Equipment
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 5 g pumpkin spice
- 2 g kosher salt
- 85 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Dry Ingredients
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g pumpkin spice
- 5 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 3 g kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 225 g pumpkin purée, unsweetened, completely smooth
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 120 ml neutral oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Glaze
- 60 g confectioners' sugar
- 15 ml whole milk
- 2 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 500 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 70 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 40 g
- Sodium
- 393 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 62 mg
- Potassium
- 151 mg
- Calcium
- 85 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 20 mg
- Phosphorus
- 87 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 278 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 39 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, and salt for the streusel. Pour in the melted butter and use a fork to toss the mixture until it forms coarse, cohesive crumbs. Place in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the cake batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until evenly distributed.
In a separate medium bowl, vigorously whisk the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, neutral oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and emulsified.
Pour the wet pumpkin mixture into the dry flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the ingredients together just until no dry streaks of flour remain.
Transfer the cake batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it into an even layer. Retrieve the streusel from the refrigerator and scatter it evenly over the entire surface of the batter.
Bake the cake for 35 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, and the internal temperature registers 93°C (200°F).
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
If using the optional glaze, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until completely smooth.
Drizzle the glaze generously over the completely cooled cake before slicing and serving.
Chef's Notes
- If choosing to use homemade pumpkin puree rather than canned, place the puree in a sieve lined with cheesecloth or coffee filters and let it drain for 30 minutes. Homemade puree carries significantly more water weight and can make the cake gummy.
- Chilling the streusel is a vital professional technique. Allowing the butter to resolidify ensures the topping maintains distinct, crispy crumbles rather than melting into a flat sugar crust during the bake.
- For the most accurate baking results, rely on a digital thermometer to check the cake's internal temperature. At 93°C (200°F), the crumb is perfectly set but still exceptionally moist.
- Using oil instead of butter in the cake batter ensures the crumb stays incredibly moist and tender for several days at room temperature, as oil remains liquid even when the cake cools.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 2 months — Wrap unglazed cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw at room temperature.
Reheating: Microwave individual slices for 10 seconds to restore softness.
Troubleshooting
Cake sunk in the middle
Cause: Underbaked or opening the oven door too early in the baking process
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Cut away the sunken portion and serve the edges, or use for cake truffles.
Prevention: Do not open the oven door for the first 30 minutes of baking. Verify internal temperature reaches 93°C before removing.
Streusel melted into a flat layer
Cause: Butter was too hot when mixed, or streusel was not chilled before baking
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the flavor will still be excellent.
Prevention: Chill the streusel in the refrigerator while mixing the cake batter.
Cake is dense and gummy
Cause: Overmixing the batter or using homemade pumpkin puree with too much water content
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Fold wet and dry ingredients gently just until combined. If using homemade puree, blot excess moisture with paper towels.
Cultural Context
Pumpkin cake traces its roots back to early North American colonial cooking, where indigenous squash varieties were quickly adapted into European baking traditions due to their natural sweetness and abundance. The streusel topping, derived from the German word streuen meaning to scatter, reflects the profound influence of German and Central European immigrants on American pastry styles, particularly heavily spiced regional bakes in the Midwest and Pennsylvania.
