Get ready for the best pumpkin coffee cake you've ever had! This healthy version is topped with a thick layer of streusel and a soft and moist pumpkin cake underneath. It's great for a Thanksgiving breakfast, but you'll still feel great because it's paleo and gluten free. Even though it's made from scratch, it's an easy recipe to follow and freezes well too.
If you make one recipe this fall, I hope it's this pumpkin coffee cake. It's full of fall flavors and it's it's an easy cake to whip together. Look at that streusel topping! Need I say more?
Not to mention it's gluten free and dairy free so it fits in so many special diets, including a paleo one.
Is coffee cake a breakfast cake?
Coffee cake is so great because it's really versatile. It got its name because this cake goes so well with coffee in the morning. Similar to other sweet breakfast options like donuts or streusels, this paleo pumpkin coffee cake makes a great addition to your breakfast, especially when you have guests over for the holidays.
However, it's also sweet enough to serve as dessert. Finish your dinner and night off with a cup of decaf and a big slice of pumpkin streusel coffee cake!
How to make pumpkin coffee cake:
This pumpkin coffee cake recipe is a little different than most because it's paleo friendly. Which means its free of gluten, dairy and refined sugars. Here's how you make a paleo pumpkin coffee cake!
- Start by mixing all of the streusel ingredients together then add the coconut oil and cut it into the dry ingredients to form a crumble. Set it aside and get ready to make the cake mix.
- For the cake, xix the dry ingredients together then the wet ones. Pour the batter into a 9x9 pan and top with reserved crumble. Bake for 45 minutes then top with the maple drizzle and cool!
Is it better to bake with coconut flour or almond flour?
Both flours are very different and can't necessarily be compared because they're so different. Coconut flour absorbs more moisture so you usually need less of it in a recipe compared to almond flour. Both are low carb flour options though! I like coconut flour a bit better because it's typically cheaper. However, if a recipe calls for one or the other you can't equally swap them. Because the coconut oil absorbs more moisture, you may end up with an overly dry or sloppy mess!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with @what_mollymade so I can see it and feature you.
More paleo pumpkin desserts:
- Paleo pumpkin bars
- Paleo pumpkin chocolate chunk blondies
- Paleo pumpkin bread
- Vegan pumpkin cheesecake bars
Paleo pumpkin coffee cake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup arrowroot flour (or tapioca flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup palm oil shortening
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup creamy almond butter
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Streusel Topping:
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup arrowroot flour (or tapioca flour)
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup grass fed butter or coconut oil solid and chilled
Maple Icing:
- 4 tablespoons melted nut butter (I prefer cashew or almond)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour (or tapioca flour)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with coconut or avocado oil. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add all of the streusel ingredients except for the coconut oil or butter. Whisk gently to combine. Next, add the coconut oil or butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the cold butter or coconut oil into the dry ingredients. Continue to blend until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the cake's dry ingredients including the almond flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together the pumpkin puree, palm shortening, maple syrup, almond butter, eggs and vanilla until completely smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold together using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and crumble the reserved streusel topping to cover the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove form the oven and allow to cool. While it’s cooling, make the glaze. Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle over cake.
Notes
Nutrition
D’Naye says
This was delicious!! So moist and got more moist with time! I’m definitely making it for thanksgiving
Molly Thompson says
This is the best thing! So glad you loved it:)