Brimming with fall spices, this super moist, easy-to-make Pumpkin-Spice Coffee Cake is finished with a spectacular meringue that’s light as air—a delicious twist on pumpkin spice for your fall picnic desserts.
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The secret to this easy, moist, and melt-in-your-mouth Pumpkin Coffee Cake is using freshly grated pumpkin instead of pumpkin purée.
The same as we use freshly grated carrots for carrot cake, this simple swap boosts the cake’s flavor and texture, making it a far superior pumpkin cake recipe. This is a simple yet impressive fall picnic idea.
Ingredient Notes
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and notes.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Meringue Topping: If you find meringue a bit daunting or don’t like it, this cake is as well suited to a standard cream cheese frosting or even a glaze. My Carrot Cupcakes have a delicious cream cheese frosting, as does my Gingerbread Loaf With Cream Cheese Frosting. If you prefer a glaze, look to my Gingerbread Cake with Orange Glaze or my glazed jumbo pumpkin muffins recipes.
Spice Variations: Adjust the amount of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to taste. You can also add allspice or cardamom for a different flavor profile. You could also use a pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice for convenience.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a spring form cake pan with baking paper or spray with canola oil.
Step 2: Whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and white sugar.
Step 3: Add Greek yogurt and whisk for a minute until well combined.
Step 4: Sift the flour with baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until all ingredients combine.
Step 5: Add the grated pumpkin and remaining spices. Stir well so the grated pumpkin is well combined in the batter.
Step 6: Add walnuts to the batter and mix them through evenly.
Step 7: Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake for 35 -40 minutes, until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the oven on for the meringue topping.
Step 8: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the egg whites and powdered sugar.
Step 9: Whisk on high with a beater until you have thick, stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the meringue mix falling out.
Step 10: Top the cake with the meringue mix once the pumpkin coffee cake is cooked and cooled.
Step 11: Return to the oven for 5 – 7 minutes or until the meringue peaks are lightly browned and crisp.
Lightly dust the top with any remaining pumpkin spice.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the cake without the meringue topping can be frozen. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and top as you please, with meringue or frosting.
Expert Tips
- Grated Pumpkin: Ensure your pumpkin is finely grated, so the cake cooks evenly, and you have an even texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure ingredients like eggs and Greek yogurt are at room temperature before mixing. This helps to create a smoother batter and ensures even baking.
- Avoid Overmixing: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until they are incorporated. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a denser, tougher cake.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool before topping it with meringue. The meringue might melt or slide off if the cake is too warm.
- Broil for Browning: Sometimes, meringue sets but does not brown. If your oven has a broil setting, you can use it briefly to brown the meringue topping. Watch it closely to avoid burning.
- Spring-Form Pan: Make sure you use a spring-form pan. Otherwise, removing the cake without crushing the meringue might be difficult.
- Storing: Any leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. If it has meringue, it’s best enjoyed the day it’s made, as the meringue can become weepy if stored for too long.
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Did you try this Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake?
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Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Cake
- 2 cups grated pumpkin
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- ½ cup sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup walnuts - finely chopped
Meringue Topping
- 4 egg whites
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a spring-form cake pan with baking paper or spray with canola oil.
- Whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and white sugar.
- Add Greek yogurt and whisk for a minute until well combined.
- Sift the flour with baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Add the grated pumpkin and remaining spices. Stir well so the grated pumpkin is well combined in the batter.
- Add walnuts to the batter and mix them through evenly.
- Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake for 35 -40 minutes, until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the oven on for the meringue topping.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the egg whites and powdered sugar.
- Whisk on high with a beater until you have thick, stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the meringue mix falling out.
- Top the cake with the meringue mix once the pumpkin coffee cake is cooked and cooled.
- Return to the oven for 5 – 7 minutes or until the meringue peaks are lightly browned and crisp.
- Lightly dust the top with any remaining pumpkin spice.
Notes
- Meringue Topping: If you don’t like meringue, this cake is as well suited to a standard cream cheese frosting or even a glaze. My Carrot Cupcakes have a delicious cream cheese frosting, as does my Gingerbread Loaf With Cream Cheese Frosting. If you prefer a glaze, look to my Gingerbread Cake with Orange Glaze or my glazed jumbo pumpkin muffins recipes.
- Spice Variations: Adjust the amount of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to taste. For convenience, you could also use pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice.
- Grated Pumpkin: Ensure your pumpkin is finely grated, so the cake cooks evenly, and you have an even texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure ingredients like eggs and Greek yogurt are at room temperature before mixing. This helps to create a smoother batter and ensures even baking.
- Avoid Overmixing: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until they are incorporated. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a denser, tougher cake.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool before topping it with meringue. The meringue might melt or slide off if the cake is too warm.
- Broil for Browning: Sometimes, meringue sets but does not brown. If your oven has a broil setting, you can use it briefly to brown the meringue topping. Watch it closely to avoid burning.
- Storing: Any leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. If it has meringue, it’s best to enjoy the day it’s made, as the meringue can become weepy if stored too long.
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