Pumpkin Swirl Coffee Cake: Perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or as your secret comfort food.

This recipe has so many different flavors, all packed into one amazing cake! First of all, the pumpkin flavor is subtle but helps keep the cake extremely moist. Another fact, I am not a giant cinnamon fan and this cake has the perfect amount…not overpowering but blending perfectly with the other flavors.

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If you can’t tell, my mom and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to bake! We are kinda big dessert people. Check out our desserts page if you don’t believe me. This is really unfortunate because my husband isn’t a big dessert guy. I can make him cookies, pies or cakes and he will eat one or two pieces and that’s it. However, there are a few select recipes that are his total weakness. He loses complete self control. This cake is one of those recipes. (These cheesecake cupcakes are another one).

I made this cake for a family supper with my in-laws. Before the meal even began half the cake was gone! (That’s another indication of how great this recipe is).

This cake has two parts. The pumpkin cake part (see above picture) swirled together with a cinnamon sugar streusel (see below picture).
These two make a perfect combination!

Check out all the swirls! It’s almost a shame that it’s covered up with cream cheese icing.

Since this is called a “coffee cake,” don’t forget to eat a piece with a cup of coffee (an excuse to eat it for breakfast…right?!).

As I was taking these photos there were two small toddler faces, just inches outside the frame, waiting to devour this piece of cake. One time, I wasn’t fast enough and a poor pecan was snatched right from the top!

No one will believe this cake is gluten-free. It is so moist and not at all crumbly like most gluten-free desserts. The first time I ate this, my mom made it and we kept asking her, “This is gluten-free? Are you sure? Really…This is gluten-free!!!”

A sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon goes right on top of the icing and chopped pecans topped my piece, (not all my family members like pecans, so we left those for individual slices). Drizzled caramel would also be delicious.

My mom and I have both made this cake so we have compared our *tweaks* to give you the best of the best version!

A few notes about the recipe:

• Mom can’t have corn so she thickened her cake batter with 1 Tablespoon potato starch. I used 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum. Either will work fine. I’m sure guar gum will also work.
• Each time Mom made this cake she had to bake it for 50-55 minutes. My cake only took about 40-45 minutes. Oven times may vary, be sure to keep a close eye on it after the 30-minute mark.
• We suggest you make the Cinnamon Sugar mixture first and set it aside while you make the cake batter. Pour the cake batter into a greased pan, then pour the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the batter and use a table knife to swirl the two together.
• In the cinnamon sugar mixture–mom used melted butter so it was a completely liquid mixture. I used softened butter and it was more of a “batter” consistency. Both cakes tasted amazing.
• Do not cool your cake before icing. The heat from the cake will melt the cream cheese and the flavors combine nicely.

For the Streusel:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 sticks of melted butter

1. Mix all ingredients together and set aside while you make the cake batter.

For the Cake batter:

• 3 cup gluten-free flour mix
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 stick soften butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 2/3 cup Pumpkin
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Mix all the liquid ingredients together. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients bowl.
2. Pour cake batter into a greased 9×13 cake pan.
3. Swirl the streusel mixture on top of the cake batter.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-60 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For the icing:

• 1 package cream cheese, soft
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined and smooth.
2. Pour on top of the cake when it comes out of the oven and is still hot.
3. Top with pecans if desired.

Yield: Serves approx. 12

Pumpkin Swirl Coffee Cake (GF)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• For the Streusel:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 sticks melted (or soft) butter
• For the Cake batter:
• 3 cup gluten free flour mix
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 stick soft butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 2/3 cup Pumpkin
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• For the icing:
• 1 package cream cheese, soft
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Streusel

1. Mix all ingredients together and set aside while you make the cake batter.

For the Cake Batter

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Mix all the liquid ingredients together. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients bowl.
3. Pour cake batter into a greased 9×13 cake pan.
4. Swirl the streusel mixture on top of the cake batter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-60 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For the Icing

6. Mix all ingredients together until well combined and smooth.
7. Pour on top of cake when it comes out of the oven and is still hot.
8. Top with pecans if desired.

Notes

Mom can’t have corn so she thickened her cake batter with 1 Tablespoon of potato starch. I used 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum. Either will work fine. I’m sure guar gum will also work. Each time Mom made this cake she had to bake it for 50-55 minutes. My cake only took about 40-45 minutes. Oven times may vary, be sure to keep a close eye on it after the 30-minute mark. We suggest you make the Cinnamon Sugar mixture first and set it aside while you make the cake batter. Pour the cake batter into a greased pan, then pour the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the batter and use a table knife to swirl the two together. In the cinnamon sugar mixture–mom used melted butter so it was a completely liquid mixture. I used softened butter and it was more of a “batter” consistency. Both cakes tasted amazing. Do not cool your cake before icing. The heat from the cake will melt the cream cheese and the flavors combine nicely.

Happy Pumpkin Season!

Anna & Linda

Disclaimer: Manufacturers’ formulations and policies may change at any time, therefore it’s important to always read product labels yourself and contact the manufacturer with concerns. We have found that most companies are eager to help answer your questions.

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