Savour the flavours of fall with this gluten-free Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake drizzled with luscious caramel sauce! Made with a blend of almond flour and tapioca flour and flavoured with cozy autumn spices, this delicious snack cake is topped with a sweet cinnamon streusel.
Enjoy the flavours of fall in every bite of this gluten-free pumpkin coffee cake!
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❤️ Here's why you'll love this recipe
- Allergen-friendly: It's gluten-free and dairy-free!
- No refined sugar: Sweetening this cake with lower glycemic coconut sugar adds even more caramel flavour.
- Sweet and crunchy cinnamon streusel topping!
- An "anytime" cake: Perfect for brunch, coffee time or dessert! Expect rave reviews at your dessert night or holiday party.
- Easy to make: no electric mixer needed.
You'll find several gluten-free pumpkin recipes to celebrate fall here, like these Creamy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats, Pumpkin Spice Bread, Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Pecan Cookies, Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse for starters!
And of course, our family's favourite Creamy Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake.
And more! All gluten-free, of course.
We all like something sweet from time to time. Snack cakes or coffee cakes are quick and easy to make and don't require an electric mixer.
Topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel and drizzled with caramel sauce, this gluten-free pumpkin coffee cake has been a favourite in our family for years.
🛒 Ingredients
You'll find a complete list of ingredients in the recipe card below. Here are a few notes about the key ingredients for this pumpkin pecan coffee cake.
- flour: Use a combination of finely ground almond flour and tapioca flour to give this cake a light texture and keep it gluten-free.
- pure pumpkin purée: Use canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin purée.
- spices: Pumpkin pie spice mix is very easy to make at home. You'll find the recipe in the Notes section of the recipe card below.
- eggs: Use room temperature eggs so they'll combine easily in the batter.
- sweetener: Coconut sugar gives this cake a lovely caramel flavour. Substitute brown sugar if you'd like.
- coconut oil: Melted and cooled. You can substitute butter if you'd prefer.
- caramel sauce: While drizzling this grain-free pumpkin cake with homemade caramel sauce is not essential, it puts this cake over the top and takes it from coffee time to dessert. So worth it!
🥄 How to make pumpkin pecan coffee cake
- Start by combining the ingredients for the cinnamon streusel topping. Mix them in a small bowl and set aside.
- Be sure to line your baking dish with parchment paper. Leave a little overhanging on the sides. Gluten-free baked goods sometimes stick to the pan. Using parchment paper guarantees that your cake will be easy to remove, and it makes for easy clean-up, too!
- Combine the wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry ingredients in another, then combine the two and gently stir in chopped pecans.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan and crumble the streusel on top.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or almost clean. Don't overbake.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, cut into squares and drizzle with homemade caramel sauce.
😊 Homemade caramel sauce
You'll find complete step-by-step instructions to make caramel sauce in this recipe for Easy Salted Caramel Sauce - Two Ways. It's a deliciously rich sauce, perfect as a cake topping, or on Apple Crisp!
You can either make classic caramel sauce with sugar, butter, and heavy cream, or vegan/paleo caramel sauce with coconut milk and coconut sugar.
👍🏼 Helpful tips to make the best pumpkin coffee cake
- Before you begin to assemble your ingredients, remove the eggs from the fridge to give them a chance to come to room temperature.
- Melt the coconut oil (or butter) then let it stand on the counter to cool before combining it with the remaining ingredients.
- Line your baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal.
🔁 Possible Variations
I don't recommend substituting other ingredients, except for the nuts. Feel free to substitute chopped walnuts or hazelnuts instead.
You can also replace the nuts with raisins if you'd like.
Make a cinnamon-pecan streusel topping for extra crunch! Add ½ cup finely chopped pecans to the streusel mixture.
🥶 Storage and freezing instructions
Store leftovers in a covered container on the counter or in the fridge.
For longer storage, I like to wrap individual squares in plastic wrap, place them in an airtight container, and freeze them for up to 3 months. For more information, see The Best Way to Store Any Cake.
🌟 Did you make this recipe?
When you make this gluten-free pumpkin coffee cake, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! I love hearing from you. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
🔁 More gluten-free cake recipes
- Gluten-Free Banana Coffee Cake with Maple Walnut Streusel
- Flourless Lemon Almond Ricotta Cake with Blackberry Coulis
- Gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Flourless Apricot Almond Cake with Streusel Topping
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour, finely ground
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix, *see Notes
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, gluten-free
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup pure pumpkin purée, not pie filling
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil, or butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Cinnamon Streusel Topping ingredients
- 6 tablespoons almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup homemade caramel sauce for drizzling, (or use store-bought)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make the streusel topping first. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients (except the caramel sauce) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, coconut sugar, pumpkin, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil or butter. Stir well until no traces of flour remain.
- In a medium bowl, combine the finely ground almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and spices.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined.
- Gently stir in chopped pecans.
- Spread in prepared pan. Crumble the streusel topping over the top of the batter.
- Bake at 350°F. for 35 - 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or almost clean. Don't overbake.
- Let cool completely. Drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving.
Notes
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground allspice
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground cloves
Nutrition
This recipe has been a favourite since 2016. It has been updated with new information, new photos and I've tweaked the recipe.
Sean
Not only do the flavours sounds amazing, but I'm very impressed with how you've managed to craft such a hearty, fall-flavoured treat with alternative flours and no dairy! Very intrigued by your coconut-based caramel too. Wonderful recipe(s), and thanks for introducing me to superfine almond flour! I'm always amazed at just how many cool products Bob's Red Mill has.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Sean! Almond flour makes my gluten-free baking so much better! It's much lighter than almond meal.
Dr. Kimberley | Healthy Life Redesign
Holy moly Elaine, this looks absolutely delicious! What a combination....pecans, pumpkin and caramel? Yes please! I'm absolutely loving that it's gluten-free to boot. I am most definitely going to be trying this soon. I'm pinning right now!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks! Yup--this one has it all! 🙂
Cathy
Oh! A nutritious gluten-free cake that doesn't take a ton of almond flour! I love it! I'm trying this one, for sure!
Flavour & Savour
I know just what you mean, Cathy! Sometimes cakes and loaves made with nut flour are just SO heavy! This one uses finely ground almond flour and I was really happy with the result.
Carrie
Well this looks "to die for"!! We are having a house full of people next weekend for the holiday and now I have my breakfast treat! Thanks for sharing.
Flavour & Savour
I hope you make your apple upside-down cake for them, too! 🙂
Kari Peters
This looks like the perfect slice of fall, and that caramel... I really need a piece right now!
Flavour & Savour
This cake makes coffee time super special! It's delicious as a dessert cake, too.