Experience the true essence of autumn with every bite of this incredibly moist and tender Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake. It’s more than just a dessert; it’s a comforting celebration of fall, perfect for savoring alongside your morning coffee or as a delightful treat after any meal. This easy-to-make cake, crowned with a irresistible cinnamon streusel, promises to become a cherished seasonal staple in your home.
The air is crisp, leaves are turning vibrant shades of red and gold, and the unmistakable aroma of pumpkin spice fills our senses. Yes, folks, pumpkin season is officially here, and for many of us, it’s the most anticipated time of the year for baking and indulging in comforting flavors. While some might argue that pumpkin should be a year-round delight, there’s something truly special about enjoying its rich, earthy sweetness during these precious few months.
For those of us who just can’t get enough, having a can or two of pure pumpkin puree always on hand is a secret weapon, ready to be transformed into something magical whenever the craving strikes. And what better way to celebrate this beloved squash than with a simple, yet utterly decadent, snack cake?
Why This Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake Will Become Your Fall Favorite
This isn’t just any pumpkin cake; it’s a masterclass in autumnal bliss. Our Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake stands out for several compelling reasons, making it an absolute must-try this season:
- Unrivaled Moisture and Tenderness: We’ve crafted a cake that’s exceptionally moist, thanks to a thoughtful combination of pure pumpkin puree and a touch of vegetable oil. The use of cake flour further contributes to an incredibly fine crumb and a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture that will leave you wanting more.
- Double the Pumpkin Power: This recipe truly embraces pumpkin by incorporating it not only for its distinct flavor but also for its natural moisture, ensuring every slice is rich and satisfying. Paired with a generous dose of warm pumpkin pie spice, the cake delivers a harmonious blend of sweet and spicy notes that truly embody the spirit of fall.
- The Irresistible Crumb Topping: What’s a snack cake without a perfect crumb topping? Ours is a buttery, cinnamon-infused streusel that adds a delightful textural contrast to the tender cake. It’s crunchy, sweet, and utterly addictive – the perfect crown for this autumnal masterpiece.
- Effortless Elegance: This “snack cake” lives up to its name. It’s wonderfully straightforward to prepare, making it ideal for both seasoned bakers and beginners. No elaborate decorations or complicated techniques are required, just pure, wholesome deliciousness ready to be enjoyed.
- Versatile Indulgence: Whether you’re seeking a hearty breakfast treat to kickstart your day, a delightful snack to pair with your afternoon tea, or a comforting dessert to share with loved ones, this pumpkin crumb cake fits every occasion. It’s comforting enough for a quiet morning and impressive enough for a casual gathering.
Key Ingredients You’ll Need and Why They Matter
Every ingredient in this Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake plays a crucial role in achieving its perfect flavor and texture. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of our crumb topping, providing structure.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds deep caramel notes and moisture to both the crumb and the cake.
- Granulated Sugar: Contributes sweetness and helps create that desirable crispness in the crumb topping.
- Ground Cinnamon: A classic fall spice, essential for that warm, inviting aroma in the crumb and cake.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors, balancing the sweetness in both components.
- Unsalted Butter: The foundation of our rich crumb topping. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the recipe.
- Cake Flour: This is our secret weapon for an incredibly fine, tender, and light cake crumb. It has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, leading to a softer texture. While all-purpose flour can be used as a substitute, cake flour truly elevates the texture of this snack cake.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: A fragrant blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice, it perfectly complements the pumpkin flavor and amplifies the autumnal feel of the cake.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work together to give the cake its lift and airy texture. Baking soda reacts with the acidic pumpkin puree to create gas, while baking powder provides additional leavening.
- Pure Pumpkin: Crucially, this recipe calls for pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pure pumpkin provides the authentic flavor and moisture without added sugars or spices, giving you full control over the cake’s profile. Libby’s is a widely available and reliable brand.
- Vegetable Oil: Contributes significantly to the cake’s moistness and tender crumb, keeping it soft for days.
- Large Eggs: Act as binders, adding structure, moisture, and richness to the cake batter.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla enhances and rounds out all the other flavors, adding depth to the overall profile.
The decision to use cake flour instead of solely all-purpose flour was a conscious one, aimed at achieving an unparalleled fine crumb and a wonderfully tender texture in the pumpkin cake. It truly makes a noticeable difference, creating a cake that feels lighter and more delicate.
And let’s be honest, who can resist a good crumb topping? It’s a non-negotiable for me! This simple yet magical combination of flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and butter transforms any ordinary cake into something extraordinary, adding that perfect crunchy contrast and an extra layer of cinnamony goodness.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Baking Perfection
Follow these detailed steps to create your own delicious Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake:
Crumb Topping Preparation
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt until they are thoroughly combined. Ensure there are no clumps of brown sugar.
- Incorporate Butter: Pour the cooled, melted unsalted butter into the dry mixture. Using a fork, gently mix the ingredients until large, distinct crumbs begin to form. Avoid overmixing; the goal is to have varying sizes of crumbs. Set this bowl aside while you prepare the cake batter.
Pumpkin Cake Preparation
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray, or grease it with butter and dust with flour, ensuring full coverage to prevent sticking.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cake flour, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly for about 30 seconds to ensure they are evenly distributed and aerated. This step is crucial for an evenly baked cake.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, pure pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil. Whisk them until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the large eggs to the wet mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. Once the eggs are mixed in, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture. Mix on low speed or by hand with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter; overmixing can lead to a tough cake. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour the prepared pumpkin cake batter evenly into your greased 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Add Crumb Topping: Generously sprinkle the reserved crumb topping mixture evenly over the surface of the cake batter. Gently pat down the crumbs if desired, but don’t press too firmly.
- Bake: Bake the cake for approximately 40 minutes. The cake is done when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serving it warm enhances its comforting qualities and allows the crumb topping to remain delightfully crisp.
This delightful Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake is truly versatile. Enjoy it for breakfast with your favorite coffee or tea, savor it as an afternoon pick-me-up, or serve it as a comforting dessert. It’s delicious on its own, but also pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. We hope this recipe becomes a beloved staple in your home throughout the fall season, just as it has in ours.
Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you give this recipe a try! Your feedback is invaluable. If you have any questions about the recipe, feel free to drop a comment below, and we’ll be happy to assist.
Expert Tips for Success: A Few Cook’s Notes
To ensure your Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake turns out perfect every time, keep these helpful tips in mind:
- Flour Choice Matters: As mentioned, cake flour is recommended for a finer crumb and a more tender texture. However, if you only have all-purpose flour on hand, you can certainly use it. The cake will still be delicious, though slightly denser. If substituting, ensure your all-purpose flour is properly measured.
- Pure Pumpkin Only: It’s crucial to use pure pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains added spices, sweeteners, and sometimes dairy, which will alter the flavor and consistency of your cake. Look for cans labeled “100% Pure Pumpkin” or “Pumpkin Puree” – brands like Libby’s are excellent choices.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough, dry cake. Mix the wet and dry ingredients only until they are just combined, and no streaks of flour remain. A few small lumps are better than an overmixed batter.
- Achieving the Perfect Crumb Topping: For the best crumb texture, ensure your melted butter for the topping has cooled slightly. Using a fork to mix the butter into the dry ingredients helps create those desirable chunky crumbs. Avoid pressing too hard or mixing too vigorously, as this can turn your crumbs into a paste.
- Storage: Store any leftover Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze individual slices, tightly wrapped, for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave.
- Serving Suggestions: While fantastic on its own, elevate your snack cake experience by serving it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, a dollop of fresh whipped cream, or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce. It also pairs wonderfully with a spiced apple compote for an extra layer of fall flavor.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes to Enjoy
If you’re still craving more pumpkin goodness, be sure to explore these other fantastic recipes from our kitchen:
- Delicious Pumpkin Madeleines: Delicate and elegant, these shell-shaped cakes are infused with pumpkin and spice.
- Moist Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins: A classic combination of pumpkin and chocolate chips in a convenient muffin form, perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Popsicles: A unique and refreshing take on pumpkin dessert, ideal for those warmer fall days.
Pumpkin Crumb Snack Cake
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Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Pumpkin Cake
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pure pumpkin
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
Crumb Topping
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Add the cooled, melted butter with a fork until big crumbs form. Set aside.
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Spray a 9×9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together your cake flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin and vegetable oil and mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Add vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish. Top evenly with the crumb topping. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Serve warm.
Notes
You will need to use pure pumpkin for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling. I use Libby’s.
Nutrition
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