Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I’m not usually much of a baker, but the weather turned this week—finally! Last year it was already cool this time of year, and we’d even gotten our first snow! It felt like summer up until a couple of days ago and I can fully say I am ready for fall. One of my favorite thing about fall, other than wearing sweaters, is cooking and baking.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I had a few cans of pumpkin puree sitting in the pantry, so I figured it’d be fun to make one of my old favorite recipes. I hav the boys home with me on Thursday and baking is always a fun and easy activity with them. What kid doesn’t love getting to eat their tasty treat after they help make it?

Coffee cake takes me straight back to my childhood! Lazy weekends, sleeping in late, even summer camp (our camp made the BEST coffee cake on the weekends!) and coming downstairs for breakfast mid-morning. I miss those days a bit, our mornings aren’t quite so lazy!

This coffee cake is definitely more of a treat because of the crunchy topping, so we treat it as such, but wow, it is so good and hits the spot with a nice cappuccino on a crisp morning. It’s full of tasty, warm spices and yummy pumpkin which actually gives a nice little fiber boost—never a bad thing! The crumb topping adds extra sweetness and a nice crunch!

It’s best eaten warm in my opinion! If you make it in advance, just heat up a slice in the microwave. I haven’t had a chance to see if it freezes well because it never lasts that long, but I bet you could! The crumb topping might not be quite as crisp, but I guarantee it will still taste good!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe

Ingredients

adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup 100% pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup 100% maple syrup
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crumb Topping

• 2 Tbsp AP flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry coffee cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients.
4. Slowly fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined – you don’t want to over mix it.
5. In a small bowl combine all crumb topping ingredients until well mixed.
6. Spray a 9×9 pan with Pam and pour in the batter. Smooth the top with a spatula and then sprinkle the crumb topping over the top.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes (I actually used a smaller rectangular pan and ended up cooking for 45 minutes). Cake is done when a toothpick comes out of the middle clean!

Like I said, baking isn’t normally my thing, but pumpkin baking? You bet I’m in! I’ll be sharing more pumpkin recipes this month and bonus—they’re all kid-friendly too!

BTW, healthy vegan snickers bars, and homemade healthy granola.