This Brown Butter Pumpkin Crunch Cake is everything I want in a fall dessert. It’s soft, incredibly moist, full of pumpkin and warm spices, made with nutty brown butter, and finished with a thick layer of cinnamon sugar that bakes into the most amazing crunchy, crackly topping.
This cake takes inspiration from two of my favorite recipes, my Brown Butter Banana Snack Cake and Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread. It has the soft, moist texture of a simple snack cake with all the cozy pumpkin flavor you want this time of year, plus that crunchy cinnamon sugar topping that makes it hard to stop at just one piece.
It’s made in an 8×8 pan, requires no frosting, and is the perfect easy fall baking recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Brown Butter Pumpkin Crunch Cake
The brown butter. Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty, almost caramelized flavor that works so well with pumpkin, brown sugar, and warm spices.
It’s incredibly moist. Pumpkin purée, sour cream, oil, and brown butter keep the cake soft and moist without making it heavy or overly dense.
That crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. A generous layer of cinnamon sugar goes over the batter before baking and turns into the most delicious crackly crust in the oven.
No frosting necessary. As much as I love frosting, this cake truly doesn’t need it. That crunchy cinnamon sugar crust is the topping.
It’s easy. Everything comes together quickly and bakes in one 8×8 pan. This is exactly the kind of simple dessert I want to make all fall long.
The Secret Is the Brown Butter
If you’ve never browned butter before, don’t let it intimidate you. It’s simply butter that’s cooked until the milk solids toast and turn golden brown.
Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat and let it melt. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, as the butter foams and bubbles. Eventually, you’ll start seeing little golden brown flecks forming at the bottom of the pan and the butter will smell incredibly nutty.
Once those flecks are a deep golden brown, immediately remove the butter from the heat. Brown butter can go from perfectly toasted to burnt pretty quickly, so keep a close eye on it toward the end.
And make sure you scrape all of those little brown bits into your mixing bowl. That’s where so much of the flavor is!
The Crunchy Cinnamon Sugar Topping
This is what really makes this cake. Instead of frosting the cake after it cools, the batter gets covered with a thick layer of cinnamon sugar before it goes into the oven. Don’t swirl it into the batter or press it down. Just sprinkle it evenly over the entire surface and leave it alone.
As the cake rises and bakes, the cinnamon sugar creates a crackly, crunchy crust while the pumpkin cake underneath stays incredibly soft and moist. You get a little bit of that cinnamon sugar crunch in every bite.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. You want 100% pure pumpkin for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices and will change the finished cake.
Don’t skip the sour cream. It adds moisture and richness and helps give the cake that super soft texture.
Use a metal baking pan. This recipe is developed for an 8×8 inch metal baking pan. Glass conducts heat differently and can affect both the baking time and texture.
Don’t skimp on the cinnamon sugar. It may look like a lot when you sprinkle it over the batter, but that’s exactly what you want. This isn’t supposed to be a light dusting. We want a thick, crunchy layer on top.
Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients, gently fold everything together just until you no longer see streaks of flour.
Don’t overbake it. Start checking the cake around 32 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Let it cool before slicing. The cake will continue to set as it cools, and the cinnamon sugar crust will have a chance to firm up.
How to Store Brown Butter Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because that crunchy cinnamon sugar topping is one of the best parts, I prefer keeping it at room temperature when possible. The moisture from the refrigerator can cause the topping to soften over time.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! This is a great cake to make the day before you plan to serve it. Let it cool completely, then cover it well and store it at room temperature. The pumpkin and spice flavors are just as delicious the next day.
Can I Add Chocolate Chips?
You definitely can, but I love this version exactly as it is. Leaving out the chocolate chips lets the brown butter, pumpkin, warm spices, and crunchy cinnamon sugar topping really shine. If you’re looking for something a little more chocolatey, try my Mini Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread because it’s loaded with mini chocolate chips!
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re in full pumpkin baking mode, here are a few more favorites to try:
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread
- Mini Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Spice Donut Muffins
- Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies
This Brown Butter Pumpkin Crunch Cake is soft, moist, packed with pumpkin and warm fall spices, and topped with a thick cinnamon sugar crust that gets crunchy and crackly as it bakes. The brown butter gives it an extra layer of rich, nutty flavor, and the best part is that there’s absolutely no frosting required.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup salted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup full fat sour cream
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily lift the cake from the pan once cooled. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the butter to a light colored saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring frequently. It will begin to bubble and foam as it cooks. Continue stirring for about 4-5 minutes, scraping along the bottom of the pan, until the foam begins to subside and small golden brown bits form on the bottom. Once the butter smells rich and nutty and is golden brown, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it, including all of the browned bits, into a large mixing bowl. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the brown butter and whisk until combined. Add the pumpkin purée, egg, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and sour cream. Whisk until smooth and completely combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold together with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar generously and evenly over the entire surface of the batter. Do not press it down or swirl it in. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Begin checking around 32 minutes to avoid over baking. Allow the cake to cool in the pan before using the parchment paper to lift it out. Slice into squares and enjoy!