Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake (No Mixer Needed)
This pumpkin spice crumb cake is three layers of fall in every bite: a moist, tender spiced pumpkin cake, a thick buttery brown sugar crumb topping, and a light drizzle of vanilla glaze over the whole thing. It’s made in one 9×13 pan with nothing but a couple of bowls, a whisk, and a spoon. No stand mixer, no hand mixer. It feeds a crowd and uses pantry staples plus one can of pumpkin.
A Little Story First
Can there ever be too many pumpkin desserts? I don’t think so.
We’ve all made pumpkin cakes before, but this one was brand new to me. I saw it not too long ago (you know how all the pumpkin things start floating around this time of year) and it sounded so good I had to try it. So I made it for the very first time right there on camera, and I’ll be honest with you, I learned a couple of things along the way.
The biggest one? The recipe I was working from was wrong about the bake time. It said twenty to twenty-five minutes in a 9×13. Mine took about thirty-five. It also said you could bake it in a 9×9, and I just don’t see how. This is a lot of batter and a very generous crumb topping. So the recipe below is the one that actually worked in my kitchen, with the real bake time.
The other thing I love about this cake is what we didn’t use. I love my stand mixer and I’m thankful for it, but not everybody has one. This whole cake comes together with a bowl and a spoon, and it is absolutely worth making.
Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes
Servings: 15 squares
Pan: 9×13, greased
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup buttermilk
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk, plus a splash more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Heat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 pan.
- Start the crumb topping. In a bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Since this is a crumb topping, you don’t have to be too careful about exact measurements. I just dip my measuring cup right in. Use a pastry blender to mix the brown sugar into the flour a little before the butter goes in.
- Cut in the butter. If you’ve watched me before, you know I usually grate my butter. For this topping I cube it instead, because I want the crumbs to stay a little bigger. Slice your cold stick of butter down the middle, flip it, slice the other direction, and you’ll end up with little square cubes. Cut it into the flour mixture with the pastry blender until the pieces are about pea size. Set the topping aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Beat the eggs a little in a small bowl first, then whisk them in.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. This is where you do want to be careful with the flour: lightly spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off.
- Add the vanilla. Stir the vanilla into the pumpkin mixture.
- Alternate the flour and buttermilk. Add the dry mixture and buttermilk to the pumpkin mixture in alternating additions, three parts flour and two parts buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Stir just until combined. If one addition is a little bigger than a third, that’s okay. You’ll get there.
- Assemble. Spread the batter in your greased pan and sprinkle the crumb topping all over it. It’s a very generous amount of topping, and that’s exactly what it’s supposed to look like.
- Bake about 35 minutes. Start checking around 30 minutes, but plan on 35, give or take depending on your oven. Stick a toothpick in the middle. You want it to come out mostly clean. Because it’s pumpkin, it’s so moist that a tiny bit will stick, but you don’t want a lot.
- Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. You want it pourable, so add another splash of milk if it’s too thick. I’d always rather go a little less milk than a little more. This is a small amount of glaze on purpose, because the cake is already sweet.
- Glaze while warm. Let the cake cool just a bit, then pour the glaze over it while it’s still warm so it all sets up together as it cools.
- Cool and slice. Give it some time before cutting. It’ll still be a little warm but set enough to slice cleanly.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Crumb Cake
- Trust the toothpick, not the clock. Ovens vary. In a 9×13, expect about 35 minutes.
- Use a 9×13. I don’t recommend a smaller pan. It’s a lot of batter and topping.
- Cube the butter, don’t grate it. Cubed cold butter gives you bigger, more satisfying crumbs.
- Spoon and level the cake flour. Packed flour makes a dense cake. The topping can be loose; the cake can’t.
- Leftover pumpkin? You’ll have a little left in a 15-ounce can. Viewers have told us their pets love a spoonful, or you can stir it into Alfredo sauce for pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée?
No. Pie filling already has sugar and spices added, which throws off the recipe. Use 100% pure pumpkin.
How long do you bake pumpkin crumb cake in a 9×13 pan?
About 35 minutes at 350°F. Start checking around 30 minutes and use the toothpick test.
Can I bake this in a 9×9 pan?
I don’t recommend it. There’s too much batter and topping for a 9×9, and it would need a much longer bake.
Do I need a mixer to make this cake?
Not at all. Everything is mixed with a whisk, a spoon, and a pastry blender for the topping.
Can I use dark brown sugar in the crumb topping?
Yes. I used light brown sugar, but either one works. Dark brown just gives a deeper molasses flavor.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
Can I use a fork instead of a pastry blender?
Yes. Two forks or your fingertips will cut the butter in. Just work quickly so the butter stays cold.
How should I store pumpkin crumb cake?
Cover it and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Can I freeze this cake?
Yes. Freeze unglazed squares, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. Thaw and glaze before serving.
Can I make it ahead for a party or potluck?
Absolutely. Bake and glaze it the day before, cover it, and slice it the day of.
Give This One a Try
If you’re big into pumpkin spice season, this one will be a hit at your house. I just know it will. No mixer needed, just your bowl and spoon. I hope you’ll give it a try in your own kitchen.
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Try my Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, the original Pumpkin Crunch Cake, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake.
Thank you so much for joining me at Mary Katherine’s Table. And remember to go out today and find somebody who needs a little bit of kindness and give them some of yours.
💌 From Your Kitchen to Ours
One of my favorite things about this channel is hearing from you. From time to time, we feature viewer-submitted recipes, the tried-and-true dishes you’ve cooked for years and love to share. If you have a favorite family recipe you think belongs at Mary Katherine’s Table, I’d love to see it. Your recipe may be featured in a future From Your Kitchen to Ours video!
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Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup cold butter 1 stick, cubed
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spoon and level
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup buttermilk
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk plus a splash more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Crumb Topping
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use a pastry blender to mix the brown sugar into the flour.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and cut it into the flour mixture with the pastry blender until the pieces are about pea size. Set aside.
Make the Cake
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Whisk in the lightly beaten eggs, then the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add the dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour (three parts flour, two parts buttermilk). Stir just until combined.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top.
- Bake about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. A tiny bit of moist crumb on the toothpick is normal for a pumpkin cake.
Make the Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable, adding a splash more milk if needed.
- Let the cake cool briefly, then pour the glaze over the warm cake. Let it cool until set before slicing.
Video
Notes
- Use pure pumpkin: Use 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Real bake time: The original recipe called for 20 to 25 minutes, but a 9×13 needs about 35 minutes. Start checking at 30.
- Pan size: A smaller pan like a 9×9 isn’t recommended. There’s too much batter and topping.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work in the crumb topping.
- No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
- Storage: Keep covered at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
