To Prepare the Baking Dish:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. 
2. Butter an 8×8-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two  sides for easy removal.  

To Make the Cinnamon Streusel:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. 
2. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until chunky crumbs form. Leave a mixture of  smaller crumbs and larger, craggy pieces. Set aside.  

To Make the Pumpkin Batter 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger,  and nutmeg. Set aside. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until  smooth. 
3. Add the duck eggs and whisk until completely incorporated. 
4. Add the pumpkin purée, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and evenly  combined. 
5. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold until no  visible streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix. The finished batter should be thick, smooth, and  creamy. 

To Assemble + Bake:

1. Pour the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. 
2. Scatter the cinnamon streusel evenly over the surface. Gently break apart any excessively large  pieces while leaving plenty of substantial crumbs. Do not press the streusel into the batter. 3. Bake for 45–55 minutes, beginning to check the cake around 45 minutes. The cake is finished when the center is set, springs back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center  comes out without raw batter. A few moist crumbs are ideal.

4. If using an instant-read thermometer, the center of the cake should register approximately 200– 205°F. If the streusel is sufficiently browned before the center has finished baking, loosely tent the  pan with aluminum foil.  

To Cool the Cake:

1. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. 
2. Using the parchment overhang, carefully lift the cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling  rack. Cool completely before cutting or glazing. The moist pumpkin crumb will continue to set as  the cake cools.  

To Make the Vanilla Glaze

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.  

To Cut + Finish

1. Using a large, sharp chef’s knife, cut the completely cooled cake into 9 squares, wiping the blade  clean between cuts for neat edges. 
2. Lightly drizzle the squares with vanilla glaze, leaving most of the cinnamon streusel visible. 3. Allow the glaze to set briefly before serving. 

Notes:

1. Duck eggs give this coffee cake an especially rich, tender crumb.  
2. Use 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.  
3. This coffee cake is intentionally moist. A toothpick may have a little moisture or a few tender crumbs  when the cake is finished, but it should not have wet batter clinging to it. Avoid over baking, which can  diminish the cake’s soft texture.  
4. Keep the glaze light so the cinnamon streusel remains visible and retains its texture.  5. The cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store it tightly covered at room temperature and add the vanilla  glaze before serving.  
5. Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. For  longer storage, individually wrap the squares and freeze for up to 2–3 months. Bring refrigerated cake  to room temperature before serving for the best texture. 

Recipe creation: Coffee and Champagne