Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Swirl

This gluten-free pumpkin coffee cake brings together spiced pumpkin cake, vanilla cream cheese and a buttery cinnamon topping. Follow the ingredient weights and visual cues below, then use the recipe card for the full method.

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A pumpkin cake made for sharing

This gluten-free pumpkin coffee cake layers a moist pumpkin sponge around a pale vanilla cream cheese filling, then finishes with a cinnamon streusel. A square pan makes it easy to portion for a weekend baking project or an autumn dessert table.

Coffee cake describes a cake to enjoy alongside coffee; there is no coffee in this batter. Pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice provide the flavour. The three components are mixed separately before being assembled in the pan.

Prepare the pan and ingredients

Use a nine-inch square pan lined with parchment, leaving enough overhang to lift the cake after it has cooled slightly. A different pan changes the depth of the layers and can alter the baking time, so avoid treating every tin as interchangeable.

Choose plain canned pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling. The filling version already contains sweeteners and seasoning. Keep the eggs, milk and cream cheese at room temperature as specified so the mixtures combine smoothly.

Make a crumble that stays in pieces

The streusel begins with gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and xanthan gum where needed. Rub cold cubed butter into this mixture with your fingertips. Stop when you have both fine crumbs and larger pea-sized clumps.

A completely smooth paste will not create the same topping. Keep the streusel aside while preparing the filling and batter, and scatter it evenly rather than pressing it down into a solid lid. Its golden colour is one of the baking cues.

Layer the cream cheese neatly

Mix the cream cheese with sugar and cornstarch before adding the yolk and vanilla. This order makes it easier to smooth out lumps. You need a spreadable filling, not a whipped topping or a frosting added after baking.

Spread half the pumpkin batter over the lined base, then the filling, leaving a small border around the edge. Dollop on the remaining batter and spread carefully so it covers the filling. This produces a creamy layer inside the cake rather than a decorative swirl only on the surface.

Bake and lift without breaking

Bake at 350°F / 180°C for about fifty minutes. The streusel should be evenly deep golden, and a cake tester should not bring out wet batter. Check the centre as well as the edges because the filling affects how the middle sets.

Let the cake stand until warm before lifting with the parchment. Hot cake is delicate and can crack if moved too early. A sharp knife gives clearer portions; wiping the blade between cuts helps keep the cream cheese layer visible.

Questions about substitutions

This recipe uses a plain gluten-free flour blend. Coconut flour and almond flour cannot replace that blend gram for gram. If the blend contains xanthan gum, omit the extra gum listed for that component of the recipe.

The eggs and dairy contribute to both the cake and the filling. An egg-free or dairy-free version needs its own tested formulation. If you prefer a rolled pumpkin dessert, our pumpkin roll with cream cheese uses a different sponge technique.

How to store the cake

Refrigerate the cake in a covered container for three to four days. The crumble gradually softens as it absorbs moisture from the cake and surrounding air. Serve a portion warm or at room temperature according to your preference, keeping the rest refrigerated.

Gluten-free ingredient checks

Read packaged ingredient labels and protect the preparation area from gluten cross-contact. For an explanation of packaged gluten-free claims in the United States, see the FDA guide to gluten-free food labeling. This recipe is not automatically free from other allergens.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Swirl recipe card

Emma Collins

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Swirl

A spiced pumpkin cake with a vanilla cream cheese layer and a buttery cinnamon crumble topping.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 portions

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cinnamon streusel

• 120 g plain gluten-free flour blend
• 75 g light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum; omit if the blend contains it
• 75 g cold unsalted butter cubed

Cream cheese filling

• 225 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
• 25 g granulated sugar
• 5 g cornstarch
• 1 large egg yolk room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pumpkin cake

• 325 g plain canned pumpkin puree
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 110 g neutral oil
• 60 g whole milk room temperature
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 240 g plain gluten-free flour blend
• 1 1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum; omit if the blend contains it
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Method

 

1. Heat a conventional oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a 9-inch / 23 cm square pan, leaving parchment overhang.
2. For the streusel, mix its dry ingredients. Rub in the cold butter until you have a mixture of small crumbs and pea-sized clumps.
3. For the filling, stir cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Mix in the yolk and vanilla.
4. Whisk the pumpkin, both sugars, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla together. Separately combine the flour, raising agents, xanthan gum, salt and spices. Whisk the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until smooth.
5. Spread half the pumpkin batter in the pan. Add the cream cheese filling in an even layer, leaving a roughly 1/2-inch / 1 cm border. Cover with the remaining batter.
6. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Bake about 50 minutes, until deeply golden and a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Let the cake cool until warm before lifting it from the pan. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Keep covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The crumble softens during storage.

GLUTEN-FREE NOTE
Use a suitable gluten-free blend and baking powder; prevent cross-contact. Contains eggs and milk. Coffee cake is a cake to serve with coffee; no coffee is needed in this batter.

Time fields are estimates. Follow the detailed baking range and allow additional time for cooling or setting as directed. Egg sizes refer to US large eggs.

Find more published bakes in the DayTasty recipe index, or contact our editorial team with a question.