This Paleo Pumpkin Gingerbread Coffee Cake has it all! Moist cake with sweet warm pumpkin spices and molasses topped with an addicting crumb topping and gingerbread icing! Fancy enough to serve to guests but so delicious that you’ll want to have some to snack on all season long.
I love baking pumpkin gingerbread goodies in late November when I’m excited for the holidays but haven’t yet had my fill of pumpkin!
No matter what the season is though, this cake is not one to pass on. The crumb topping and icing is beyond addicting and the cake is moist, perfectly spiced, and it’s basically impossible to tell it’s grain free!
Whether you make this for a gathering or simply for a fun snack or dessert, after the first bite you’ll for sure want make it again!
What You Need to Make Pumpkin Gingerbread Coffee Cake
I separated the ingredients to what you’ll need to the cake batter, crumb topping and icing.
Though the list may look long, the ingredients are simple and most likely already in your pantry if you’ve baked with me before!
Here’s what you’ll need to prepare the coffee cake:
Crumb topping:
- blanched almond flour
- coconut sugar
- ghee or butter, solid
- cinnamon
- fine sea salt
- pecans, chopped
Cake batter:
- pumpkin puree
- eggs
- coconut sugar
- molasses
- ghee or coconut oi
- pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- tapioca flour
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- ginger
- allspice
- fine sea salt
Gingerbread icing:
- powdered maple sugar or coconut sugar* (see below) or organic powdered sugar
- dairy free milk
- pure vanilla extract
- molasses
- cinnamon
How to Make Pumpkin Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Prepare the topping first and chill it in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter. Place the flour, sugar, ghee or butter and salt in a shallow bowl. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter or ghee into the dry ingredients to form a crumbly mixture. Add the pecans into the crumbs and place in the refrigerator.
Preheat your oven to 350° F and line an 8” square cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, coconut sugar, molasses, ghee or oil and vanilla until very smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, spices and salt until blended. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until a smooth batter forms.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the chilled crumb topping all over the batter in an even layer. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 30-33 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown and the center is set. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
Cool the cake on a wire rack. While it cools, prepare the icing drizzle. Whisk together the powdered sugar*, milk, vanilla, molasses and cinnamon until smooth and drizzly. Once the cake has partially cooled, remove it from the pan using the parchment paper to a parchment lined wire rack.
When the cake is still a little warm, drizzle the icing all over with a spoon or whisk. Allow the cake to cool and icing to harden, then cut and serve. Enjoy!
How to Make Paleo Powdered Sugar
For great paleo-friendly icings, making paleo powdered sugar is a must! I like to use maple sugar because I prefer the flavor AND it’s lighter in color than coconut sugar. That said, you can also make great powdered sugar with coconut sugar.
All you need is a high speed blender or food processor. Simply place the sugar in the blender and blend until the sugar reaches a powdery consistency. Then, you can use it for icing in place of store bought powdered sugar.
I use it to make all my glazes and icings and you’d never know they’re refined sugar free.
I hope you’re ready for a seriously delicious coffee cake that’s perfect for the holidays! Grab your ingredients and preheat your oven because it’s time to bake – let’s go!
Pumpkin Gingerbread Coffee Cake {Paleo}
Pumpkin Gingerbread Coffee Cake {Paleo}
Ingredients
Crumb topping:
- 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
- 6 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup ghee or butter solid
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
Cake batter:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
Gingerbread icing:
- 2/3 cup powdered maple sugar or coconut sugar* or organic powdered sugar
- 2 tsp dairy free milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp molasses
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the topping first and chill it while you prepare the cake batter. Place the flour, sugar, ghee or butter and salt in a shallow bowl. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter or ghee into the dry ingredients to form a crumbly mixture. Add the pecans into the crumbs and place in the refrigerator.
- Preheat your oven to 350° F and line an 8” square cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, coconut sugar, molasses, ghee or oil and vanilla until very smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, spices and salt until blended. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until a smooth batter forms.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the chilled crumb topping all over the batter in an even layer. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 30-33 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown and the center is set. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Cool the cake on a wire rack. While it cools, prepare the icing drizzle. Whisk together the powdered sugar*, milk, vanilla, molasses and cinnamon until smooth and drizzly. Once the cake has partially cooled, remove it from the pan using the parchment paper to a parchment lined wire rack. When the cake is still a little warm, drizzle the icing all over with a spoon or whisk. Allow the cake to cool and icing to harden, then cut and serve. Enjoy!
- Store leftover cake at room temperature for the first day, then store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
*Making powdered sugar from maple sugar is surprisingly easy. Simply blend your maple sugar in a NutriBullet (what I use), high speed blender, or food processor until you have a powdery consistency. You’ll want to measure the sugar after blending to make sure you’re adding the right amount. If you prefer, you can use organic powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Gingerbread Baking Recipes? Try One of These:
Chewy Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies
Paleo Cut-Out Gingerbread Cookies
Orange Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Icing
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This recipe sounds delicious! Anything with gingerbread flavor is a winner. Can the crumb topping be made with a non-dairy substitute for the butter/ghee (maybe solid coconut oil or palm oil shortening)?
Hi there – I love your recipes – thanks SO much!! Can you tell me whether you cook with Cassava flour at all, and if not, why not? I really like it in gravies, sauces, shortbread and am finding it is the closest thing to white flour, but is a root. Comments please?
What would your suggest as an egg substitute in this recipe?
Yes, yes, yes! Made it yesterday and it was delish! I didn’t know what kind of butter, so I opted for salted butter. The saltiness hit the spot. I also halved the icing and it was perfect! Thank you for always sharing your recipes.
Made this and it’s really incredible! Mine needed to cook quite a bit longer than what the recipe called for, I think I left it in for close to an hour, maybe 50 minutes. I forgot to make the icing, but really didn’t miss it at all with all that buttery crumbly topping. The coffee cake has an incredibly moist texture and the flavor is amazing! Will probably make this my go-to holiday breakfast treat. Thanks for another winner, Michelle!
They look so fascinating, thank you very much!