Recipe Overview
⏱️ Time to Taste: Pumpkin perfection in about 1 hour!
🥣 Ease: Easy fall baking with simple ingredients and straightforward steps.
🌾 Flour Used: My favorite gluten-free measure-for-measure flour!
🎂 Pan Size: A 9×9-inch pan gives you the perfect cake-to-crumb ratio.
❄️ Freezer Friendly: Yes! Freeze the unglazed cake for up to 3 months then glaze after thawing.
Pumpkin season is one of my favorite parts of fall, and I always find myself wanting to create new gluten-free pumpkin recipes to celebrate. I love this crumb cake for a weekend breakfast with coffee, but it’s just as good for an afternoon treat!
For breakfast or brunch, I tend to pair this recipe with a savory option, like my gluten-free tater tot breakfast casserole or my almond flour crust quiche for a well-rounded meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this gluten-free pumpkin crumb cake. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Melted butter: Using melted butter is a game-changer for creating those big, soft bakery-style crumbs. I’ve tried making gluten-free crumb toppings many different ways over the years and I’ve found this method works the very best. I mix the melted butter into the sugar mixture first, then gently work in the gluten-free flour with a fork, being careful not to overmix. This helps hydrate everything evenly while still allowing those large crumbs to form. Dairy-free butter works great here too!
- Pumpkin purée: I wanted the pumpkin cake to be moist but sturdy enough to hold a generous layer of crumb topping. One cup gives me the balance I’m looking for without weighing down the cake.
- Milk of choice: I typically use regular milk, but unsweetened almond milk works great too. Use it along with dairy-free butter to make this coffee cake completely dairy-free.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Use a fork for the crumb topping. This is my favorite method for making big, bakery-style crumbs! I mix the sugars, cinnamon, salt and melted butter first, then use a fork to gently mix in the gluten-free flour. A fork makes it easy to create large crumbs without overworking the mixture.
Don’t overmix the crumbs. Once you add the flour, stop mixing as soon as large crumbs form. If you keep stirring, especially with a spoon, the mixture can turn pasty instead of staying crumbly.
Pile on all of the crumb topping. It may look like a lot, but that’s intentional! I wanted every bite to have a generous layer of buttery brown sugar crumbs.
Let the cake cool before glazing. If the cake is still warm, the glaze will melt right into the crumb topping. I wait until it’s completely cool so the glaze stays thick and pretty on top.
More Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Video
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup (106g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (113g) butter, melted
- 1¼ cups (187g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
Dry Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups (200g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- ½ cup (106g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Other
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (226g) pumpkin purée
- ⅓ cup (80ml) milk of choice
- ½ cup (120ml) neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- For the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the melted butter and mix to combine.
- Add the gluten-free flour and use a fork to mix until large crumbs form. Do not use a spoon or overmix, or the mixture will become pasty. Cover with plastic wrap.
- For the pumpkin cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the crumb topping evenly over the cake, keeping some of the crumbs in larger pieces.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely before topping with the glaze.
- For the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if the glaze is too thin or more milk if the glaze is too thick.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and slice into squares.
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