Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake: The Ultimate Fall Comfort Dessert

 

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup milk

For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Directions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8×8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Make the Crumb Topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter, and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Prepare the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. In another bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix in the pumpkin puree and milk until smooth.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake dense.

Assemble the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter.

Bake the Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The crumb topping should be golden brown and slightly crisp.

Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.