Step by step

Method

4 steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch pan. Whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon salt.

2. 2

   In another bowl, whisk 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup oil, ¾ cup sugar, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Fold the wet into the dry just until no dry flour streaks remain — a few small lumps are fine; overmixing makes a tough cake. Spread evenly in the pan.

3. 3

   Make the streusel: rub ½ cup flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 4 tablespoons cold butter together with your fingers until it looks like chunky wet sand with pea-sized bits. Scatter it evenly over the batter.

4. 4

   Bake 40–48 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter) and the streusel is golden. Cool in the pan at least 20 minutes before slicing so it sets. You want a moist pumpkin crumb under a crunchy cinnamon streusel — not a dry dense brick or a gooey underbaked center.