Caramel Chai Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Pumpkin spice is classic and delicious, but have you ever tried pairing Chai spice with pumpkin? This gentle twist on a classic pairing is so delicious that it blew me away! My Caramel Chai Pumpkin Coffee Cake combines so many delicious flavors in one very moist, soft cake with a thick cinnamon swirl and irresistible buttery pecan crumb topping. It's made with brown sugar and topped with my salted caramel sauce for really big and bold flavor. This cake melts in your mouth and is a slice of it is like a piece of heaven with a hot cup of tea. I know you'll love it! If you like making pumpkin desserts, try my popular Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and my Chewy Pumpkin Cookies.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy to make - all you need is a whisk, a bowl and a spatula to make this recipe. It is super simple. It's a one bowl recipe!
• Ultra moist pumpkin cake- this pumpkin cake is SO moist! It's not gummy or pasty - it's just perfectly soft and moist.
• Soft and fluffy texture - you will love how soft and fluffy this cake is beneath the slightly crunchy butter crumble.
• Chai spice coffee cake - what's pumpkin cake without some spice? The fragrant blend of chai spices is so cozy and warming, and it's the cardamom that really sets it apart from classic pumpkin spice. It's a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove, and nutmeg.
• Cinnamon swirl coffee cake - there's a thick layer of cinnamon swirl through the middle of the coffee cake and it's always my favorite part!
• Pecan crumb topping - a buttery brown sugar crumb topping with toasted pecans and pepitas completes this coffee cake.
• Salted caramel drizzle - chai masala spices, pumpkin, pecans and caramel is a "wow" combination.

INGREDIENTS FOR PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE

• Oil - you can use any neutral-tasting oil, but I prefer sunflower oil for baking since it has a very clean flavor and is stable.
• Brown sugar - brown sugar adds caramel-like flavor due to the molasses content and it really complements the pumpkin and the spices.
• Canned pumpkin - canned pumpkin is easily accessible and inexpensive. You can also make it yourself, but it is important to reduce it down so it is very thick otherwise the moisture balance will be off in the recipe. Make sure you use pure pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling which has sugar and spices already added.
• Eggs - one large egg will add nice structure and help with the moist spongy texture.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will add rich undertones. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Sour cream - so many great coffee cake recipes include sour cream. I recommend using full fat Greek yogurt if you don't have sour cream. It gives this cake a rich flavor and also a very moist spongy texture.
• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for coffee cake.
• Chai spice - a fragrant blend of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg is so incredibly intoxicating and pairs very nicely with pumpkin and caramel.
• Cinnamon swirl - you just need sugar, cinnamon and bit of cocoa to make the swirl mixture. The cocoa is the secret because it helps the swirl set into a distinct line with rich color instead of just baking right into the batter.
• Pecans - mixing a few pecans with the crumb topping adds great texture and taste. They will toast as the cake is baking and they will add such a wonderful nuttiness!

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the crumb topping. Combine the flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar and salt in a bowl so it is evenly blended. Add cooled melted butter and rub it in evenly until it forms soft crumbs. Cover the bowl and set aside.
• STEP 2). Make the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and cocoa powder in a small bowl and set aside.
• STEP 3). Make the pumpkin batter. Combine wet ingredients. Combine pumpkin puree, sour cream, brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
• STEP 4). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• STEP 5). Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and gently fold them in using a rubber spatula.
• STEP 6). Assemble the cake. Spread two-thirds of the batter evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over top to cover it entirely. Dollop remaining batter on top and then gently spread it out evenly.
• STEP 7). Add the crumb topping. Crumble the topping over the batter in an even layer.
• STEP 8). Bake. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Once cooled, drizzle with salted caramel sauce and sprinkle some pepitas on top if desired.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR CHAI PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE

• Do not over-mix the batter. Once the flour is mostly combined then the batter is ready for baking. Coffee cake batter is meant to be more dense, so don't be surprised if it is a tiny bit lumpy.
• Make sure you use all of the cinnamon sugar mixture. This is key to getting that nice defined swirl and that little bit of cocoa will hold it in place.
• Top generously with crumbs. As the loaf rises and puffs up during baking, the topping will spread out so it may look like a lot at the beginning, but it will be just right when it is baked.
• Cover the top of the cake with foil if it browns too quickly. You can place a sheet of foil loosely over the cake (like a tent) after the first 30 minutes of baking if it is getting too dark on top.

RECIPE FAQ

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Video

Caramel Chai Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Christina Marsigliese

Soft and moist chai-spiced pumpkin coffee cake with a thick cinnamon sugar swirl and buttery brown sugar crumb topping! It's so flavorful with the cozy spices and salted caramel drizzle on top. This will be the star of the show if you serve it to guests at Thanksgiving!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 9 slices

Ingredients

  

Crumb topping:

• ⅔ cup (95g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (25g) finely chopped pecans
• ⅓ cup (70g) packed light brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoon (70g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Cinnamon swirl:

• ¼ cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
• 1 teaspoon (2g) cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process - both work fine)

Pumpkin cake batter:

• 1 ½ cups (215g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Chai spice blend (see notes under INGREDIENTS or FAQ in the article above for Chai spice recipe)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (180ml) pure pumpkin puree
• ½ cup (120ml) full fat sour cream
• ¾ cup (165g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup (80ml) sunflower oil
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract

For topping:

1 x Recipe for Salted Caramel Sauce

• 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds for topping

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven the 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the sides about 2 inches for easy removal.
• Make the crumb topping. Combine the flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar and salt in a bowl so it is evenly blended. Add cooled melted butter and rub it in evenly until it forms soft crumbs. Cover the bowl and set aside.
• Make the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and cocoa powder in a small bowl and set aside.
• Make the pumpkin batter. Combine flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Combine pumpkin puree, sour cream, brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and gently fold them in using a rubber spatula.
• Spread two-thirds of the batter evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over top to cover it entirely. Dollop remaining batter on top and then gently spread it out evenly. Crumble the topping over the batter in an even layer.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Once cooled, drizzle with salted caramel sauce and sprinkle some pepitas on top if desired.