A delicious Pumpkin Coffee Cake that is baked in the slow cooker with little to no work? Yep! That exists. And it’s moist, fluffy, topped with an irresistible pecan streusel and drizzled with maple glaze! If you weren’t excited that fall is here, I bet that now you are!

(This post is sponsored by Crock-Pot®. All opinions are my own!)

Freshly baked pumpkin coffee cake with pecan streusel and maple glaze.

Oh, fall! My favorite season!

Beautiful foliage, pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, sweaters, boots and the wonderful smell of something baking in the oven.

It is also the time of year when your oven’s real estate is at a premium. Want to bake a cake? Ha! Get in line. The turkey and the roasted potatoes got here before you!

Except… what about my slow cooker? Could I… bake in this thing?

I won’t deny it: I was skeptical!

But the results were so incredible that I’ve been making this cake in the slow cooker even when my oven is free.

Yes, you will have to wait longer to enjoy your cake. But you also don’t need to stay home babysitting it. Go enjoy a crispy autumn walk and come back to a rewarding slice of pumpkin coffee cake!

A slice of slow cooker pumpkin coffee cake.

Can I bake in my Crock-Pot slow cooker?

We all know that the slow cooker is the ultimate appliance for people who love convenience! And who doesn’t love a hearty stew or soup that cooked for 8 hours and filled your home with joyful smells?

But can we bake in it? Bread? Cake? Cinnamon Rolls? 

As stated above, yes, you can!

It is a great asset to have for when everybody is competing for oven space, but also helpful in the summer, as it will produce baked goods without heating up your kitchen!

I’ve been using my Crock-Pot® 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carryâ„¢ Slow Cooker to bake and make desserts a lot lately! I’ve made flan, cheesecake and coffee cakes. Next up, I’m thinking of trying to make bread.

I love that it is not only large but also portable! It has a locking lid that helps you carry it to your final destination without making a mess. Plus, the removable oval stoneware can double as a serving dish!

If you’re looking to buy a slow cooker, I highly recommend this one!

Ingredients to make pumpkin coffee cake in the slow cooker.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Coffee Cake

  • Pumpkin puree
  • Pumpkin spice
  • Sugar
  • Vegetable oil
  • Eggs
  • Salt
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
Ingredients to make pecan streusel

Ingredients for Pecan Streusel

  • Brown sugar
  • Flour
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Cold butter
  • Pecans
Ingredients to make maple glaze

Ingredients for Maple Glaze

  • Powdered sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Maple syrup
How to make crockpot pumpkin coffee cake

How to make Pumpkin Coffee Cake in the Slow Cooker

Ready to make this ridiculously easy coffee cake? 

Don’t be intimidated by the number of steps! They are all very simple and foolproof. And, remember, if push comes to shove, you can always just make the cake and omit the streusel topping and the glaze.

Just kidding! Why would you do that? The streusel and the glaze take this cake to a whole new level!

Steps to make pecan streusel.
Steps to bake in the slow cooker.
Drizzling glaze over cake.
  1. Start by making the pecan streusel topping. Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
  2. Add the cubed cold butter to the flour mixture.
  3. Using your finger tips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it is the texture of coarse sand.
  4. Add the chopped pecans.
  5. Stir to combine. Reserve.
  6. To make the pumpkin coffee cake, combine the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, oil, salt, sugar and eggs in a bowl.
  7. Whisk until smooth.
  8. Sift the flour into the bowl. Sifting the dry ingredients ensures that all the clumps are broken up so you don’t end up finding a pocket of dry flour in your cake!
  9. Sift in the baking powder.
  10. Stir gently, being careful not to overwork the batter, until smooth.
  11. Pour the batter into the insert of your Crock-Pot slow cooker, lined with parchment paper.
  12. Top the batter with the reserved pecan streusel topping and bake at the high setting for 2.5 to 3 hours. Time will vary according to your slow cooker.
  13. Prepare the maple glaze by whisking all the ingredients until smooth. Add more maple syrup or more powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency.
  14. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and enjoy!
Slow cooker Pumpkin coffee cake

Tips and tricks to successfully bake in your slow cooker

  • Choose the best size and shape slow cooker for baking. For cakes, I find that the 6-quart models are the best option! If you’re planning on baking straight in the slow cooker – like I did with this cake – an oval slow cooker is the way to go. However, if you want to be able to fit a (1 or 2-quart) round baking dish, then you should consider a round model.

  • Some slow cookers heat unevenly. That is usually not a problem for dishes like soups and stews, but can be an issue when you are baking! Once you’ve baked in your slow cooker, you will get to know it better. If you find that one side always gets darker than the rest of the cake, just rotate the insert halfway through the baking time.

  • I like to line my slow cooker with parchment paper, with a little overhang up over the sides, to make it easier to lift the cake out when done.

  • Once you’re ready to bake, cover but let the lid slightly ajar. Doing this allows condensation to escape instead of dripping on your cake. If doing that doesn’t work, you can also loosely cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment paper to catch any drips.

  • Do not open the lid until you’re ready to check for doneness.

  • Allow the cake to cool in the slow cooker for at least 10 minutes. Then, use the parchment paper to lift it and transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling.

Can I bake Pumpkin Coffee Cake on low?

Unfortunately, that won’t work. It’d be great to be able to prepare it the night before and wake up to freshly baked coffee cake, wouldn’t it?

But it would take a long time to bake, resulting in a dry cake.

How long does coffee cake last?

Coffee cake can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 2 days. If you don’t plan on eating it all within this timeframe, you can refrigerate it for up to one week.

Can you freeze coffee cake?

Yes. To freeze, wrap it tightly with foil or plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. It will keep well for up to 3 months.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Yield: 6 to 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

A delicious Pumpkin Coffee Cake that is baked in the slow cooker with little to no work? Yep! That exists. And it’s moist, fluffy, topped with an irresistible pecan streusel and drizzled with maple glaze!

Ingredients

For the Pecan Streusel Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the Pumpkin Coffee Cake

  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted

For the Maple Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  1. To make the pecan streusel topping: whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.
  2. Add the cold butter cubes and ,using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter), work the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse sand.
  3. Add the chopped pecan and mix to combine. Reserve.
  4. To make the pumpkin coffee cake: In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin purée, oil, pumpkin spice, salt, sugar and eggs until smooth.
  5. Add the sifted flour and baking powder. Using a spatula, stir until smooth and no pockets of dry flour can be found. Do not overwork the batter!
  6. Line the insert of your slow cooker with parchment paper, making sure to extend the paper up over the sides.
  7. Pour the batter into the slow cooker, top with the reserved streusel, cover (with the lid slightly ajar) and bake on high for 2.5 to 3 hours. Start checking at the 2.5 hours mark, as the time will vary depending on your slow cooker.
  8. Once a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean, your cake is ready. Remove the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then, lift the parchment paper with the cake and transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling.
  9. To make the maple glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup in a small bowl. You might need to add more sugar or syrup to achieve the desired consistency.
  10. Once cake is cool, drizzle the glaze over it.
  11. Enjoy!

Notes

  • This recipe was tested in a 6-quart oval slow cooker.
  • Keeping the lid slightly ajar allows the condensation to escape instead of dripping on the cake. You can also set a loose parchment paper piece on top of the cake to catch any drips. However, if your cake still ends up a little damp on some parts, don't worry! The glaze will hide it all!
  • Leftovers will keep well, if stored in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 524Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 242mgCarbohydrates: 90gFiber: 3gSugar: 57gProtein: 7g

Nutritional values are approximate, please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

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