I just love a crumb cake. There’s something about that layer of buttery, sweet, and a touch salty streusel that just sets my mouth to watering.
And the first day of fall is the perfect opportunity to start talking about those cool weather desserts with pumpkin, right? Well, I combined the two into this quick, easy, and super delicious Caramel Pumpkin Crumb Cake. And y’all… it’s crazy delicious!
And this ain’t no thin little layer of streusel, either. Just look at it! No, we’ve got a thick, dense layer of crumbs – which is my favorite part. Now, don’t get me wrong… That pumpkin cake layer is delicious – and with only 3 ingredients – crazy easy! But it’s that streusel that makes this dessert super special. (And I have been known to eat a piece of this for breakfast!)
When it comes to the caramel in this recipe, it comes in the form of a drizzle right on top of the cake when serving. I opted to go for a jarred, pre-made caramel sauce. While it’s pretty easy to make, there are some super delicious and affordable options in the store these days – from the run-of-the-mill ice cream topping (which is what I used) to some high-end, small batch caramel sauces – so I figured I’d save myself a few steps and grab a jar when I picked up the other ingredients. The truth is that this cake is perfect without it, but the caramel adds a little more sweetness and some great flavor. You can skip it, but I wouldn’t.
My personal preference is to serve this cake slightly warm. I’ll even zap a piece in the microwave for about 12 seconds to warm it up a bit. Either way, I know y’all are going to love it!
Easy Caramel Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box spice cake mix
- 1 (15-ounce) can canned pumpkin
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 jar caramel sauce (I used caramel ice cream topping.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, and eggs for about 2 minutes. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared dish.
- Make the crumb topping by whisking the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in the butter, stirring with a fork, until a crumb forms and all of the butter has been added. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the cake batter.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool, then slice and drizzle with the caramel sauce before serving.
Tess says
This looks YUMMY! It’s similar to one I have made in the past… I will definitely be giving this a try soon and let you know how much we LOVED it! 🙂 Thanks for all your recipes… 🙂
Stacey says
You’re so welcome! Hope you’ll enjoy this one, too!
Judy says
Way too much flour, salt and butter, and not like any crumb topping I have ever tasted, making the dessert more savory than sweet. Truly not edible and a waste of ingredients. I’m wondering if you actually made this yourself, or just posted the recipe. I’m usually a big fan, but this was a huge miss.
Stacey says
Wow, Judy. To be a “big fan” this comment seems pretty catty. I absolutely made the recipe, many times in fact. That’s part of the testing process that every recipe goes through on my site. It’s also how I got the pictures. When you say too much flour, butter, and salt… are you referring to the crumb topping or the cake? I’m having a hard time understanding how 1 cup of brown sugar would leave this recipe tasting savory in any way.
Judy says
I apologize if my comment came across as “catty” or unkind, as that wasn’t my intention. I think that the ratio of flour to brown sugar is way off. With my first bite of cake, the flour and salt in the crumb topping were overpowering. When I tried to salvage the cake by scraping off the topping, I found that a lot of the butter had permeated the cake while baking, leaving a greasy taste and residue in my mouth. The cake had to be pitched, which was a total waste of ingredients. I thought that perhaps there was a mistake in the transcription of the recipe, and further thought that you might like to be aware, as the publisher, and possibly appreciate the feedback. Not all recipes are hits, and not all reviews are positive. It’s nothing personal. I actually save more of your recipes than anyone else’s.
Stacey says
As I said before, it was tested multiple times, but mistakes do happen. I’m certainly not above testing it again and will do just that soon. I, of course, want all my recipes to be hits. Thanks, Judy!