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About This Recipe
Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes and all things pumpkin. My favorite season with the BEST recipes – It’s pumpkin season baby! Which also means is baking season, and I have the PERFECT fall recipe for you guys!
This Healthy Pumpkin Coffee Cake is a twist on classic coffee cake with a moist and tender texture and pumpkin pie essences throughout. The brown sugar streusel topping is amazingly sweet, buttery and crumbly and we take it to the next level by drizzling some sweet glaze on top!
And it’s been lightened up by using less oil and sugar and by using healthier ingredients, like white whole wheat flour. With absolutely zero sacrifice in taste I must say! Seriously this one is insane y’all. It doesn’t taste lightened up for a second!
If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes, check out this 15+ Healthy Pumpkin Recipes round up post including my Healthy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip French Toast Bake, or M&M Pumpkin Protein Oat Bars.
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- The most epic fall recipe (dare I say) EVER!!!
- Simple ingredients and quick to prepare.
- Healthier take on classic coffee cake.
- Great for breakfast, snack or dessert!
- Easy to make gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan.
- Crowd favorite! Everyone will absolutely FLIP over this one, I guarantee it!
- Flour – All-purpose or white whole wheat flour work best for this recipe for most authentic coffee cake taste and texture. Oat flour would probably work just fine (would just alter the flavor and texture some).
- Protein Powder – I like Vanilla or Snickerdoodle for this cake. I used PEScience (code Laurenfitfoodie to save!) If you need to sub, please make sure it is a protein powder you know bakes well, ideally a whey + casein blend. Vegan works too! You can also omit entirely and replace with extra flour.
- Baking essentials: baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, salt
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Brown sugar – use a brown sugar substitute like Swerve or Truvia to make this coffee cake lower in calories and sugar.
- Sugar – use a sugar substitute like Swerve or Truvia to make this coffee cake lower in calories and sugar.
- Canned pumpkin – not pumpkin pie mix, canned pumpkin is unsweetened.
- Canola oil – or melted coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, avocado oil.
- Milk – I used unsweetened almond milk. You can use any milk of your choice.
- Butter – cold butter to make the crumble. Do not use light butter for this! Use dairy-free butter if needed.
- Confectioners sugar – optional for the glaze. Use regular or a powdered monk fruit sweetener.
- To make gluten-free: use 1:1 gluten-free flour like Bob Red Mill’s 1:1 or King Arthur’s measure for measure for the most similar taste and texture.
- To make dairy-free: use a dairy-free protein powder, dairy-free milk and plant-based butter.
- Add chopped pecans: coffee cake and nuts were made for each other! Add some chopped pecans to the batter or to the crumble (or both!) to add a yummy crunch!
- Make it muffins! Instead of baking in a square or circle pan, add batter to a greased muffin pan instead!
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. To a large bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour through brown sugar). Whisk well to combine.
2. To the same bowl, add the wet ingredients (pumpkin, oil, and milk).
3. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on high speed to combine. Pumpkin cake batter will be thick.
4. Transfer the batter to the dish and spread out evenly. Good no mess/fuss trick: Spray a sheet of parchment paper with cooking spray and press down to even out the top. This is important to ensure even baking!
5. In a small bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients. Mash/stir with a fork until mixed together well. You can also use a food processor to combine. Sprinkle streusel mix over the batter.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. For a more moist cake, take out when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly but not completely clean.
Wrap this healthy Pumpkin Coffee Cake tightly in plastic wrap or store in an air tight container (important to prevent it from drying out). Coffee cake will stay fresh at room temperature for 1-2 days or refrigerated for 5-6 days.
Can I leave off the glaze?
The glaze is so yummy and takes this coffee cake over the top but of course you can leave it off. It will still delicious without it!
Can I make this coffee cake gluten-free?
Yes, just use gluten-free flour that is good 1:1 sub for regular flour. I recommend Bob Red Mill’s 1:1 or King Arthur’s measure for measure for the most similar taste and texture.
Do I have to add the protein powder?
Nope! If you want to leave the protein powder out, just add an extra 1/4 cup flour in its place.
Can I freeze this healthy pumpkin coffee cake?
Yes! To freeze, let coffee cake cool completely then cut into pieces. Wrap each piece individually (and tightly) in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then place in a freezer-safe bag with all the air removed. Coffee cake will keep fresh in the freezer for 3 months.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Healthy Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Streusel
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups white whole wheat flour (180g)
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (30g) or extra flour
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar (96g) or sugar substitute for low sugar*
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (96g) or brown sugar substitute for low sugar*
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (240g)
- 1/4 cup canola oil (60g) or light olive oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (60g) or milk of choice
Streusel Topping:
- 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour (30g)
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar (36g) or brown sugar substitute for low sugar*
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (28g) cold – do not use light butter!
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Optional Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (72g)
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (15g) or milk of choice
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour through brown sugar); whisk well to combine.
- To the same bowl, add the pumpkin, oil, and milk. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on high speed to combine. Batter will be thick. Transfer the batter to the dish and spread the top out evenly to ensure even baking.
- In a small bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients. Mash/stir with a fork until mixed together well. Sprinkle streusel mix over the batter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. For a more moist cake, take out when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly but not completely clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 or minutes. Then, in a zigzag motion, drizzle the glaze across the cake.
Equipment
Video
Notes
*If using a sugar substitute, macros for same serving size is:
188 calories 19C | 9.2F | 6.1P
(Log in MFP as LFF Pumpkin Coffee Cake Low Sugar)
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
