This Pumpkin Coffee Cake is one of my absolute favorite treats and traditions for fall! It has all the taste and texture of a classic coffee cake but made with a pumpkin fall-inspired twist. And, of course, I had to sneak in cottage cheese, too! Blended smooth with the pumpkin, it keeps the cake incredibly soft and tender without adding any cottage cheese flavor. Plus it adds protein! I love to make this ahead of time for a protein-forward breakfast or as an afternoon sweet treat. Pair a slice with a pumpkin spice chai latte, and you’ll feel like you’re at a fancy café (truly)!

Higher-Protein Pumpkin Coffee Cake

This pumpkin coffee cake was inspired by my Easy Cottage Cheese Coffee Cake, which I consider my base coffee cake recipe. My family has been SO obsessed with it recently, so I knew I had to make a pumpkin version, too! I wanted to keep the higher-protein theme while adding even more warm spices and pumpkin goodness for a fall-inspired flavor.

With cottage cheese, pumpkin, oats, and almond flour, this version has a little more staying power than an average coffee cake while still feeling like a treat. And the streusel might just be the best part! I layer it through the middle and over the top, so you get buttery, cinnamon-spiced crumbles in every slice. Add the maple cottage cheese icing, and it’s a cozy fall breakfast I know I’ll be making all season long!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect Fall Flavor – Pumpkin purée, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice give every bite plenty of warm, comforting fall flavor. Then, the maple icing adds the perfect finishing touch, taking this coffee cake over the top.
Satisfying Texture – The cake itself stays super soft and moist, and the streusel layer and topping add a crumbly contrast that’s truly addicting.
A Little More Nourishing – Cottage cheese adds extra protein, while oats and almond flour give the cake a little extra fiber to make it more filling.
Super Easy – With simple, foolproof steps, this recipe is perfect for both beginner bakers and baking pros. Just blend, mix, layer, and bake!

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Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Coffee Cake cut into squares.

Ingredients

Streusel

Flour – I use a combination of all-purpose flour and almond flour (opens in a new tab) to give the streusel a crumbly consistency. If you need to keep your pumpkin coffee cake gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the regular all-purpose flour.
Rolled Oats – These contribute to the crumbly texture. Don’t substitute quick oats or steel-cut oats! They won’t bake the same. Use certified gluten-free oats if gluten is a concern.
Spices – Salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice (opens in a new tab) give the streusel a warm, spiced flavor that ties in with the flavor of the cake.
Light Brown Sugar – This adds sweetness and moisture that contributes to the crumbly consistency.
Unsalted Butter – This adds flavor and helps combine the ingredients.

Cake

Flour – All-purpose flour forms the base of the cake batter. Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour if needed.
Baking Powder
Spices – Pumpkin pie spice (opens in a new tab), cinnamon, and salt give the cake batter the same warm, spiced flavor as the streusel.
Light Brown Sugar
Cottage Cheese (opens in a new tab) – I recommend using full-fat cottage cheese for the best taste and texture. Low-fat options won’t be quite the same.
Pumpkin Purée – Make sure to use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling! The only ingredient on the can should be pumpkin.
Vanilla
Eggs
Avocado Oil (opens in a new tab) – This adds moisture without altering the flavor of the cake. Canola oil or vegetable oil will also work, but I prefer avocado oil for a boost of healthy fats.

Icing

Cottage Cheese (opens in a new tab) – This forms the base of the icing, blending into a smooth consistency. Full-fat is best!
Maple Syrup – This adds sweetness, subtle maple flavor, and helps create a drizzly consistency.
Pumpkin Pie Spice (opens in a new tab)

Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Coffee Cake Ingredients.

How to Make Pumpkin Coffee Cake

With the pretty topping, this recipe looks like it would be complicated to make, but I promise it’s SO easy! You’ll need a blender (opens in a new tab), a few mixing bowls, a square baking pan (opens in a new tab), and a wire rack. Here’s how to make Pumpkin Coffee Cake with cottage cheese:

Prepare the streusel – Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, add the melted butter and pinch everything together to form clumps.
Combine the cake ingredients – Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend the cottage cheese, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until smooth. Then, pour the mixture over the dry ingredients, add the remaining wet ingredients, and mix just until no streaks remain. The batter will be thick!
Layer – Pour half the cake batter into a prepared cake pan, spreading it out in an even layer. Sprinkle half the streusel mixture evenly on top. Then, add the remaining batter, followed by the rest of the streusel.
Bake – Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the top is lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool – Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Add the icing – Blend all the icing ingredients until smooth. Then, drizzle the mixture over the cooled cake, slice, and enjoy!

Tips

Blend the cottage cheese until smooth. Take your time blending to remove all the curds. Otherwise, the cake batter will be lumpy!
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until everything is combined to help the coffee cake stay soft and fluffy. The batter will be very thick, so switch to a rubber spatula if needed. Overmixing will cause the cake to turn out dense and tough, which we definitely don’t want!
Keep an eye on the oven. Every oven bakes differently. So, keep a close eye on your coffee cake, and remove it as soon as the center is set.
Prevent browning. If the top begins to brown too quickly, tent the pan with foil and continue to bake until the cake is set.
Let the cake cool completely. Give the coffee cake at least an hour to cool before adding the icing. Otherwise, the icing can melt right into the warm cake instead of creating a pretty drizzle on top.

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Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Coffee Cake on a plate.

Variations

Include chocolate chips. Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter for a little extra sweetness and chocolate flavor.

Add nuts. Mix chopped pecans or walnuts into the streusel for even more crunch.

Skip the icing. The coffee cake is plenty flavorful on its own, so feel free to leave off the maple cottage cheese icing for a less sweet option. Or you can just melt white chocolate chips with a little coconut oil for a drizzle!

Add extra crunch. Sprinkle pepitas over the streusel before baking for a seasonal finishing touch.

How to Store

Store leftover pumpkin coffee cake (with the icing) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let individual slices sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving, or enjoy them chilled. You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months! If freezing, I recommend omitting the icing until just before serving to prevent the cake from becoming soggy.

Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Coffee Cake