Pumpkin Coffee Cake
I’m reminded of the synchronicity of the seasons each year when, just as the mornings bring a chill to my bones and I start craving the aroma of warm spices wafting through my home, squash begin to appear at the market. Potatoes poke their heads out, root vegetables color the booths, and onions overflow tables, rolling down the sidewalk.
Right when I’m ready for them, the hearty produce that begs for a 375°F oven is being harvested. I love turning butternut squash into soups, stuffing acorn squash, and roasting delicata.
A few years back, I encountered a wrinkle to my usual squash routine: I ended up in possession of a pie pumpkin instead. Pumpkin is something we all know, but usually in canned form — or carved into jack-o’-lanterns. I didn’t want this one to go bad, yet as one person, I had no idea how I’d use the whole thing. So, I decided to make my own pumpkin purée, an ingredient at the heart of so many fall recipes. It turned out to be the best pumpkin baking I’ve ever done — unsurprisingly, the homemade version was packed with far more flavor than anything from a can.
My favorite thing I made with the purée was a pumpkin coffee cake, shown below. But this purée can also be used in pumpkin pie, coffee drinks, or any other cozy fall creation.
Recipe
Ingredients:
Crumb topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
Cake batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup milk
Directions:
Make the pumpkin purée:
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 40–60 minutes, until the flesh is soft. Let cool, then scoop out the flesh and blend until smooth. Set aside 1 cup for this recipe and refrigerate any extra.
Prepare the crumb topping:
In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, and milk. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing just until blended (the batter will be thick).
Assemble and bake:
Spread the batter evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top and gently press it into the batter. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Enjoy warm with a cup of coffee or tea!
