Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Swirl & Cream Cheese
There’s just something about pumpkin coffee cake — warm spices, tender crumb, and that little tang of cream cheese running through it. This one has it all: a pumpkin-rich batter, a ribbon of cinnamon sugar, and a crunchy swirl topping that makes the whole kitchen smell like fall.
The recipe comes from Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest, and I couldn’t resist making it after I had fresh pumpkin purée and pumpkin butter on hand. The first time I tried it, I missed the swirl step and only added cinnamon sugar — and it was still delicious. The second time I got it right with the swirl, and oh yes, that’s the way to go.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
Pumpkin two ways: Purée for moisture, pumpkin butter for rich, spiced depth.
Cinnamon swirl magic: A brown sugar–cinnamon layer inside and on top.
Cream cheese surprise: Little pockets of tangy cream cheese baked right in.
Perfect for fall gatherings: Great with coffee, brunch spreads, or as dessert.
Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Cinnamon and Cream Cheese
Ingredients
CINNAMON SWIRL
- 1/2 cup Packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Cinnamon sugar
- 4 Tbsp Salted butter, melted
PUMPKIN CAKE BATTER
- 1 cup Pumpkin butter
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 3/4 cup Melted butter Or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup Maple syrup
- 3 Eggs
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 3 cups Cake flour Or all-purpose
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 8 oz Cream cheese melted
Instructions
- My ratio for making cinnamon sugar is 1 cup sugar to 3 tbsp cinnamon. You will only need about 1/3 cup of cinnamon sugar for this recipe.
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish or cast iron pan.Make the swirl: In a bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until crumbly.Mix the batter: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin butter, pumpkin purée, melted butter (or oil), maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.Add dry ingredients: Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until just combined.Layer the cake: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.Spoon or drizzle teaspoon-sized amounts of cream cheese over the batter.Sprinkle with half the cinnamon swirl mix.Add about 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar on top.Finish layering: Evenly spread the remaining batter overtop (it’s fine if some cream cheese shows through).Top it off: Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon swirl mix and another light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.Bake: 30–35 minutes, or until the center is just set.Cool & serve: Let cool at least 10 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Tips & Variations
- Pan size: A cast iron pan gives beautiful edges and heat retention.Extra crunch: Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the swirl.Glaze it: Drizzle with a simple powdered sugar glaze once cooled for a bakery-style finish.Storage: Because of the cream cheese, store leftovers in the refrigerator. Bring to room temp before serving or warm slightly.