Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

MAKES 9 LARGE OR 16 SMALL SQUARES

Coffee cake is one of my favorite things to bake because it’s incredibly delicious but still simple to make, with no special equipment required. My ideal coffee cake is tall and square, sour-cream-based, with a defined layer through the middle and plenty of streusel on top. For this one, I wanted to bring in pumpkin and warm spice while keeping it a true coffee cake, not just pumpkin bread baked in a square pan.

When it comes to pumpkin, banana, or zucchini bread, I almost always prefer the version with chocolate. I originally tested this cake with just pumpkin and spice, and while it was good, it just wasn’t wow. The final version has mini chocolate chips throughout the cake, a fudgy cocoa-cinnamon layer through the middle, and crisp cocoa streusel on top. I spent most of the testing getting the cake itself right: plenty of pumpkin flavor, balanced spice, and a moist, tender crumb with enough structure to still feel like classic coffee cake. And yes, there’s sour cream in the batter because I firmly believe it belongs in every great coffee cake.

If October were a coffee cake, it would be this one, and I already know I’ll be making it every fall.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate-Cinnamon Filling

  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70 g)

  • 2 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder (15 g)

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Chocolate Streusel

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (135 g)

  • 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder (21 g)

  • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar (70 g)

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ tsp Morton kosher salt

  • ½ cup or 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (113 g)

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 2 tbsp mini semisweet chocolate chips, for sprinkling on top

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (235 g)

  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp baking soda

  • 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt

  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon

  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg

  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)

  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 g)

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

  • ½ cup neutral oil, such as vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil (110 g)

  • 1 ¼ cups pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling (300 g)

  • ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature (80 g)

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

  • ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (85 g)

Optional Pumpkin Glaze

  • 2 tbsp pumpkin purée (30 g)

  • 1 cup powdered sugar (113 g)

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

  • ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

  • ⅛ tsp kosher salt

  • 1-2 tsp milk or cream, only if needed

DIRECTIONS

Make the Chocolate-Cinnamon Filling

  1. In a small bowl whisk together the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Make the Chocolate Streusel

  1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

  2. Add the softened butter and vanilla. Use your fingertips or a fork to work them into the dry ingredients until no dry flour remains and the mixture resembles moist, crumbled brownies.

  3. Squeeze portions of the mixture together, then break them into a mixture of small crumbs and larger clumps.

  4. Refrigerate the streusel while preparing cake batter.

Make & Bake the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9-inch square metal pan. Line it with parchment, leaving a few inches of overhang on two opposite sides so you can lift the cooled cake from the pan.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

  3. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for 60–90 seconds, until slightly thickened and lightened in color.

  4. While whisking, slowly stream in the oil. Continue whisking until smooth and emulsified.

  5. Whisk in the pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla until completely smooth.

  6. Gently whisk in half of the flour mixture just until mostly combined. Switch to a flexible spatula, add the remaining flour mixture, and fold until no streaks of flour remain.

  7. Fold in the mini chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

  8. Pour approximately half the batter into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to spread evenly to the edges.

  9. Sprinkle all of the chocolate-cinnamon filling evenly over the batter.

  10. Dollop the remaining batter over the filling in small, evenly spaced spoonfuls. Use an offset spatula to gently spread the batter to the edges. Avoid pressing downward or dragging the filling through the batter.

  11. Scatter all of the cold streusel evenly over the surface, then sprinkle the 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips over the top.

  12. Bake for 50–60 minutes, beginning to check around 45 minutes. The cake is done when a tester comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter. If using an instant-read thermometer, the cake should register about 200°F.

  13. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Run a small offset spatula along the two unlined sides of the pan to loosen any stuck edges. Using the parchment overhang, carefully lift the cake from the pan and place it directly on the rack. Let it cool completely for 1–2 hours before glazing or slicing.

Make the Optional Pumpkin Glaze

  1. Whisk together the pumpkin purée, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until completely smooth.

  2. If needed, add the milk or cream ½ tsp at a time, stopping when the glaze falls from the whisk in a thick but fluid ribbon.

  3. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake. Let it set before slicing.

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

  • Store the unglazed cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once glazed, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Let refrigerated slices come to room temperature before serving.

  • Use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.

  • This recipe was developed for a light-colored 9×9-inch metal pan. Glass and ceramic pans conduct heat differently and may alter the baking time and rise.

  • You can also listen to your cakes to tell when they are done. If you put your ear to it (careful not to burn yourself), you should hear soft, slow bubbling sounds. If there is a lot of fast bubbling sounds, your cake likely isn’t done. If it’s completely silent, your cake is likely over-baked. This is something you can train your ear for over time. I recommend listening to cakes at different stages in the baking process.

  • To be precise and consistent when baking, I recommend using a Digital Food Scale. The one I linked is relatively inexpensive and in my opinion, a great investment for any home kitchen! But if you don’t have one, I’ll always include cup measurements as well.