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The last Sunday of October, my mother baked the first pumpkin crunch cake of the year, and my brother asked her the same question he asked every fall: is this a pie or a cake? She never answered him. She just cut him a square. Pumpkin crunch cake is a smooth spiced pumpkin custard poured into a big pan with no crust at all, covered with a buttery crumble and chopped pecans, and baked until the top turns crisp and golden. It is served cold, in squares, with a spoon of whipped cream, and the corner pieces go first because they carry the most crunch.
Most versions you will find online scatter a box of dry cake mix over the pumpkin. My mother never did, and once you have tasted a real crumble on top you will not go back. The one thing that decides whether this dessert is a crunch or a soggy layer is how you build that crumble: cold butter, a little oats for structure, and a short spell in the freezer before it goes on. Here is how to keep the crumble crisp on top of the pumpkin, from the first square to the last.
Why this pumpkin crunch cake works
- A real custard bottom. Pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar and spice bake into a smooth pumpkin pie filling that slices clean once it is cold.
- A homemade crumble. Flour, sugar, oats and cold butter rubbed together make a top with real crunch and a buttery flavor no box can give.
- Frozen crumble. Ten minutes in the freezer keeps the butter in little pieces, so the topping bakes crisp instead of melting into the pumpkin.
- Pecans on top. Scattered over the crumble, the pecans toast in the oven and add a second kind of crunch.
- A long chill. Two hours in the refrigerator sets the custard firm, and the crumble stays crisp against the cold filling.
Ingredients
Makes one 9x13 inch pan, about 15 squares. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the pumpkin layer
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 can (12 ounces, 354ml) evaporated milk
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crunch topping
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (45g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small cubes (170g)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (115g)
To serve
- Whipped cream
Use plain pumpkin puree, which is only cooked pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spice in it and will make the custard too sweet.
How to make pumpkin crunch cake
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment leaving the ends hanging over for handles.
- Make the topping first. In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, oats, baking powder and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size lumps of butter left. Put the bowl in the freezer while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs until smooth.
- Whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt and vanilla until no lumps of sugar remain.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan and set the pan on the oven rack before topping it, so nothing spills on the way.
- Take the crumble from the freezer and scatter it evenly over the pumpkin, all the way to the edges. Do not press it down. Scatter the chopped pecans over the crumble.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and crisp and the pumpkin layer is set at the edges with only a slight wobble in the very center.
- Cool in the pan on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the pumpkin layer is completely set.
- Cut into squares with a sharp knife and serve cold, with a spoon of whipped cream on each.
Tips that make the difference
- Keep the butter cold. If your kitchen is warm, cube the butter and chill it before you start.
- Leave lumps in the crumble. Pea-size bits of butter make crisp pockets; a sandy mix bakes flat.
- Do not press the topping into the pumpkin. Scattered loose, it stays on top as the custard sets around it.
- Cut it cold. Warm pumpkin layer slumps; a chilled one gives clean squares with a crisp lid.
Variations
- Walnut crunch. Use chopped walnuts in place of the pecans.
- Caramel drizzle. Drizzle warm caramel sauce over each square just before serving.
- Sweet potato. Use the same weight of mashed baked sweet potato in place of the pumpkin.
- Smaller pan. Halve every ingredient and bake in an 8 inch square pan for 40 to 45 minutes.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The crumble softens a little after the second day but stays good.
To crisp the topping again, warm a square in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, then chill it before serving.
Pumpkin crunch cake can be frozen in squares, wrapped well, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep the topping crunchy?
Use cold butter, leave pea-size lumps in the crumble, freeze it for 10 minutes before it goes on, and scatter it loosely without pressing. Store the cake uncovered for the first hour in the refrigerator so steam does not soften the top.
Is pumpkin crunch cake a pie or a cake?
It is a little of both: a crustless pumpkin pie filling on the bottom and a buttery cake crumble on top. In our family the question was never settled.
Can I use a cake mix for the topping?
Many recipes do, but a homemade crumble with oats bakes crunchier and tastes of real butter. It takes five minutes with your fingers.
How do I know it is done?
The topping is deep golden and the pumpkin is set at the edges, with only a slight wobble in the very middle. It firms up completely as it chills.
Serve it cold, give the corners to whoever asks the most questions, and let them decide for themselves whether it is a pie or a cake.
Pumpkin Crunch Cake from Scratch (Pumpkin Pie Bottom, Crisp Pecan Crumble Top)
Old-fashioned pumpkin crunch cake made from scratch: a spiced pumpkin pie custard baked in a 9x13 pan under a buttery homemade crumble and chopped pecans, baked at 350 degrees until crisp and golden. No cake mix.
Ingredients
- 1 can
- 1 can (12 ounces, 354ml) evaporated milk
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment leaving the ends hanging over for handles.
- Make the topping first. In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, oats, baking powder and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size lumps of butter left. Put the bowl in the freezer while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs until smooth.
- Whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt and vanilla until no lumps of sugar remain.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan and set the pan on the oven rack before topping it, so nothing spills on the way.
- Take the crumble from the freezer and scatter it evenly over the pumpkin, all the way to the edges. Do not press it down. Scatter the chopped pecans over the crumble.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and crisp and the pumpkin layer is set at the edges with only a slight wobble in the very center.
- Cool in the pan on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the pumpkin layer is completely set.
- Cut into squares with a sharp knife and serve cold, with a spoon of whipped cream on each.
