Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth, then add eggs one at a time until the batter is cohesive.
  2. Mix in pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla until the batter turns uniformly orange and glossy.
  3. Fold in dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt) until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
  4. Spread the batter evenly in the greased 9x13 pan so it reaches the edges in an even layer.
Top and bake
  1. Scatter the pecan streusel generously over the top, pressing lightly so crumbs adhere in a thick layer.
  2. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes until done, with a set center and a golden crumble crown (visual cue: topping is browned and the cake springs back).

Notes

For the thickest streusel, keep the butter cold while cutting it into the flour mixture; if your kitchen is warm, chill the streusel bowl for 5-10 minutes before baking. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days, or freeze slices up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, use low-fat sour cream (or Greek-style reduced-fat) to keep the crumb tender with slightly less richness.