Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Muffin Breakfast Cake is a delicious cake you can serve as a breakfast cake, a brunch treat, or a show-stopping holiday cake. The wheat germ in the streusel topping adds nutty richness. It’s great warm or cold topped with whipped cream.
Mise en place
A Little History
I first made this cake I used the recipe for Fresh Blueberry Muffin Cake in Judy Rosenberg’s *All-Butter Fresh Cream Sugar-Packed Baking Book. When I made it again recently, I thought about other fruits to put in it, and realized since it relies on good cinnamon, that cranberries and Pumpkin spice would make a great swap.
Pumpkin Spice
Every year, in the United States, pumpkin spice is a very popular thing. Starbucks makes pumpkin spice coffee drinks and some customers wonder if there is pumpkin in the coffee – there isn’t, it’s a marketing ploy. But, that warm spice is definitely something to crave as the weather gets cooler heading into fall.
The spice is easy to store, too. Put it in a glass jar and store it in a cool, dry place. You can sprinkle it on toast, use it for desserts, sprinkle it on vegetables like sweet potatoes, add it to chili, or save some money and make your own Pumpkin Spice latte at home!
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is the main ingredient in the spice mix. It’s important to use good quality cinnamon for this. We prefer Vietnamese cinnamon over Ceylon cinnamon because of its strong and spicy flavor – it’s an “in your face” flavor.
Cinnamon has been used for its medicinal values since Ancient Egyptian times to treat inflammation, nerve pain, digestive issues, and respiratory illnesses like the common cold and cough, to assist women with heavy mensuration, and even for embalming pharaohs.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is another powerhouse of flavor. If you like eggnog, you know nutmeg. Nutmeg is the dried seed of the Myristica fragrans tree. The outer part of the seed is used for Mace, another amazing spice.
The best way to use nutmeg is to use the whole seed. Use a *zester to grate the nutmeg. Pre-ground nutmeg is usually made from lower quality seeds and you have no idea how long ago those seeds were ground or how long they were sitting on the supermarket shelf, not to mention the time that it spent in your spice rack. Get the whole seeds, put them in a dark dry place, and they will last a very long time.
Ginger
Ginger is another powerful spice. Use it sparingly because it can easily overpower other flavors. Fresh ginger is wonderful, but for this application, use dried ginger powder.
Ginger is another spice that has been used since ancient times, and is still used today for calming a nauseous stomach. Gingerbread cookies, Asian cuisine, ginger ale all use this versatile root.
Clove
Cloves are the dried aromatic flower buds of the clove tree. You frequently see them used to stud the holiday ham or an onion going into broth. If you have a spice grinder, please, grind your own cloves for this recipe. However, pre-ground cloves will work as well.
Did you know that if you have a tooth ache and can’t get to the dentist in the next 20 minutes that you can put a clove on your gum to dull the pain? Cloves have also been used since antiquity for pain relief.
Allspice
Allspice is the dried unripe berry of the Pimenta tree. It has the flavors of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and black pepper. Because of this the British named it Allspice. It, too, is frequently used in Pumpkin spice. Again, if you have a spice grinder, please use the berries instead of the ground spice.
Like all the other ingredients in Pumpkin Spice, Allspice also has medicinal values and has been used for centuries because of its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Cranberry
For this recipe, use fresh cranberries. Dried and sweetened “craisins” are a tasty snack but would affect the texture of this pumpkin spice cranberry muffin breakfast cake. Cranberries are available in the fall. Get a few bags and freeze them. We like having cranberries on hand not only for Cranberry Jam, but also for Apple Cranberry Sauce and of course, our Spicy Cranberry Sauce.
Wheat Germ Streusel
Personally, I think that wheat germ is overlooked. It has a great nutty flavor and it’s good for you. It’s a “superfood” packed with vitamins, minerals, and protein, and is often added to smoothies, cereals, and baked goods to boost their nutritional value and flavor. I always put it in my Healthy Spicey Meatloaf and in my California Slaw burgers. Wheat germs gives food that extra “umph” of flavor.
For this streusel it works particularly well because it retains its chewiness and makes the streusel that much more satisfying to bite into. Keep wheat germ in your refrigerator so it does not get rancid. It’s good for you and tasty, too.
Serving and Storing the Cake
Serving
This cake is best the day it’s baked, when the cranberries are juicy and the streusel is at its crispiest. I like to serve it warm, straight from the pan, with a pot of coffee or a pot of tea on the table. It’s also wonderful cold topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Storing
If you have leftovers, cover them tightly and keep them at room temperature for two days, or refrigerate for up to four. For longer storage, cut the cake into squares, freeze them on a tray, and then bag them once solid. They’ll keep for up to two months.
FAQ
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes. Frozen cranberries are great to have on hand. I don’t recommend putting them frozen directly in the batter. Let them sit on counter to thaw while the butter and eggs are coming to room temperature.
Can I substitute sour cream or yogurt for the milk?
Absolutely. Both add richness and a little tang. If the batter feels too thick, stir in a splash of milk until it loosens to the right consistency.
What if I don’t have wheat germ?
You can swap in flour, but the wheat germ gives the streusel both flavor and texture. It also adds nutrients you won’t get from flour alone.
Can I bake this in a Bundt pan?
Yes, and it makes a stunning holiday centerpiece. Just grease and flour it thoroughly, bake as directed, and let it cool about 10 minutes before inverting.
Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Muffin Breakfast Cake Recipe
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Pumpkin-Spice Cranberry Muffin Breakfast Cake
Tips from the Chef
Equipment
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Ingredients
~~ Pumpkin-Spice ~~
~~ Cake ~~
- 2 cups *all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 10 tablespoons butter, (1 1/4 sticks), softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups fresh cranberries, (or frozen, thawed)
~~ Streusel Topping ~~
- 8 tablespoons butter, (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons *all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup wheat germ
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
- Mise en place
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Grease a 9 x 12-inch (22.86×30.48 cm) baking pan (or springform, Bundt, or Bundt pan (see notes) lightly with buttered or oil.
~~ Spice ~~
- 3 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon clove, 1/2 teaspoon allspiceMix the pumpkin spice. You will be using it for both the cake itself and the streusel. Store excess spice mix and a closed jar.
~~ Cake ~~
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spiceIn a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- 10 tablespoons butter, 1 1/2 cups sugarCream the butter until it is smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until the butter is light and fluffy.
- 2 large eggsAdd the eggs one at a time, beating all the while.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extractWhen the eggs are thoroughly mixed in, add the vanilla.
- 3/4 cup milkStop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Add about a third of the dry ingredients and about a third of the milk. Beat until mixed then add another third of the flour, and milk. Add a small amount of the flour and the remaining milk. Beat. Add the remaining flour and beat until thoroughly mixed. Stop the mixer.
- 1 3/4 cups fresh cranberriesFold in cranberries gently with a spatula.
~~ Streusel Topping ~~
- 8 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup wheat germ, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spiceIn a food processor, pulse flour, wheat germ, sugars, butter, and pumpkin spice until crumbly (about 10 pulses). Or mix dry ingredients and rub in butter with your fingers.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan.
- Top with the streusel. Spread the streusel as evenly as possible.
- Bake on center rack until the top is starts to brown and a toothpick comes out clean when poking the cake, about 45 minutes.
- Let cake rest 20 minutes before serving. This cake is great warm, but also wonderful cold topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
