Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake: The Perfect Fall Morning Treat
This Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake is the ultimate fall morning treat! Moist pumpkin cake with a crunchy pecan topping and an optional sweet glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert—this easy recipe will quickly become a seasonal favorite!
Nothing says cozy fall mornings like a slice of warm, spiced Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake. With a moist pumpkin base, a crunchy pecan topping, and a drizzle of sweet icing, this cake is the ultimate companion for your morning coffee or tea. The combination of pumpkin puree, pecans, and cinnamon brings all the fall flavors to your table, making it a must-try for the season. Plus, it’s easy to make, and the aroma while it’s baking will fill your kitchen with autumn vibes.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake
This Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake is a delightful balance of textures and flavors. The cake itself is moist and tender thanks to the pumpkin puree, while the pecan topping adds a crunchy contrast. The flavors of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla are infused throughout, making each bite taste like fall. Whether you’re serving this for breakfast, brunch, or as a dessert, it’s a versatile recipe that will satisfy any sweet tooth while celebrating the season.
Ingredients Breakdown
Butter: Melted butter adds richness to the cake, making it moist and tender. It’s also used in the topping to create that crumbly, buttery texture.
Pumpkin Puree: The star of the show! This adds moisture and that signature pumpkin flavor we all crave during fall. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Eggs: Eggs help bind the ingredients together and provide structure to the cake, giving it a soft, cake-like texture.
Yellow Cake Mix: Using a boxed cake mix as the base makes this recipe incredibly easy while still delivering a delicious result.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: A blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, this gives the cake its cozy fall flavor.
Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise and become light and fluffy.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor and adds a touch of sweetness.
Pecans: Adds crunch and a nutty flavor that complements the sweetness of the cake and the spices.
Brown Sugar & White Sugar: A combination of sugars in the topping adds depth and sweetness, while the brown sugar lends a slight molasses flavor.
Flour: Helps create the crumbly texture for the topping.
Powdered Sugar & Milk (optional for icing): This simple glaze adds a sweet finish, making the cake even more indulgent.
Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
⅓ cup butter, melted
1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 (15.25oz) box yellow cake mix
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Topping:
⅔ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup butter, sliced into small pieces
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
For the Icing (optional):
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until well combined.
Add the dry yellow cake mix and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, making sure not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
In a separate small bowl, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and pecans. Add the sliced butter and use a fork or your hands to mix everything together until it forms a crumbly texture.
Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the dish for about 10-15 minutes.
(Optional) While the cake is cooling, prepare the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake.
Slice and serve warm with your favorite cup of coffee or tea!
Why This Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake is the Best Fall Treat
This coffee cake is the perfect way to embrace fall. The warm spices and pumpkin flavors make it a cozy morning treat, while the crunchy pecan topping adds texture and sweetness. Whether you're serving this at a brunch or enjoying it as a dessert, it’s a versatile dish that celebrates all the best flavors of the season. The cake itself is soft and moist, with a crumbly topping that melts in your mouth. Paired with a hot cup of coffee or tea, it’s the ultimate comfort food for chilly autumn mornings.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake
Use Pure Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugars and spices that could alter the taste of the cake.
Get Creative with Toppings: While pecans are the perfect complement, you could substitute them with walnuts or almonds for a twist. You could also add a sprinkle of oats to the topping for extra texture.
Don’t Overmix: When adding the cake mix to the wet ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a denser cake.
Customize the Glaze: For a thicker glaze, reduce the amount of milk. If you want more of a drizzle, thin it out with a little extra milk. You can even add a splash of vanilla or a pinch of cinnamon to the glaze for extra flavor.
Serve Warm: This coffee cake is best served warm when the topping is crunchy, and the icing melts slightly into the cake. If serving later, you can always warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds.
Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1 (15.25oz) box yellow cake mix
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, sliced into small pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until well combined.
- Add the dry yellow cake mix and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, making sure not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and pecans. Add the sliced butter and use a fork or your hands to mix everything together until it forms a crumbly texture.
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the dish for about 10-15 minutes.
- (Optional) While the cake is cooling, prepare the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake.
- Slice and serve warm with your favorite cup of coffee or tea!
Notes
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake
- Use Pure Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugars and spices that could alter the taste of the cake.
- Get Creative with Toppings: While pecans are the perfect complement, you could substitute them with walnuts or almonds for a twist. You could also add a sprinkle of oats to the topping for extra texture.
- Don’t Overmix: When adding the cake mix to the wet ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a denser cake.
- Customize the Glaze: For a thicker glaze, reduce the amount of milk. If you want more of a drizzle, thin it out with a little extra milk. You can even add a splash of vanilla or a pinch of cinnamon to the glaze for extra flavor.
- Serve Warm: This coffee cake is best served warm when the topping is crunchy, and the icing melts slightly into the cake. If serving later, you can always warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds.
Ready to bring the flavors of fall into your kitchen? Try this Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake and let us know what you think! Share your photos and tag us on social media—we’d love to see your creations. Whether you’re serving this for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, it’s sure to be a hit!
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