If you have leftover cranberry sauce after the holidays, make this fluffy Pumpkin Cranberry Coffee Cake. It’s a tender pumpkin-spiced cake layered with zippy cranberry sauce and finished with a buttery cinnamon streusel. Simple to prepare and perfect for brunch, it transforms leftovers into something everyone will love.
This recipe is a twist on cranberry muffins and is an easy way to use up whole-berry or pureed cranberry sauce—homemade or store-bought both work well. The finished cake looks impressive while staying quick to make.
Grab your cranberry sauce and meet me in the kitchen!
Fluffy Pumpkin Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake
This recipe makes an 8×8 coffee cake—slice into 9 large pieces or 16 smaller servings. Below the recipe you’ll find tips for baking success and answers to common questions about cranberry sauce and pumpkin choices.
Fluffy Pumpkin Cranberry Coffee Cake
Equipment
- Light-colored 8×8 square baking pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree (180 grams)
- ½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk (whole milk preferred)
- 1 large egg
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice blend (optional)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup whole-berry or pureed cranberry sauce
Cinnamon Coffee Cake Streusel
- 4 TBSP unsalted butter (¼ cup), melted
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (80 grams)
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar (100 grams), packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a light-colored 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Set the milk, egg, and cranberry sauce out to come to room temperature.
Make the Streusel
- Start the streusel first so it has a moment to dry slightly.
- Melt the butter.
- In a small bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
- Pour the melted butter over the mixture and use a fork to combine until it forms small crumbs.
Prep Cake Batter
- In a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin, egg, oil, milk, vanilla, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- In a separate bowl whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently until evenly incorporated. Batter should be thick with a few small lumps; avoid overmixing.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
- Dollop spoonfuls of cranberry sauce evenly over the batter and spread into a thin layer. A little mixing with the batter is fine; add extra sauce if you prefer a jammier filling.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top.
Bake
- Place the pan on the center oven rack and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes.
- Begin checking for doneness around 40 minutes. Insert a toothpick about 2 inches from the edge; it should come out with moist crumbs but not raw batter.
- If using a dark nonstick pan, start checking 10–15 minutes earlier since dark pans bake faster.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan. Flavors improve as it cools. Slice into 9 or 16 portions and serve.
Notes
Nutrition facts are estimates for 9 large squares using an online calculator. If you cut 16 smaller slices, each will be lower in calories—around 250 kcal per smaller piece.
Nutrition
Calories: 440 kcal, Carbohydrates: 67 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 18 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Sugar: 40 g, Sodium: 275 mg
New to baking? Here are some Tips!
Weighing flour and sugar by grams yields the most consistent baking results. A small digital kitchen scale is one of the best tools you can add to your kitchen.
If you don’t have a scale, use the fluff/spoon/scrape method to measure flour: fluff the flour in the container, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with a knife—don’t pack it down.
The material of your 8×8 pan affects bake time. Avoid glass because it heats unevenly and can cause edges to overcook before the center is done. Light-colored aluminum or aluminized steel pans bake evenly and are often best for cakes and cookies. Dark nonstick pans brown faster and may need reduced bake times.
Q: What kind of cranberry sauce should I use?
Whole-berry or blended cranberry sauce works great. Avoid the jellied, can-shaped type. Both homemade and store-bought cranberry sauces are fine—use whichever you prefer or have on hand.
Q: What kind of pumpkin should I use?
Canned pumpkin puree from major brands works consistently. Homemade pumpkin puree can have more water and may change the texture of the cake, so if using homemade, consider draining or reducing excess moisture.
Q: Can I use something other than avocado oil?
Yes. Any mild-flavored baking oil such as canola or vegetable oil will work in this recipe.
Looking for more ways to use leftover cranberry sauce? Here are a few favorite ideas and recipe suggestions with similar flavors and easy preparation.
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Recipes
Cranberry Cheesecake Streusel Bars
Cranberry Goat Cheese Log with Walnuts, Pecans, and Parsley
Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups
Cranberry Dip
I also love a cinnamon walnut cranberry cream cheese spread for bagels, crackers, and sandwiches—it’s great on so many things. If you try this Fluffy Pumpkin Cranberry Coffee Cake, please leave a comment or review. I’m always grateful to hear how it turned out for you!