Pumpkin Crumb Cake
This pumpkin-packed crumb cake is everything that is wonderful about fall baking. Warmly spiced, moist pumpkin cake topped with spicy, crispy streusel and topped with an optional but delicious glaze. It is just the thing for an afternoon snack, and just as good for breakfast the next day. You can use any pumpkin spice blend you like, but the homemade recipe included below includes a bit of cardamom, which isn’t usually included in pumpkin spice blends, but brings a hint of citrusy floral flavor. The pumpkin-spice glaze is optional, but if you have the time, don’t skip it. It adds a nice extra hint of sweetness and spice.
- Total:
- Serves: 1 person
Ingredients
- ½(packed) cup/100 grams light brown sugar
- ½cup/64 grams all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin spice blend (see Tip)
- Pinch of salt
- ¼cup/56 grams unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1(packed) cup/200 grams light brown sugar
- 2large eggs
- 1cup/230 grams canned pumpkin purée
- ¼cup/56 grams unsalted butter, melted
- ¼cup neutral oil
- 1tablespoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin spice blend (see Tip)
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
- ¾cup/75 grams confectioners’ sugar
- ¾teaspoon pumpkin spice blend
- Pinch of salt
- 3to 5 teaspoons milk (any kind will do)
Instructions
Step 1
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.Step 2
Make the streusel: In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, pumpkin spice and salt. Add the butter, then pinch the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture forms pebble-size crumbs and is evenly moistened.Step 3
Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin purée, melted butter, oil, pumpkin spice and salt; whisk until combined and smooth. Whisk in the baking powder and baking soda, then whisk in the flour.Step 4
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top and tap on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top.Step 5
Bake the cake until puffed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Set the cake in the pan on a rack to cool. After about 15 minutes remove the cake from the pan and set it on the rack to cool almost completely.Step 6
When the cake is just slightly warm, make the glaze, if using: Add the confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin spice, pinch of salt and 3 teaspoons of milk to a bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding a bit more milk as necessary to form a glaze that is very thick but can be drizzled.Step 7
Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.