Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake with Brown Butter Streusel

Cake:

• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated or cane sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 cup (232g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) 
• 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream - room temp
• 1 1/2 cups + 1 tbsp (188g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground pumpkin spice powder

Pecan Streusel:

• 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pecans

Salted Maple Icing (*double measurements for extra icing):

• 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
• 1-2 TBSP maple syrup
• 1-2 TBSP milk or heavy cream till desired consistency
• pinch flaky sea salt

1. Brown the Butter
   You’ll need browned butter for both the streusel and the cake. You can brown the butter separately for each component, or you can brown the total amount all at once and then divide it. Browning everything at once saves time, but it requires a little more focus and careful measuring afterward. (See notes below on how to brown and divide the butter.)
2. Make the Streusel First
   In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir in the cooled brown butter until crumbly, then fold in the pecans. Chill the streusel for 15 minutes while you prepare the cake.
3. Prep the Oven
   Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease or line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
4. Make the Cake Batter
   In a large bowl, beat the browned butter (113g) and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and sour cream, mixing until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined — don’t overmix.
6. Assemble & Bake
   Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle with half of the chilled streusel, then repeat with the remaining batter and the rest of the streusel.
7. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the Icing
   While the cake bakes, whisk together all the icing ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake. Optional: If doubling the icing, drizzle a little extra over each slice right before serving for an extra pop of salted maple flavor.

*Notes:

How to Brown Butter (Step-by-Step)

Browning butter is the heart of this recipe — it transforms the flavor from simple to unforgettable. Here’s how to do it without mistakes:

1. Melt: Place your butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. (A silver pan helps you see the color change better than a dark one.)
2. Foam: The butter will melt, then foam, then bubble. Stir often with a silicone spatula to prevent burning.
3. Speckles: After 5–7 minutes, golden brown speckles (milk solids) will form on the bottom. The butter will smell nutty, like toasted hazelnuts.
4. Done: Once the liquid is amber-golden and the speckles are a shade darker, remove from heat immediately — it can burn quickly at this stage.
5. Cool: Pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking.

Dividing the Brown Butter:

• You’ll need a total of 169g (¾ cup) browned butter for this recipe:
  • 113g (½ cup) for the cake
  • 56g (¼ cup) for the streusel
• Brown all 169g (¾ cup = 1 ½ sticks) of butter at once, then weigh or measure out into two bowls. A third of the browned butter goes to the streusel mix and two-thirds go to the cake batter.