Nothing says back to school, back to the daily grind, back to the workweek like a tray of this Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake. It’s a brown sugar-infused delight of cake and crumb that calls you into the kitchen from the doorway, requiring you to take a slice, pour a glass of milk, and put an end cap to finish off the hectic marathon of a day. It’s simple and versatile, adapting to whichever season, infusing classic warming spices to compliment the pumpkin in a satisfying way.
FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 - 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
 
FOR THE CAKE:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
 - 3 teaspoons baking powder
 - 1 teaspoon fine salt
 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 - 1/2 ground ground ginger
 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
 - 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
 - 2 cups granulated sugar
 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 - 1 cup buttermilk or milk, room temperature
 
FOR THE VANILLA ICING:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
 - 2 tablespoons milk
 - 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
TO MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×9 square or 9×13 rectangle pan with baking spray and set aside.
 - In a bowl whisk together flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
 - Cut in the small cubes of butter by using a pastry cutter or using your hands, blending the butter into the dry ingredients. Mix until you can form big crumbs, set aside.
 
TO MAKE THE CAKE:
- In one bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, set aside.
 - In another bowl whisk pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and sugar.
 - Add in eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add in vanilla.
 - Add in the dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
 - Pour cake batter into prepared pan and add crumble on top, gently pressing the crumble into the batter.
 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist, not wet crumbs. (For a 9×13 pan check for doneness at 20 to 25 minutes). Let it cool partially before adding the glaze.
 
TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until it’s smooth and lump free. Drizzle onto the still warm crumb cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!