Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake
This sourdough pumpkin coffee cake recipe is easy to make with sourdough discard and pure pumpkin purée. A layer of pumpkin pie spice sugar is nestled between two layers of moist pumpkin cake and topped with a golden, nutty crumble for the perfect crunchy bite!
Its the perfect way to start your fall mornings with a cup of coffee, or serve as a delicious holiday dessert!
Carmyn's notes
Pumpkin season isn’t over just yet, and this sourdough pumpkin coffee cake is the perfect way to enjoy every last bit of it! It’s a cozy fall twist on our classic sourdough coffee cake, filled with warm spices and rich pumpkin flavor.
A crunchy streusel topping adds just the right texture, and a sweet ribbon of pumpkin spice sugar runs between two soft layers of pumpkin cake. The pumpkin puree gives it a tender crumb, making each bite feel extra comforting.
This sourdough pumpkin coffee cake is easy to make and fits any moment of the day. Enjoy it with cup of coffee for breakfast, save it for an afternoon treat, or serve it as a simple, yet delicious holiday dessert. It’s one of those recipes you’ll want to bake again and again.
Enjoy! xx
Ingredients & Equipment needed
- Dry Ingredients: You’ll need all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: You’ll need vegetable oil (or melted butter), granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, sourdough starter discard, pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling), and whole milk.
- Crumble Topping: You’ll need butter, light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, and chopped pecans. If you don't have any pecans on hand, walnuts can be used in place of them.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Sugar Filling: A simple mix of light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and pumpkin pie spice.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
You can use your favorite store-bought pumpkin pie spice, but we highly recommend making your own. Our pumpkin pie spice recipe has the perfect balance of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and grease a 9x9 baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
Step 1
To make the crumb topping, melt the butter in a bowl, then stir in the light brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth.
Add the flour and pecans, stirring until the mixture forms large, clumpy crumbs. Set it aside to cool.
Step 2
To make the pumpkin pie spice filling, stir together the pumpkin pie spice, flour, and light brown sugar in a small bowl, then set aside.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and milk, whisking until thoroughly combined.
Step 5
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until fully incorporated, making sure not to over-mix the batter.
Step 6
Pour half of the cake batter into the greased baking dish.
Step 7
Sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice sugar mixture evenly over the top.
Step 8
Gently pour the remaining batter over the sugar layer, then spread it out evenly with an offset spatula.
Step 9
Crumble the topping with your fingers and sprinkle it evenly over the top.
Step 10
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let it cool completely before slicing, and enjoy!
How to Store
Once the sourdough pumpkin coffee cake has cooled completely, wrap the slices tightly in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container.
Room Temperature: Keep the cake at room temperature for up to 2 days. It will stay soft and flavorful, making it perfect for a quick slice with your morning coffee.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate the cake for up to 5 days. The texture will remain tender, but allowing it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving helps it regain its soft, cake-like texture.
Freezer: You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Slice it before freezing for easy portioning, then wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap, then in foil or a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Sweet Sourdough Recipes
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Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake
INGREDIENTS
Crumble Topping
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (100 g) chopped pecans (optional)
Pumpkin Pie Spice Sugar Filling
- ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) pumpkin pie spice
Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake Batter
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil (or butter, melted)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 g) sourdough discard
- ⅔ cup (180 g) pure pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup (80 g) whole milk
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (6 g) pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Crumble Topping
- Melt the butter in a bowl, then stir in the light brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Add the flour and pecans, stirring until the mixture forms large, clumpy crumbs. Set it aside to cool.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Sugar Filling
- In a small bowl, stir together the pumpkin pie spice, flour, and light brown sugar, then set aside.
Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Grease a 9x9 baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, sourdough discard, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and milk and whisk together until fully combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until fully incorporated, making sure not to over-mix the batter.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice sugar mixture evenly over the top. Gently pour the remaining batter over the sugar layer, then spread it out evenly with an offset spatula. Crumble the topping with your fingers and sprinkle it evenly over top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
To absolutely die for!
Delicious and no complaints about having to stretch the crumble topping! There was plenty!
Another winner! Tastes delicious! I did reduce the sugar. Thank you for sharing!
Amazing flavor and texture!! The pecans add the perfect extra crunch to the top. The batter is rather thick, so take your time spreading it in the pan. I’d suggest using a small offset spatula. Also, for the second layer of batter, drop it in dollops to help with spreading around. Make this!!!!!
Thank you, Christi!
delicious ty
Hey there! I haven’t made this yet but am planning to this weekend! I was wondering if you could do an overnight ferment with it? If so, would you leave anything out of the batter until the next morning? Thanks!:)
Hi Katie! We typically recommend leaving the leavening agents out and adding them back in right before you bake. Sometimes the fermentation process can weaken the leavening agent