Vegan Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel

Topped with a buttery pecan streusel and a maple vanilla glaze, this vegan pumpkin coffee cake is the ultimate fall dessert! It's moist, easy to make, and pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or tea for breakfast or with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream for dessert!

The moment September hits, my mind immediately shifts to comfort food. I mean come on, is there really anything better than a hearty bowl of chili or fall spiced desserts? This recipe is the best thing ever especially in September/October, Fall and for Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving!

There are 3 main components to this recipe: fluffy pumpkin cake, the cinnamon sugar layer and the pecan streusel/crumb topping (which can be made nut-free if you're allergic). There's an optional, but not so optional, maple vanilla glaze as well!

This pumpkin coffee cake is made without eggs or sour cream, is vegan, dairy-free, and can easily be made nut & gluten-free. Have no fear, nobody will be able to tell since it tastes exactly like a classic coffee cake!

Why you'll love this recipe

• You can eat it for breakfast, dessert OR BOTH! Frankly, I feel like I shouldn't even have to list anything else.
• It's quick & easy to make! It only takes 10 minutes to prep and is ready to devour in under an hour.
• It's the perfect fall baked good. It's comforting, loaded with warm spicer, has a layer of cinnamon sugar and a crunchy, buttery pecan streusel.

Ingredients

Flour: I used all purpose flour for this recipe but 1-to-1 gluten free flour would work perfectly!

Leavening Agents: in order to get that classic cake-like texture, we'll be using both baking powder and baking soda.

Pumpkin Pie Spice: to give this coffee cake all the fall vibes!! A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, and all spice is used to create homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don't have all of those spices or don't want to buy them (spices are expensive, I get it!), feel free to simply use store bought pumpkin pie spice.

Sugars: in order to sweeten up the cake and achieve a light caramel flavor, this recipe calls for both light brown sugar and granulated cane sugar.

Pumpkin Puree: it wouldn't be pumpkin coffee cake without it! Make sure you're NOT using pumpkin pie filling, as it will give you a totally different result.

Coconut Oil: this keeps the cake nice and moist, without making it too dense.

Vegan Buttermilk: because this coffee cake is made without sour cream, we'll be using vegan buttermilk in it's place to achieve that classic tangy flavor. Aside from flavor, the buttermilk will enhance the texture and help make the cake rise. You can use any dairy-free milk you like. I typically use soy milk or oat milk, but almond milk works great too. Just make sure anything you choose is unflavored & unsweetened.

Egg Replacer: for binding and moisture. You can use flax egg or any egg replacement powder you like.

Pecan Streusel: the streusel might just be my favorite part of any crumb or coffee cake. This streusel is the perfect topping made up of brown sugar, flour, melted butter, pumpkin spice and chopped pecans.

Maple Vanilla Glaze: a simple glaze made up of pure maple syrup, confectioner's sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract.

Instructions

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and lining an 8x8" pan with parchment paper or greasing it well with butter, oil, or cooking spray. Prepare your flax eggs by combining flaxseed meal + water, and the vegan buttermilk by combining non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let both rest for at least 5 minutes.

Make the pecan streusel topping & cinnamon layer

While the replacement eggs and buttermilk are resting, prepare the streusel topping. Mix together the flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, and melted vegan butter until chunky & crumbly. You can use your hands, a fork or a pastry cutter to do this.

For the cinnamon layer, simply whisk together cinnamon and dark brown or coconut sugar in a medium bowl.

Make the cake batter

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg replacers, pumpkin purée, melted coconut, and vegan buttermilk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. You can use a hand mixer, a stand mixer, or your basic whisk!

Pour half of the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared baking dish, top with half of the streusel, pour the remaining batter over top, then sprinkle with the remaining streusel.

OPTIONAL: While the coffee cake is cooling, make the maple vanilla glaze by whisking together confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, and vanilla.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you notice the streusel getting very dark, feel free to tent the coffee cake with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Slice the coffee cake into 9 pieces, drizzle the maple glaze over top, and serve immediately.

Variations & Substitutions

I love this recipe so much as is, but there are definitely a few tweaks that can be successfully made if need/desired:

Make this gluten-free pumpkin coffee cake by using 1-to-1 gluten-free flour. I recommend King Arthur's or Bob's Red Mill for best results. I would not recommend using oat flour or almond flour, as the ratio would be different.

Turn these into pumpkin coffee cake muffins by dividing the batter across a lined muffin tin, filling each about ⅔ full, then topping with streusel. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes.

Instead of vegan buttermilk, use vegan sour cream or plain dairy free yogurt. Either of these options will add the same moisture and slight tang that is essential in coffee cakes as the vegan buttermilk.

Make this recipe entirely nut-free by simply leaving the pecans out of the streusel or replacing them with pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Use melted vegan butter, canola oil, or vegetable oil instead of melted coconut oil.

Replace all of the spices with store-bought pumpkin pie spice. It definitely makes it less messy and easier on your wallet.

Expert Tips

• I strongly recommend weighing your ingredients for the most success. If you don't have a kitchen scale, always spoon and level your dry ingredients (especially flour), rather than scoop!
• For the most uniform bake, using a metal baking dish. If you're using a glass or ceramic baking dish, add at least an additional 5 minutes to the baking time.
• Do not over mix! I say it in practically every dessert recipe, but it is so important. Over mixing will lead to a tough and dense cake. Stop mixing the second there are no more streaks of flour.
• Keep an eye on the crumb topping! Because the streusel is high in nuts and sugar it may brown quickly, before the inside of the cake fully cooks. If you notice this, simply cover with aluminum foil. This will stop the crumble from browning while trapping the heat to ensure the inside of the cake cooks.
• Get the batter in the oven as soon as possible! We make the streusel first then the coffee cake batter for a reason. Once the wet ingredients interact with the baking soda and baking powder, the chemical reaction starts and the coffee cake should be baked ASAP for optimal texture and rise.
• Make sure all ingredients are room temperature. If the wet ingredients (the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and egg replacer) are too cold, it will cause the melted coconut oil to harden. If that happens, don't worry! You can put your wet ingredients in the microwave and heat for 10 second increments until the coconut oil has melted again.
• If you can help it, do not open the oven door while the pumpkin cake is baking. This can cause the structure to fall, leaving you with a sunken middle.
• Measure the coconut oil after melting and the pecans after chopping to ensure your have the most accurate measurement. The coconut oil is more than the pecans, as you need the moisture for your cake!

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: Store the vegan coffee cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can eat them chilled or pop them in the oven to warm them up.

Freezer: This pumpkin coffee cake is freezer-friendly! Allow the cake to cool completely first then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

Room temperature: I don't typically recommending storing baked goods at room temperature, but you can successfully store this cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

FAQ

Other recipes you'll love

• Chai Spiced Brown Sugar Cookies
• Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• One Pot Three Bean Chili

Be sure to leave a comment and rating down below if you try this recipe! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram for more recipes and updates.

📖 Recipe

5 from 15 votes

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Vegan Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Lauren Casolaro

Topped with a buttery, pecan streusel and a simple maple vanilla glaze, this vegan pumpkin coffee cake is bound to be a fall favorite! It's moist, easy to make, and perfect when paired with a cup of coffee for breakfast, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert!  

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Category: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9 Squares

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• 8x8 Baking Pan
• Sifter

Ingredients

 

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Pecan Streusel:

• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar packed
• ▢ ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup (55 g) pecans, chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (40 g) 40g vegan butter melted

Cinnamon Sugar:

• ▢ 3 tablespoons (60 g) dark brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (8 g) cinnamon

Pumpkin Cake:

• ▢ 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon all spice
• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar packed
• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup (230 g) pumpkin puree
• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) coconut oil melted
• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) vegan buttermilk (½ cup (95g) non-dairy milk & 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar)
• ▢ 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flax seed meal & 6 tablespoons water)

Maple Glaze:

• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
• ▢ 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
• ▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and lining an 8x8" baking pan with parchment paper or greasing it well with butter, oil, or cooking spray.
• Prepare your flax eggs and vegan buttermilk and let both rest for at least 5 minutes.
  ½ cup vegan buttermilk, 2 flax eggs
• While the replacement eggs and buttermilk are resting, first prepare the streusel by mixing together the flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, pumpkin spice and melted vegan butter using your hands, a fork or pastry cutter. Set aside. 
  ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup pecans, chopped, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, 3 tablespoons 40g vegan butter
• For the cinnamon sugar layer, whisk together the cinnamon and dark brown sugar. Set aside. 
  3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
  2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon all spice
• In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, flax eggs, pumpkin purée, melted coconut oil, and vegan buttermilk.
  ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup coconut oil, 2 flax eggs, ½ cup vegan buttermilk
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold to mix until just combined/you don't see any streaks of flour.
• Pour half of the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared baking dish and top with the cinnamon sugar. Gently pour and spread the remaining batter over top. Spread the pecan streusel over top to finish it off.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you notice the streusel getting very dark, feel free to tent the coffee cake with aluminum foil.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• OPTIONAL: While the coffee cake is cooling, make the maple vanilla glaze by whisking together confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, and vanilla.
  1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Drizzle the maple vanilla glaze over the cake then slice into 9 pieces and serve immediately. Enjoy alone, with coffee or tea, or ice cream! 

Notes

If you'd like to double the recipe, use a 9x13" pan and increase the bake time by at least 5-10 minutes.

Turn this pumpkin coffee cake into muffins by dividing the batter across a muffin tin and baking for 18-22 minutes.

Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full disclosure here.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Square | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.4g | Protein: 4.8g | Fat: 14.4g | Saturated Fat: 10.8g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 219mg | Fiber: 3.1g | Sugar: 10.7g

Keywords: pumpkin coffee cake,pumpkin crumb cake,vegan coffee cake,vegan pumpkin coffee cake

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