This pumpkin coffee cake is the best ever! Deliciously spice and delightfully satisfying, this delectable fall treat is the perfect option for whenever you're craving something sweet. The whole family will love this autumnal morning pastry.
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This post was originally published on 10/03/2016.
Want a recipe for the BEST vegan pumpkin coffee cake? Look no further because this sweet cake is super easy to make and perfect for any occasion including breakfast, brunch, and even dessert. Buttery, seasonally spiced, and with a delicious pecan topping, this vegan coffee cake recipe is the only one you need!
This is the BEST pumpkin coffee cake I've ever had! A moist pumpkin-spiced cake topped with buttery pecan streusel, this cake will have everyone begging for more.
So easy to make, you will have this sweet cake recipe in less than an hour! This recipe is perfect for whenever you are looking for something simple, satisfying, and comforting. When I'm craving sweet cake for breakfast, this is my go-to recipe.
Recommended Ingreidents & Equipment
This simple morning pastry doesn't take much! All you need are just some basic ingredients from the kitchen. Anything you don't have you can easily find at your local grocery store!
Here is what you need.
Ingredient Notes
- White and Brown Sugar – Check out my guide to vegan sugars and alternative sugar replacements.
- Applesauce – This is the binder of the recipe. You could replace it with ½ mashed banana, ½ cup non-dairy yogurt, ½ additional cup of pumpkin puree, or a variety of other egg replacers.
- Pumpkin Puree - Make sure to use canned pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- Vegan Butter - Look for a high-quality non-hydrogenated vegan butter. I recommend either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
- Pecans - These can be omitted for a nut-free coffee cake.
Recommended Equipment
For this vegan coffee cake, you will need mixing bowls, basic kitchen utensils, and an 8x8 baking pan. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One - Make the Streusel Topping
To make the streusel, combine the flour, sugars, pecans, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in pieces of the vegan butter and break it apart with your fingers until the streusel is clumped into small pea-size pieces.
Do not overmix or you will lose the crumb texture.
Step Two - Make the Coffee Cake
Cream together vegan butter and sugar. You can do this by hand or in a stand-up mixer. Once you have a smooth, creamy consistency, add pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The batter will curdle at this point; don't worry, it will come back together.
In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder and soda, and spice. With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture in 3 batches, stopping to scrape down the sides of the mixture in between. Blend until just combined.
Step Three - Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared 8x8 baking pan, top with streusel, pressing down lightly, and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay).
Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Serving and Storing
Serving - Serve this yummy vegan coffee cake warm or at room temperature. I like to serve this coffee cake for breakfast, after weeknight dinners, and even a snack.
Storing – Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the refrigerator for five to seven days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t over-mix the batter. By alternating the dries and wets into the batter, we are ensuring the batter does not get over-mixed and gummy.
- Applesauce varies a lot. If your applesauce seems thin, first strain it through a fine-mesh strainer to get the excess liquid out.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. This causes the structure to fall leaving you with a dent in the middle of your cake. You can check for doneness after 30 minutes.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the cake starts to get dark around the edges, you can cover it with tin foil to bake for the last 10 minutes.
- Bake this coffee cake into muffins by dividing the batter among a lined cupcake pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! Coffee cake is intended to be enjoyed WITH coffee as it goes hand and hand with it!
There are a couple of reasons why your cake might be flat. Make sure your baking powder is not expired and that it is evenly mixed into the dry ingredients. Also, take care not to overmix your batter. Overmixing will cause the batter to become dense and not rise as much in the oven.
If you don't let your cake cool properly, it may fall apart. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan before slicing and serving.
Yes. I have had a lot of luck with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. (<<affiliate link). That is the only gluten-free flour I’ve tried for this cake but I’m sure other 1:1 ratio flours would work as well.
For sure! This recipe makes about 12 muffins. Fill the muffin tin about ¾ of the way full and top with streusel. Bake for 20 minutes before checking for doneness.
More Vegan Brunch Recipes
Check out all my Vegan Breakfast Recipes for more sweet morning pastries!
Vegan Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Pecan Streusel
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup apple sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Oil and flour an 8x8 baking pan and set aside.
- To make the streusel combine the flour, sugars, pecans, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in pieces of the vegan butter and break it apart with your fingers until the streusel is clumped into small pea-size pieces. Set aside.
- In a stand-up mixer, cream together vegan butter and sugar. With the mixer on, add pumpkin, apple sauce, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The batter will curdle at this point; don't worry, it will come back together.
- In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder and soda, and spice. With the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture in 3 batches, stopping to scrape down the sides of the mixture in between. Blend until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 8x8 baking pan, top with streusel, pressing down lightly, and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Don’t over-mix the batter. By alternating the dries and wets into the batter, we are ensuring the batter does not get over-mixed and gummy.
- Applesauce varies a lot. If your applesauce seems thin, first strain it through a fine-mesh strainer to get the excess liquid out.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. This causes the structure to fall leaving you with a dent in the middle of your cake. You can check for doneness after 30 minutes.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the cake starts to get dark around the edges, you can cover it with tin foil to bake for the last 10 minutes.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Dori says
Hi Paige, If I replaced the vegan butter with the equivalent quantity of canola oil, would that kill the recipe? (asking bc I need to stick to canola and olive oil whenever possible, and have margarine only occasionally.). Love your site and recipes btw! Your zucchini bread has become a family favorite and one of our go to breakfast foods 🙂
Paige says
This coffee cake, with or without the streusel, is utterly decadent. Rich and flavorful, holds moisture, and not too sweet unless you add some sugar on top! It's crowd pleasing (really good to deliver to socially distanced friends). I come back to it time and time again. I use a baking sheet that precuts the cake into 18 even servings and it bakes so nicely. Make this coffee cake!
Jessica says
For the butter portion, does it need to soften (room temp) or can you use it straight out of the fridge?
Sarah says
Soften is best but as long as you beat it long enough, it should be fine either way.
Cheyenne says
Hi! I canNOT wait to try this recipe!!! It looks amazing! 🙂 Quick question—is the nutrition facts for one piece (1/9th), or for the whole pan? Just curious! Thanks in advance! 🙂
Sarah says
That's per serving.
Caela says
For the 8 tablespoons 1 stick of butter... do you mean in addition to each other? Or does one stick = 8 tablespoons of butter?
Sarah says
I mean 8 tbsp (which is 1 stick of butter). I made that clearer in the recipe. Thank for pointing that out.
Anne says
Can you use unsweetened Apple Sauce??
Sarah says
Sure!
Erin says
This looks awesome and I’m trying to make it right now! But for the directions to make the coffee cake, it says to combine butter, Brown, and white sugar, but there is no amount for the white sugar! I hope I guess right...
Sarah says
Sorry! That was a mistake. I fixed it.
Lisa says
But still, how cool that you had a mom that made coffee cake on Sunday mornings! 🙂
This looks amazing. I think I'll make one for tomorrow, even though it isn't Sunday.
Sarah says
Pretty cool, mom!
ellen dorsey says
This looks so good! I am such a sucker for a crumb topping. We always did donuts on Sundays growing up.