Healthy Slow Cooker Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

©: Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 12 slices

This breakfast cake is pure comfort food! Moist and tender pumpkin cake topped with a thick cinnamon oat streusel… You won’t have any leftovers! But if you do, store them wrapped in foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

for the crumb topping
¾ cup (75g) old-fashioned rolled oats (measured like this and gluten-free if necessary)
¼ cup (30g) whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free* (measured like this)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
for the cake
2 cups (240g) whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 large egg white
1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
1 cup (244g) pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp lemon juice or distilled white vinegar
⅓ cup (80mL) pure maple syrup

Line the inside of a 5-quart slow cooker with foil, and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. If any lands on the rim where the lid rests, wipe clean with a paper towel.
To prepare the crumble, whisk together the oats, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add in the maple syrup and butter, mixing until completely incorporated and no dry bits remain.
To prepare the cake, whisk together the flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg white, and vanilla. Mix in the pumpkin purée. Add in the lemon juice and maple syrup, stirring until fully incorporated. Gradually mix in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
Spread the cake batter into the prepared slow cooker, and sprinkle the crumb topping over the top. Gently press the crumb topping into the cake batter. Cover and bake on “Low” for 2 hours 15 minutes. Turn off the slow cooker, and let the coffee cake cool in the pot for 10 minutes before pulling it out by gripping the edges of the foil. Place on a wire rack, slide the foil out from underneath, and let the coffee cake cool completely to room temperature before serving.

Notes: White whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, or regular whole wheat flour may be substituted in place of the whole wheat pastry flour. If made with regular whole wheat flour, the cake may be a tad bit denser.

Instant oats (also called quick cooking or one-minute oats, and gluten-free if necessary) may be substituted for the old-fashioned oats.

Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

Coconut oil may be substituted for the unsalted butter.

The coffee cake batter isn’t too sweet because it’s meant as a breakfast cake. If you prefer a sweeter taste, increase the maple syrup to ½ cup instead.

GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: For the streusel topping, use certified gluten-free oats, and any gluten-free flour will work except for coconut flour. Do not substitute coconut flour; it makes the topping much too dry. For the cake, use the following gluten-free flour blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.

DAIRY-FREE, EGG-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: Substitute stick-style vegan butter (this is my favorite!) or coconut oil in place of the unsalted butter, and add an additional 3 tablespoons of pumpkin purée to the cake in place of the egg white.

REGULAR OVEN METHOD: Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 9″-square baking pan with foil. Coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes. The cake may need more time to finish baking, but it's done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached and the center feels barely firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes; then lift the cake out by the foil and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

{gluten-free, dairy-free option, egg-free option, vegan option, clean eating, low fat}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2014/10/22/slow-cooker-pumpkin-streusel-coffee-cake/