Fall Feels

At long last, the weather is cooling down and the fall season is upon us. This time of year always inspires me to bake, particularly with the use of pumpkin.

Whether an early morning snack, or post-dinner dessert, coffee cake is one of those versatile creations that evoke all the warm feelings of fall. I get a sense of comfort in the home when aromas of warm pumpkin, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cloves are wafting from the oven. I wanted to try my hand at some gluten-free baking this time around, so I used rice flour in place of cake flour. The ratios are 1-to-1, and honestly, I would never know the regular flour was substituted. The texture is that perfect blend of dense, moist, and crumbly — just as a coffee cake should be. Give rice flour a try if you’re feeling adventurous, or if you have gluten-free requirements.

What I love about this cake is the inclusion of pumpkin in every aspect. From the batter, to the crumble, to the glaze, there’s pumpkin flavor in every bite. Serve it up with a cup of cinnamon flavored coffee, and you’re really onto something!

This recipe requires a 10” tube pan, so make sure you pick one up before getting started. I found mine at an antique mall in Ohio a few years back, but they’re also available new. It’s a fun addition to the kitchen arsenal that will expand your baking variety. The 2-part design releases the cake easily, making clean-up a breeze, too.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Prep: 20 min.  |   Cook: 50 min.   |   Serves: 10-12

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 sticks softened unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. rice flour (GF)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. rice flour (GF)
2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

GLAZE:

1 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 Tbsp. roasted, unsalted pepitas (reserve)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour tube pan. Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go. Add vanilla, pumpkin, and sour cream.

In a large bowl, sift together rice flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in dry mixture. Continue scraping down sides of bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, rice flour, pumpkin spice, salt, butter, and walnuts. Mix together with your fingers to create a crumble texture. Set aside.

Dollop half of the cake batter into the tube pan. It will be quite thick, so spread it around the base of the pan with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle half the crumble mixture in an even layer into the pan. Finish by adding the remaining cake batter, again smoothing with the rubber spatula. Top with remaining crumble mixture.

Bake for 50 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. While cake is cooling, mix together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice. Stir until combined and just slightly fluid. If glaze is too runny, add more powdered sugar. Transfer the cake with crumble side up to a flat serving plate or cake stand. Gently drizzle the cake with glaze, allowing it to drip down the sides. Top with roasted pepitas for a dash of fall color and flavor.