Pumpkin-Pecan Coffee Cake

Grab the cup of coffee, sit back, relax and forget the world for a few minutes.  This recipe is from Southern Living and is a favorite now in our house.  Just the amazing smells of the holidays will bring your loved ones to the breakfast table.  It did mine!  Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Pumpkin-Pecan Coffee Cake

Batter Ingredients

• 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
• 1 ⅓ cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
• ⅔ cup whole buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 ⅓ cups (about 14 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• Baking spray with flour

Topping

• ¾ cup (about 3 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup softened unsalted butter
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions for the Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl after each addition. Add pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla; beat until blended, about 1 minute.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and nutmeg in a large bowl until completely combined. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in mixer, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.

Generously coat a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Spread Batter evenly into baking pan.

Directions for the Topping

Stir together flour, light brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until mixture is combined and looks wet. Using hands, squeeze mixture into clumps; stir in pecans, and sprinkle evenly over Batter.

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour and 5 minutes, covering with aluminum foil during last 10 to 15 minutes of baking time to prevent overbrowning, if needed. Let stand 20 minutes before serving, or cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour.