This is the time of year where I buy a can of pumpkin every time I walk into the grocery store, whether I want to or not. Call it an addiction; call it an inability to turn down a two for one sale. But somehow, at this juncture, my life is always overflowing with pumpkin. It’s a good problem to have, especially because it encourages me to do things like bake this pumpkin streusel loaf.

This “loaf,” which is honestly more like a cake, came together out of my craving for pumpkin and streusel. I love pumpkin bread in the fall. It’s an orange-red color I can’t resist; the crumb is dense and moist (I hate that word…but there’s no way to avoid it here); and it makes my whole apartment smell better than a pumpkin spice candle. I usually just do a very simple version and throw in some chocolate chips if I’m feeling creative, but today, it was streusel or the highway.

I’m so happy I decided to do it. The streusel adds a little crunch and texture to an otherwise one-note cake. I’m not saying the original is bad, but streusel sets it over the edge. It’s little crumbles of buttery, sugary goodness that melt in your mouth at the same time as the loaf itself. Basically, they’re little flavor sprinkles.

I ate a piece of this with a mug of Earl Grey tea, and I forced myself to wait for the tea to be done brewing before I started eating the cake. As soon as I took my first bite, I completely ignored the tea and devoured the cake. It was just the right amount of sweet, with comforting spice, crunchy pearls of streusel, and a melt-in-your-mouth crumb. I almost started crying eating it, which is a testament to how good it is. Then I dropped a huge piece of streusel on the floor and…I ate it. I wish I could say I was sorry.

Here’s a song and playlist to get you started on your pumpkin streusel loaf journey. The song came on right at the end of my walk today and I thought, “whoa, I haven’t heard this in a while.” Then, when I went to search for it while I was baking, Spotify pulled up all the songs I like with a variant of “talk,” which ended up being one of the best impromptu playlists I’ve ever created. It made me think about many things, including how talk is cheap, and also this song, which reminded me of the time I chased Bad Bad Hats down The Wharf in Washington, DC to get their autograph.

Pumpkin Streusel Cake

Ingredients

for the loaf:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice (alternatively, you can use 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1½ cups all-purpose flour

for the streusel:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, and spray the paper. Set it aside.

Beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer until it’s completely combined, about a minute. Beat in the pumpkin puree and eggs, beating well after each addition. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin pie spice or individual spices if you’re using those, the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined. DO NOT overmix. Spread the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and set aside.

To make the streusel, combine the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. Mix together with a sturdy spoon until everything is completely combined and the mixture looks like wet sand. Drop handfuls of the streusel on top of the mixture in the pan, evenly covering the surface.

Bake the loaf for about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few wet crumbs. Let it cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy!