This Pumpkin Pecan Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake could be eaten pumpkin year-round, as far as I’m concerned. This Coffee Cake is super moist. The pumpkin filling is not over-the-top sweet, in a good way. The crunch of pecans adds a nice contrast to the cake. This recipe can easily be adapted as muffins.
With Fall officially being here, I know that I’ll be making recipes with pumpkin, and fortunately, my family loves it as much as I do.
I love a good coffee cake, and when sour cream is part of the equation– I just can’t resist. But, adding a layer of pumpkin in between, with a pecan topping… I was on a mission to make this cake.
The cake batter was pretty easy to make, and I knew that adding one cup of sour cream was going to make the batter really moist.
I decided to double the streusel recipe, and to use brown sugar instead of white sugar. I’ll take a good shortcut whenever I can, so I prefer to add melted butter to the sugar, flour and nuts. I set the the streusel aside, and made the pumpkin custard.
Instead of using a blend of spices, I used the Pumpkin Pie Spice I already had. This filling is very much like making a pumpkin pie filling— just whisk and you’re all set.
It takes about 20 minutes making the cake batter, pumpkin custard and streusel, so it’s an easy recipe to follow.
Putting the cake together proved to be a challenge, I will admit. I greased a 9×13 baking pan, and this is where my challenges began. Adding half of the batter, I found that it slid around! I added a layer
of half the prepared streusel and then poured the pumpkin filling on top. Problem #2: Adding the remaining batter proved to be almost impossible. It just sunk underneath the pumpkin filling, and my heart sank.
I forged on, and added the remaining batter in big dollops and then added the remaining streusel on top.
SPOILER ALERT: Even with my “challenges” the cake turned out just fine!
I put the cake in the oven, and set the timer for 50 minutes. An inserted toothpick came out clean, and my cake looked more like a cobbler. It smelled like Fall with notes of cinnamon and pumpkin.
TASTING NOTES: There are a a few different textures going on with this cake. First, the coffee cake has a very tender crumb, and the pumpkin adds a velvety mouth-feel. The crunch of the pecans is a nice addition, and I was surprised that the cake is gently sweet– just right, and not too much.
Once the cake had completely cooled, the pumpkin took on a firmer “pie” consistency. A hot cup of coffee or tea is the perfect partner for this cake.
NOTES: The next time I’m craving pumpkin and coffee cake, I will make this recipe again. Only, I think it would be easier to make this as muffins. I would scoop batter on the bottom of each muffin well, pour in the pumpkin custard, add more batter and then add the streusel. I’m guessing I’d bake them 15-20 minutes, using the “toothpick test”.
This coffee certainly scratched my itch for pumpkin. Now, I feel the sweet potato itch coming on, and I know just the recipe I’ll make for those– Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls!
Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
PUMPKIN LAYER:
- 1 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves OR
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in lieu of cinnamon, ginger and cloves
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
PECAN STREUSEL:
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 3/4 stick butter melted
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 9X14-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
CAKE:
- Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, set aside.
- In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and flufffy.
- Add the sour cream.
- Add the dry ingredients until blended. The batter will be thick.
PUMPKIN FILLING:
- Whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, spices, salt.
- Add the eggs and whisk, then the evaporated milk. Set aside.
STREUSEL TOPPING:
- Melt the butter and add to the remaining ingredients, combine with a fork until wet and crumbly. Set aside.
CAKE:
- Layer half of the batter in the prepared pan. (NOTE: I had challenges with this, as the batter slide around a bit.)
- Sprinkle half the streusel over the batter.
- Pour the pumpkin custard over the cake batter and streusel. NOTE: The custard will be very thin, but it will bake solid.
- Add the remaining batter on top.
- Note: I had challenges with this, as the pumpkin custard was very thin. Instead, I added dollops of the batter all around, and did my best to spread the batter.
- Top with the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
I am a complete sucker for a pumpkin cake, and this one sounds great with all the textures and layers. I think the muffin idea sounds perfect!
Mmmmm…this sounds so tasty. I think a muffin would be the perfect answer…love the idea of the textures…
It is time to roll out the pumpkin!! What a nice way to start.
Oh Debby that looks absolutely amazing!!
I probably couldn't be friends with anyone who didn't like pumpkin. It would be too weird! I am so enamored with this coffee cake. NEED NEED NEED.
This looks wonderful, Debby! If anyone doesn't like pumpkin, feel free to make this for them and then they can just send it on to me 😀
It is funny I don't like pumpkin pie but I like everything else pumpkin. I made some muffins two weeks ago and they are so good! Sometimes I think the "how it is made" has a lot to do with a food too. I like fennel but not a fan when it is cooked. Prefer it raw.
I haven't visited your site in a while, but I have the urge to make this wonderful pumpkin coffee cake. I think I'll take your advice and try it as muffins.