This is my favorite time of year — the calm spell right before the holidays, when the air turns crisp and cozy. It’s the season for slowing down, wrapping up in blankets and enjoying slices of loaf and coffee cakes with a warm cup of something. This maple pumpkin coffee cake captures all the best fall flavors: tender pumpkin spice, rich maple sweetness and a toasty crumble. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
This cake is
- moist
- fluffy
- perfectly pumpkin-spiced
- sweet but not overpowering
- full of warm maple flavor
- topped with a toasty, crunchy crumble
- impossible to stop at one slice
- made for enjoying with a warm beverage under a cozy blanket
Ingredients
You don’t need a long grocery list to make this cake — most ingredients are pantry staples.
- all-purpose flour
- pumpkin spice
- baking soda and baking powder
- ground cinnamon
- brown sugar
- maple sugar (optional — see recipe notes)
- maple syrup (use real maple syrup for best flavor)
- pumpkin puree
- canola or mild olive oil (or unsalted/vegan butter if preferred)
- vanilla extract
- maple extract (optional)
- milk or plant milk of choice
- confectioners’ sugar for the glaze
Where’s the butter and eggs?
No worries — this coffee cake is naturally egg- and dairy-free without compromising texture or flavor. A few notes on the swaps that make it work:
- Pumpkin puree: acts as the binder in place of eggs and keeps the crumb tender and moist.
- Canola or olive oil: yields a moist, fluffy cake. Choose a neutral, pleasant-tasting oil so it won’t influence the spice and pumpkin flavors.
- Vegan butter (optional): works well for the crumble if you prefer a butter-based topping. Using oil for the crumble makes the recipe simpler but can cause the crumbs to sink slightly — both methods taste great.
Buttermilk substitute
If a recipe calls for buttermilk and you don’t have any on hand, make a quick substitute by adding an acid to milk or plant milk:
- 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar — stir and let sit 10 minutes to curdle.
- Scaling tips: 1/3 cup milk = 1 teaspoon acid; 1/2 cup milk = 1 1/2 teaspoons acid; 2/3 cup milk = 2 teaspoons acid; 3/4 cup milk = 2 1/2 teaspoons acid.
- Pro tip: mix the milk and acid right after preheating the oven so it has time to curdle while you prepare other ingredients.
I often use lemon juice, so that’s what I usually do when a recipe calls for buttermilk.
No springform pan?
A springform pan makes it easy to show the layers, but you can bake this cake in other pans. Options include:
- 9–10″ cake pan (round or square)
- two 8″ or 9″ cake pans
- 10″ springform pan
- cupcakes (12–24, depending on size)
Adjust baking time for different pans and watch for doneness: a golden-brown top, edges pulling slightly from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center that comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
More pumpkin dessert inspiration
- Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins from Cake Mix
- Pumpkin Gingersnap Icebox Cake
- Spiced Walnut Streusel Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramelized White Chocolate Pumpkin Bars
Maple Pumpkin Coffee Cake Recipe
Megan
pin it
Equipment
- 9″ springform pan
- parchment paper
- mixing bowl
- whisk and spatula
Ingredients
Pumpkin spice crumb topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/4 cup oil or melted butter (use vegan butter to keep dairy-free)
Cinnamon filling
- 3 tbsp (35g) brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cocoa powder (optional for color)
Maple pumpkin coffee cake
- 1/3 cup (79ml) milk or nut milk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (118ml) canola or olive oil
- 1 cup (150g) maple sugar (or substitute 3/4 cup light brown sugar)
- 1/3 cup (79ml) maple syrup
- 1 1/4 cups (312g) pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)
Maple glaze
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
Instructions
Spiced crumble topping
- Combine brown sugar, flour and pumpkin spice in a small bowl. Whisk to blend, then stir in oil or melted butter until the texture resembles wet sand. Chill in the fridge until ready to top the cake.
Maple pumpkin coffee cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9″ springform pan with parchment and lightly grease if necessary.
- Add lemon juice to the milk and let sit 5–10 minutes to curdle (or use buttermilk).
- Make the cinnamon filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon and optional cocoa powder; set aside.
- Whisk together flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil and sugar until smooth. Add maple syrup, pumpkin puree, vanilla and maple extract and whisk until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the curdled milk: dry, milk, dry, milk, dry. Mix until just combined; some streaks are fine.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan, spread the cinnamon filling over it and then add the remaining batter on top. Sprinkle the spiced crumble evenly and press lightly.
- Bake at 350°F for 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Let rest in the pan on a cooling rack for 15–20 minutes, then release the springform sides and cool completely before glazing.
Maple glaze
- Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl, stir in maple syrup and add more or less syrup to reach the desired consistency. Drizzle over a mostly cooled cake.
If you make this cake, please leave a star review below.
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