Pumpkin Coffeecake with Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel

Sometimes you know when it’s going to be a good day. Blue sky. Scarf weather. Spring in your step. Smile on your face. A stranger waves at you cheerfully from the window of his vintage teal Chevy pickup truck as you set out for your morning jog. You wave back. Good days beg for good food and an apartment filled with the warm cuddly scent of cinnamon and brown sugar. This cake can make your good day better. It could probably make a bad day good. It’s warm and soft and filled with spices with just a hint of pumpkin to round it out.

Pumpkin Coffeecake with Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel, from Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients
for the streusel
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
6 tsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
for the cake
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 sour cream
for the glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp whole milk
1 tsp vanilla

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour a 9 in springform pan or a 9 in cake pan with 3 in sides. (I used a 9 in cake pan with sides just under 2 in and the cake just barely fit.)

Step 2: Make the streusel by combining the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into dry ingredients until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the pecans.

Step 3: To make the batter, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Step 4: In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add in the pumpkin puree and sour cream with a spatula, and then mix in the dry ingredients.

Step 5: To assemble the cake in the pan, spread half the batter in the prepared pan, and sprinkle with half the streusel. Dollop the remaining batter on top, and spread as best you can. Cover with remaining streusel. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Allow the cake to cool in the pan 15 min, and then transfer to wire rack. Make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Feel free to add more milk if the glaze seems too thick. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Step 7: Enjoy thick wedges with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee!

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