Pumpkin Date Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel (Cake Mix Recipe)

Make this easy pumpkin date coffee cake with yellow cake mix, sweet Medjool dates, and a buttery pecan streusel. Light, fluffy, and delicious!

If you love a good old-fashioned coffee cake, you're going to flip over this easy pumpkin date version! It starts with a simple box of yellow cake mix, but you'd never know it from the finished product. This cake is light, fluffy, and filled with sweet bites of Medjool dates. And that buttery brown sugar pecan streusel on top? Oh, my goodness!

A Little Leftover Pumpkin and a Fresh Box of Dates

Sometimes the best recipes come from the simplest things.

Earlier today I was in the kitchen making my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Streusel. They turned out beautifully, but when I finished, I realized I still had half a cup of pumpkin purée left over.

Now, you know me. I don't like to waste perfectly good ingredients, especially when there's a box of cake mix sitting in the pantry.

And as it happened, I had another ingredient calling my name: Medjool dates.

I'd recently gone on a bit of a date-baking adventure, making everything from old-fashioned date nut bread to oatmeal date cookies and muffins. I enjoyed those recipes so much that I ordered more dates, and the new batch arrived just last night.

So there I stood, looking at my leftover pumpkin and my fresh dates, wondering what in the world I could make.

Then it hit me.

What about a pumpkin date coffee cake?

Pumpkin has such a lovely, mild flavor, and dates bring their own rich, almost caramel-like sweetness. I started thinking the two might pair beautifully, especially with a buttery pecan crumble on top.

And since I'd already been working with a doctored yellow cake mix for my muffins, I decided to take a similar approach.

I added a little extra flour, some sour cream, the leftover pumpkin, chopped dates, and a few other ingredients. The batter was initially thicker than I wanted, so I stirred in a quarter cup of milk.

That did the trick!

I spread the batter into my baking dish, covered it with a generous layer of brown sugar pecan streusel, and popped it into the oven.

And friends, I couldn't be happier with the results.

A Coffee Cake That Doesn't Taste Like Cake Mix

I've made a lot of doctored cake mix recipes over the years, but this one really surprised me.

The finished cake was wonderfully light and fluffy, with little pockets of sweet dates scattered throughout. The pumpkin added moisture and a beautiful golden color without overpowering the other flavors.

And the topping!

That buttery mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans baked into a sweet, crisp crumble that was absolutely delicious against the tender cake underneath.

I took one bite and knew this recipe was a keeper.

In fact, if someone had served me a slice without telling me what was in it, I never would have guessed it started with a boxed cake mix.

My only regret? I used an 8×11-inch baking dish instead of a 9×13. The cake rose beautifully and made some very generous slices! Next time I might try a larger pan for a slightly thinner coffee cake.

But as far as flavor and texture go, I wouldn't change a thing.

What Is Pumpkin Date Coffee Cake?

Pumpkin date coffee cake is a tender, lightly spiced cake made with pumpkin purée and chopped dates, then finished with a buttery streusel topping.

Unlike a traditional frosted cake, coffee cake is usually served plain or with a crumb topping. It's perfect alongside a morning cup of coffee or tea, though you certainly don't have to drink coffee to enjoy it.

This particular version starts with a boxed yellow cake mix. A few additional ingredients transform it into something that tastes wonderfully homemade.

The dates add natural sweetness, the pumpkin and sour cream keep the cake moist, and the pecan streusel adds a lovely crunch.

Ingredients You'll Need

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here's a quick glance at what you'll need. These are simple ingredients you might already have in your pantry or refrigerator.

For the Coffee Cake

• 1 box yellow cake mix (13.25–15.25 ounces)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup pumpkin purée
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup chopped Medjool dates

For the Brown Sugar Pecan Streusel

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• Pinch of salt

How to Make Pumpkin Date Coffee Cake

This is a simple and enjoyable process and the result? The most delicious coffee cake ever!

Step 1: Prepare Your Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Grease an 8×11-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easier removal.

Step 2: Make the Streusel

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms coarse, buttery crumbs.

Set aside.

Step 3: Mix the Coffee Cake Batter

In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, additional flour, pumpkin purée, sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.

Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.

Add the quarter cup of milk and stir until the batter is thick but spreadable.

Step 4: Add the Dates

Fold the chopped Medjool dates into the batter, distributing them as evenly as possible.

Step 5: Fill the Baking Dish

Spread the batter evenly into your prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the brown sugar pecan streusel over the entire surface.

Don't press the topping down too firmly. You want those lovely buttery crumbs to remain on top.

Step 6: Bake

Place the dish in the preheated 350°F oven.

Bake for approximately 45–55 minutes, checking for doneness near the end of the baking time.

My coffee cake baked for approximately 48 minutes in an 8×11-inch dish.

The cake is done when the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out without wet batter.

If the topping begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Step 7: Cool and Serve

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

And don't be surprised if you find yourself going back for another piece!

What to Expect

This coffee cake has a soft, light, fluffy crumb with a lovely golden color from the pumpkin.

The chopped Medjool dates add little bursts of chewy, caramel-like sweetness without making the cake overly sweet.

The real star, though, might be that brown sugar pecan streusel. It bakes into a crisp, buttery topping that provides the perfect contrast to the tender cake underneath.

Despite starting with a boxed yellow cake mix, the finished cake tastes homemade.

Variations to Try

There are several ways you could change this recipe to suit your tastes.

Walnut Streusel: Replace the pecans with chopped walnuts.

Extra Cinnamon: Add another half teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter if you prefer a stronger spice flavor.

A Little Orange Zest: Dates and orange are wonderful together. A teaspoon of fresh orange zest might add a lovely brightness.

A Simple Vanilla Glaze: Drizzle cooled cake with a mixture of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Personally, I think the crunchy streusel is sweet enough without it!

Spice Cake Mix: You could experiment with a spice cake mix in place of yellow, reducing the additional cinnamon to taste.

These variations are suggestions and haven't been tested with this particular recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this coffee cake with a yellow cake mix?

Absolutely! That's exactly how I made mine. The extra flour, sour cream, pumpkin, and dates transform an ordinary yellow cake mix into a wonderfully tender coffee cake.

Can I use a 9×13-inch baking dish?

You can try it, though I tested this recipe in an 8×11-inch dish. A larger pan will produce a thinner cake, so begin checking for doneness earlier.

Can I use canned pumpkin?

Yes! Plain canned pumpkin purée works beautifully. You'll only need half a cup.

Can I substitute raisins for the dates?

Raisins could work, though they won't provide quite the same rich, caramel-like sweetness as Medjool dates. I haven't tested that substitution.

Does coffee cake contain coffee?

Usually not! Coffee cake gets its name because it's traditionally served alongside coffee. This recipe contains no coffee.

How should I store leftover coffee cake?

Once completely cooled, store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to five days. Keep in mind that the streusel may soften during storage.

Can I freeze this coffee cake?

Yes. Wrap cooled individual slices tightly, place them in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to two to three months for best quality. Thaw before serving.

More Delicious Recipes to Try

If you enjoyed this pumpkin date coffee cake, I've got several other recipes you might love!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Streusel

These delicious muffins inspired today's coffee cake! They use a similar doctored cake mix approach, but chocolate chips take the place of dates. Both recipes feature a delicious buttery streusel topping.

Easy Peach Coffee Cake with Cake Mix

If you love the convenience of starting with a boxed mix, you'll want to try this fruity coffee cake, too!

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Date Nut Bread

This moist, old-fashioned quick bread is another wonderful way to enjoy the natural sweetness of dates.

Oatmeal Date Cookies with Orange and Pecans

Chewy dates, crunchy pecans, and a hint of orange make these cookies extra special.

Date Night: Delicious Old-Fashioned Recipes with Dates

If you're looking for even more ways to bake with dates, this collection is a great place to start!

Final Thoughts

It's funny how some of my favorite recipes begin with leftovers.

All I had was half a cup of pumpkin purée, a fresh supply of Medjool dates, and an idea that the two might taste good together.

A little experimenting later, I had one of the loveliest coffee cakes I've made in a long time.

It's light, fluffy, sweet, and topped with the most delicious crunchy pecan streusel.

And the fact that it starts with a boxed cake mix?

Well, that's just our little secret.

Happy baking, friends!

Thanks for stopping by! Before you go, please pin some photos to your Pinterest boards. I always love it when folks share my recipes!

Janice Thompson is a professional baker, cake designer, and author with over 20 years of experience creating unique cakes and desserts. She’s the creator of Out of the Box Baking, where she shares her favorite doctored cake mix recipes, tutorials, and baking tips. Learn more →