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The Kitchn published a recipe for pumpkin pecan pie coffee cake, a nine-serving bake that pairs pumpkin purée and warm spices with a brown sugar-pecan topping. The recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare and 45 to 50 minutes to bake; a powdered sugar icing is optional.
The Kitchn has published a recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Pie Coffee Cake, a fall bake that layers pumpkin-spiced batter around a brown sugar and cocoa filling and finishes with a pecan streusel. The recipe, developed by food editor Patty Catalano, makes nine servings and lists 30 minutes of preparation followed by 45 to 50 minutes in the oven.
The cake’s flavor draws on two familiar autumn desserts: pumpkin pie and pecan pie, with pumpkin spice also featured in coffee syrups. Its batter uses one cup of pumpkin purée, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. The recipe calls for pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie mix, which is already sweetened and seasoned.
A separate filling combines brown sugar, cocoa powder and pumpkin pie spice, creating a stripe through the cake. The topping is made from chopped pecans, cold butter, brown sugar, flour, more pumpkin pie spice and salt. The recipe also offers an optional icing of powdered sugar and milk. Catalano’s instructions use an 8-by-8-inch pan and a 350°F oven.
The method is designed to be made without a stand mixer: the recipe says melted butter allows the batter to be mixed with a whisk. It advises combining the wet ingredients before adding the flour and stirring only as much as needed, to avoid overmixing. The supplied recipe directions begin with preparing the filling and heating the oven; the full source includes additional steps for assembling and baking the cake.
A Make-Ahead-Friendly Fall Bake
The recipe gives home bakers a single cake that can be served at breakfast or as dessert, according to The Kitchn. Its combination of pumpkin batter, a cocoa-spice center and pecan topping offers a seasonal alternative to a plain coffee cake, while the optional icing lets cooks serve it with a sweeter finish.
The practical details matter for readers planning a bake: the recipe makes nine portions, gives a stated total oven window of 45 to 50 minutes, and does not require specialized mixing equipment. The Kitchn describes canned pumpkin purée as a way to keep the cake moist. That is the publication’s recipe guidance, not a separately verified test result beyond the publication’s own testing.
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How the Recipe Was Developed
The Kitchn credits the recipe to Patty Catalano, identified in the source as a food editor and recipe developer with more than 17 years of experience. The page also names Topher Leo as the recipe tester and credits Alex Lepe for photography and Janette Zepeda for food styling.
The source describes testing the recipe with both light and dark brown sugar. It says either can be used, with dark brown sugar giving a somewhat deeper flavor. It also notes that pecan pieces can be used directly, while pecan halves should be coarsely chopped. The source page says it was published “yesterday,” but provides no calendar publication date in the supplied material; the tester’s note is dated October 2026.
“Coffee cake is one of my favorites, and this version stays very moist, with a perfectly crunchy crumb topping!”
— Topher Leo, recipe tester, in a note dated October 2026
Publication Date and Recipe Details
The supplied source identifies the article as published “yesterday” but does not give a calendar date, so the exact publication date cannot be established from the material provided. The tester’s note is dated October 2026, but that does not by itself confirm the article’s publication date.
The recipe page excerpt supplied here cuts off partway through the preparation instructions, so it does not show the full assembly, doneness checks or cooling directions. The source lists a 45-to-50-minute bake time, but readers should consult the complete recipe for the remaining method. The source also does not provide nutrition information or a shelf-life recommendation.
Check the Full Baking Instructions
Readers who plan to make the cake should consult The Kitchn’s full recipe for the complete assembly and baking directions, including how to judge when it is done. The listed time is 45 to 50 minutes at 350°F, but oven performance can vary.
The icing is optional, and Leo says the pecans could be omitted in the event of an allergy. Because the topping contains pecans, people with tree-nut allergies should not treat omission alone as a guarantee against cross-contact; use safe ingredients and preparation practices. The source does not give storage or food-safety instructions for the finished cake.
Key Questions
How many servings does the coffee cake make?
The Kitchn lists nine servings.
How long does it take to make?
The recipe lists 30 minutes of preparation and 45 to 50 minutes of baking. The supplied material does not state a total time including cooling.
Can pumpkin pie mix be used instead of pumpkin purée?
The recipe specifically calls for pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie mix. The two products are not presented as interchangeable in the source.
Are the icing and pecans required?
The powdered sugar icing is listed as optional. Pecans are part of the streusel topping; the tester says they could be omitted for an allergy, but the source does not provide an alternative topping or cross-contact guidance.
Source: thekitchn.com
