I was born in November, so pumpkin has always felt like comfort to me — not a trend, not a season, but a familiar warmth that settles the body. There’s something grounding about it. When you pair that gentle pumpkin with a warm maple drizzle, it becomes more than a bake. It’s a pause. A quiet moment. A soft kind of nourishment that feels like love moving through you from the inside out.

This pumpkin streusel coffee cake is baked in a simple 9×9 pan and meant to be shared. It’s not overly sweet, not heavy, just tender and comforting — the kind of snack you enjoy slowly with a warm cup in your hands and nowhere you need to be.

My maple butter is my favorite way to finish this cake – soft, warm, and comforting without making the cake itself too sweet. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

A tender pumpkin coffee cake with a simple cane-sugar crumb and warm maple served at the end.

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil, cooled
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk (or dairy-free milk)
2 cups flour (tigernut, almond, or all-purpose)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional, light)
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional, very light)

Simple Streusel Topping (Cane Sugar Only)

3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
4 tbsp cold butter or ghee, cubed
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment and lightly grease.
In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, cane sugar, melted butter/oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Fold dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the surface.
Bake 35–45 minutes, until center is set.
Cool at least 15–20 minutes.
Finish with a maple syrup drizzle or serve with maple butter per slice.

Simple Streusel Topping

Cut butter into dry ingredients using fingers or a fork until crumbly. Texture should be dry, dense, and pebbly, not wet.
Sprinkle over top of cake.

Maple Finish (Choose one)

Drizzle warm maple syrup over the cake (after baking or per slice) OR use my favorite maple butter (recipe linked up top) as a spread, or let it melt into a cozy, comforting finish over the cake.

Notes

• This cake is intentionally not overly sweet — the maple finish completes it.
• Cane sugar streusel stays crisp and defined.
• Maple butter is especially lovely for serving guests or slow afternoons.