Pumpkin Streusel Cake
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Pumpkin Streusel Cake is the ultimate fall dessert. Combine a moist pumpkin cake with a brown sugar streusel layer in between, and then top it with an easy cinnamon icing. This fall delicacy goes perfectly with a hot cup of coffee, and tastes best with a friend or two!
Fall cakes are the best, especially if they involve pumpkin! In addition to this one, try the Best Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting or Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes!
BEST Pumpkin Cake
I’ve made this cake over and over and over again. Everyone loves it, and its also is handy to cut into chunks and freezing for that last-minute coffee date! The icing is yummy but totally not necessary if you want to keep things simple.
I LOVE Fall because…
- It’s my blog’s birthday (and mine)!
- Our Texas steam baths start coming to a close. Yay for long sleeves!
- My childhood memories start rushing – leaves burning, apples cooking, football games on TV, sweatshirt weather…
- Big pots of soup are a happenin’.
- Fall baking season is upon us. Pumpkin pumpkin pumpkin.
- PUMPKIN!
The layers:
- Pumpkin cake. Since the recipe calls for softened butter instead of oil, you will need to use a mixer (either a stand or hand) to complete this recipe. But it’s quick, I promise!
- Streusel Layer. The streusel SURPRISE for this cake is layered after pouring half of the batter in the bundt pan. Try to keep it away from the edges if possible. I use a knife to help it to sink in the batter. Then just add the rest of the batter on top.
- Cinnamon Icing. My simple go-to recipe is melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Just add a teaspoon of cinnamon, and you’ll have the perfect icing for my Pumpkin Streusel Cake.
How to make Pumpkin Streusel Cake:
There are three parts to this cake.
- The Cake – In a large standing mixer, combine the softened butter with the sugars. Add remaining wet ingredients and combine. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate mixing bowl. Then pour the dry into the wet, and mix until just combined. Pour half of the batter into a well-sprayed bundt cake pan.
- The Streusel Layer – Mix the streusel ingredients together with a hand mixer, until course crumbs are formed. Add this to the bundt pan over half of the pumpkin cake batter, making sure it doesn’t touch the sides of the pan. Use a knife to stir it into the batter just slightly. Then add the remaining pumpkin batter on top, covering the streusel layer completely. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes, or until done in the middle when tested with a toothpick. Remove from pan after about 10 minutes, carefully flipping it onto a cooling rack.
- The Icing – Melt the butter in a mixing bowl, and add the remaining ingredients. Make sure the consistency is just right to pour it over the top of the cooled bunt cake, allowing the icing to trickle down the sides.
Storing and Freezing
Storing Pumpkin Streusel Cake: You can store this cake in an airtight container on your countertop for up to four days.
Freezing Pumpkin Streusel Cake: If freezing this cake, freeze it WITHOUT the icing. Then simply remove from freezer, let it come to room temperature, and then add the icing.
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies – These are actually tied with my Iced Pumpkin Cookies. It’s hard to choose just one!
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls – I love experimenting with cinnamon rolls, and this one was super fun for me.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins – A healthy’ish muffin, with some chocolate sprinkled in for good measure.
- Homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes – THESE are a must-try and cheaper than Starbucks!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What kind of canned pumpkin should I buy?
Use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin puree is just simply pumpkin, while the pumpkin pie filling has additional sweetener and spices that make it ready to make a pumpkin pie.
Is pumpkin puree healthy?
Yes, pumpkin puree is packed with nutrients, including potassium, vitamin A and C, iron, and calcium. It also has fiber, and is low in calories.
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)
Make these pumpkin treats next: Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
XOXO ~Sue
Pumpkin Streusel Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup butter – softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs – at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the Streusel:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 Tablespoons butter softened
For the Cinnamon Icing:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter – melted
- 4 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar – or to right consistency
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 cup bundt cake pan with butter or spray.
- In mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally until creamy. Add eggs pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into wet ingredients until just combined. Don't over-mix!
- In a small bowl, combine all streusel ingredients using a hand mixer. Set aside.
- Spread half of cake batter in pan. Sprinkle streusel over batter, making sure streusel doesn't touch side of pan. Top with remaining batter, making sure batter layer touches sides of pan.
- Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan and then remove to cooling rack.
- Use a medium mixing bowl, and combine icing ingredients. If it's too runny, add more powdered sugar. If icing is too stiff, add a bit more cream.
- Spread icing on cooled cake, allowing it to spill down the sides.
Notes
- Store this cake in airtight container on countertop for up to four days.
- You can freeze the cake, unfrosted, up to three months.
- If you don’t have a bundt pan, you could bake in a cake pan, (still add streusel layer) and bake for less time.
Do you use light of dark brown sugar? Excited to try this recipe!
I use light brown sugar.
Sue…This recipe is sooo good and moist! I used fresh pumpkin puree. Along with the sour cream and streusel, this is a bundt cake winner. Everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Judy! This is my FAV pumpkin treat. Thanks for your feedback!
Hi Sue. The cake portion of the recipe calls for butter and the icing calls for unsalted butter. So for the cake portion, is it salted butter or unsalted?
Oh sorry, Viviana. It all includes unsalted butter.
Help what is measurements of 12 cup bundt pan I have bundt pan , measurements from bottom says 24.8 x 8.57 cm.
It’s a Wilton pan. I want to make for Thanksgiving 2020
Thanks
The measurements on my pan are 10.5 x 10.5 x 4.5 inches. If yours is a regular sized bundt pan, that will work.
This cake looks perfect – so tender and rich! Can’t wait to try this for Halloween!
Thanks Natalie! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This is really a wonderful cake. I baked it for my book club and everyone loved it, especially my husband, who was grateful that there were some leftovers. I did not see the logic in keeping the streusel from the sides of the pan until after I failed to keep the streusel from the sides of the pan! This is important. The cake will still taste delicious, but not be as pretty, nor as easy to get out of the pan. SueBee knows what she is talking about – keep it in the middle of the batter. I’ll be making this again soon.
Hi Karen!! I’m so glad you enjoyed my Pumpkin Streusel Cake!! It’s one of my favorites. 🙂
If you can freeze the cake for three months, why did we give it away again? I love chocolate, but this Pumpkin Streusel Cake is amazing. The pumpkin gets my attention, but the Streusel takes it to another level. I am serious when I say that I could eat this entire cake in a day. I guess I just answered my own question…..