Ingredients
Scale
Streusel
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
Cake
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened but still cool
- 1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree, NOT pie filling (divided)
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (light-flavored olive oil works)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, very soft
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (reduce if using table salt)
- 3 tablespoons milk, plus more if needed
- 2 cups powdered (confectioners’) sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oven & prep pan. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray or rub with butter; set aside.
- Make the streusel. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin-pie spice. Pour the melted butter into the dry mixture and stir just until the mixture forms large, irregular clumps and a coarse crumb — don’t try to make it smooth. Transfer the streusel to the fridge while you assemble the batter (if you have space).
- Combine dry cake ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk the 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin-pie spice, and cinnamon.
- Add butter and some pumpkin to the dry mix. Cut the 1/2 cup softened butter into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Scoop roughly half of the pumpkin puree into this bowl as well. Using the paddle attachment or a hand mixer on low, mix until the butter and pumpkin are incorporated and the mixture comes together into a thick, slightly sticky mass. Scrape the bowl as needed. If it still seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of pumpkin.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In the bowl you used for melting butter, combine the remaining pumpkin puree with the eggs, oil, and vanilla; whisk until smooth and uniform.
- Finish the batter. Add the wet mixture to the flour/butter mixture in three additions, mixing briefly after each addition (about 15–20 seconds). Once combined, beat for another minute until the batter is lighter and fairly even. Don’t overmix.
- Layer the cake. Spread about 2 cups of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it gently. Sprinkle roughly 1 cup of the chilled streusel over the batter, breaking up any oversized pieces. Add another ~2 cups batter, spread, then another cup streusel. Top with the remaining batter and finish with about 2 cups streusel distributed evenly across the surface. Reserve any leftover streusel in the refrigerator.
- Initial bake. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.
- Add remaining streusel quickly. Remove the pan from the oven and close the oven door. Working fast, evenly scatter the remaining chilled streusel over areas of the cake that have puffed up (focus on gaps). Slide the cake back into the oven immediately and continue baking.
- Finish baking. Bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no raw batter attached and the cake no longer jiggles when shaken. Total baking time should be about 45–50 minutes; metal pans may cook faster than glass, so start checking a few minutes earlier if using metal.
- Cool slightly. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
- Prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, beat the very soft butter until smooth. Add the vanilla, salt, milk, and powdered sugar; beat until silky. If the glaze is too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches a drizzleable consistency.
- Glaze & serve. Drizzle the icing over the warm (or room-temperature) cake. You can pour over the whole pan or reserve some glaze to add to individual slices. The cake is especially lovely when served warm.
Notes
- Storage & Make-Ahead
- Keep the cake covered at room temperature for 2–3 days. After that, refrigerate.
- To make ahead: bake and cool, store the glaze separately, and add the icing just before serving.
- Freeze slices or the whole cake tightly wrapped (plastic + foil) for longer storage. Thaw completely before glazing.
- Notes
- If your kitchen runs hot, tent the cake with foil halfway through to prevent excessive browning while the center finishes.
- Baking time varies by pan material; glass pans often take a little longer than metal pans.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 10–25 seconds to revive that freshly-baked warmth.
Nutrition
- Calories: 553kcal
- Sugar: 35g
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 114mg