Brown Butter Pumpkin Crumb Cake

My favorite thing about this time of year? The smells, the flavors, the vibes! Fall is one of my favorite seasons – I just can’t get enough of the festivities. This Brown Butter Pumpkin Crumb Cake is the perfect thing to be eating this fall. It’s moist, spiced, nutty, and the best way to cure a sweet tooth. This is great with coffee for breakfast or for a sweet treat after lunch or dinner. A giant slice of this and it’s like an instant mood boost followed by a strong wave of nostalgia. This recipe is also a part of my pumpkin series for this year! And unlike the traditional streusel-like topping on a New York-style crumb cake, my version features a light spiced topping, allowing the rich brown butter flavor in the cake to shine through! It was so good – like pumpkin pie meets quick bread.

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So, where does crumb cake come from?

Crumb cake comes from Germany’s Streuselkuchen. Traditionally, it is made with a yeast dough, then topped with thick and buttery crumbs! When German immigrants came to America, they brought this idea with them and it quickly blew up, becoming extremely popular in Pennsylvania Dutch communities and eventually evolving into New-York style crumb cake.

Pretty interesting stuff, right?

Did you know?

Pumpkin desserts get their orange color naturally! This is because of the beta-carotene in the pumpkin which is the same thing that’s responsible for orange carrots and sweet potatoes. How cool is that?

And while pumpkin is often consumed year-round in other countries, in the U.S. pumpkin is exclusively celebrated in the fall all thanks to Thanksgiving baking and harvest traditions. It’s pretty much…hype? But we love it!

What ingredients do I need to make this?

For the brown butter pumpkin crumb cake:

Salted Butter
All-Purpose Flour
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Allspice
Salt
Pure Pumpkin
Eggs
Vanilla
Espresso Powder

For the spiced brown sugar topping:

Brown Sugar
All-Purpose Flour
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Nutmeg
Salt

What equipment do I need?

• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Saucepan
• Rubber Spatula
• 9×13 Baking Pan
• Toothpicks
• Thermometer

How do I make it?

To make the batter:

To get started on this recipe, first preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking pan.

Next, in a small saucepan on medium, melt the butter, swirling the pan often, until brown specks appear throughout and the butter becomes foamy with a nutty aroma.

Remove to a large bowl to cool slightly.

In the meantime, add the flour, brown and granulated sugar, the baking soda and powder, plus all of the spices and salt for the batter to a separate large bowl.

Whisk to combine.

Once the butter has slightly cooled but is still warm, add the canned pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder to the bowl with the brown butter.

Whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, using a rubber spatula to stir until flour is no longer visible.

Pro Tip: Don’t overmix! Overmixing cake batter can cause it to become too dense after baking.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.

Now let’s make the topping!

To make the spiced brown sugar topping:

Add the brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and salt to a small bowl, then whisk with a fork.

Sprinkle evenly over the cake.

To bake the pumpkin brown butter crumb cake:

Bake the crumb cake for a while, until a center toothpick comes out with only a few crumbles on it.

Pro Tip: You can also temp it if you’d like. We’re looking for 200°F.

To serve:

Allow the pumpkin cake to cool for a bit before slicing into it.

Serve with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.

Top with whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!

Tips:

• I always use salted butter when I bake. If you only have unsalted butter, just add another 1/4 tsp of salt to the batter.
• Allow the cake to cool completely, for about an hour and a half, before covering it. Otherwise, the trapped moisture could make it soggy.
• This will keep for 2 days at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5. The fridge will dry it out sooner though, so it’s best to move to the fridge at the last second, to preserve it.
• This brown butter pumpkin crumb cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months!

Looking for more pumpkin recipes?

• Pumpkin Brownies
• Iced Pumpkin Caramel Espresso Cream

Plan to do more baking this fall? Check these out!

• Apple Banana Bread
• Cherry and Cranberry Cobbler