Of the various elements that signal the arrival of autumn — vibrant foliage, rain showers, cozy sweaters, the increasingly premature rollout of Christmas decorations — none are as seductive to my senses as the heavenly blend of cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. It is a vibrant concoction best known to us as “pumpkin spice.”
I have always found it mildly ironic that these spices, primarily grown in the tropics, have somehow become synonymous with the transition from hot to cold weather here in the northern hemisphere. How they encapsulate the essence of fall so well is beyond me. While I prefer to think the whole association was completely organic and a product of grassroots perception, I’m sure the years of marketing campaigns that use the flavoring to inspire a vivid connection between my taste buds and imagery of wholesome holiday fun may have something to do with it.
I’m sold either way.
Regardless of how or why pumpkin spice entered our psyches, of all the recurring and hyped-up trends that have entered the cultural zeitgeist over the last 20 years, it has managed to have as much staying power as the other popular 21st-century concepts of “living,” “laughing” and “loving.” For a kid born today, all are as guaranteed as death and taxes.
From lattes to candles, soaps to pie, there’s no limit to how one may indulge in pumpkin spice’s warm, comforting nature. For me, nothing beats this coffee cake.
Don’t let the various components of this recipe fool you. It’s as easy to put together first thing in the morning as it is for a late-night treat. However, I would be a little remiss if I didn’t include a disclaimer about the involvement of “coffee” in the name of the recipe.
While having the cake with your morning coffee is arguably the best time to savor a piece or two, a more accurate name for it would be “hibernation cake” because it is dense. It is delicious. And cuddling up on the couch under a big blanket watching movies or reading a book is more than likely what you’re going to want to do after you take the first bite. With that, I recommend baking on a Friday or Saturday morning, or the first day of a vacation. Honestly, it might even be wise to hold off until you retire.
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
Streusel:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoon butter (room temp)
Cake:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin purée (not filling) 1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch pan with butter or cooking spray.
In a food processor (or small bowl, using your fingers), lightly pulse to combine all the streusel ingredients until chunks form.
In a large bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, brown sugar, and granulated sugar).
In a small bowl, mix together wet ingredients (pumpkin purée, melted butter, yogurt, vanilla and eggs).
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently stir until combined.
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle in half the streusel. Pour in remaining batter and sprinkle remaining streusel over the top.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once done, cool for 15 minutes.
While the cake is cooling, combine powdered sugar and maple syrup in a small bowl. Mix until a thick but pourable icing forms, then drizzle generously over the cake.
Grab your favorite wrap and prepare to nap.
The printable version of this recipe is available online at this link.
UNDERWRITTEN BY THE FUND FOR NONPROFIT NEWS (NEWSMATCH) AT THE MIAMI FOUNDATION, THE ANGEL GUILD, ADVERTISERS, DONORS AND PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT, NONPROFIT LOCAL NEWS
