Perfectly moist and soft, filled with all your favorite warm spices, this Pumpkin Cake is an ultimate dessert that rings in the fall season. That luscious cream cheese frosting adds a finishing touch to the cake, making it irresistible in every bite.
Pumpkin cake is like a must-try during the fall season. Then this time of the year rolls around, I start stocking up the canned pumpkin. It was several years ago, until I found a way to make my own pumpkin puree, from the pumpkins I picked from the pumpkin patch.
Well, let’s just skip to the cake. Pumpkin cake is one of the desserts that will easily please the crowd. Packed with pumpkin flavors, along with warming fall spices, this cake is supremely moist, soft, rich and delicious.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, it’s frosted with your favorite cream cheese frosting. Is it enough for you to put on the apron, roll your sleeves up and get started?
WHY THIS IS THE BEST EVER PUMPKIN CAKE?
Why I love this pumpkin cake so much? Not only because it’s a fall dessert (as much as I love fall!) but here are some reasons:
- It’s easy to make
- It’s soft and moist
- It’s perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice (or you can use homemade pumpkin pie spice!)
- It’s frosted with a luscious cream cheese frosting
- Perfect for fall celebrations
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CAKE?
The best pumpkin cake recipe has to have the perfect spice blend. I use a combination of my favorite fall spices – cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves – and add brown sugar to give this moist pumpkin cake the perfect flavor and crumb. The pumpkin cake is so simple to make.
- Start by whisking together your dry ingredients, which helps make sure the spices and baking soda are evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, mix the eggs with the sugars, oil, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Whisk just until combined.
- Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
BAKING PUMPKIN CAKE
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Baking times vary depending on the size of the cake, but usually the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. If the pumpkin cake starts browning too quickly in the oven, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
This cake can be made into 2 layers of 8-inch round pan, but if you want to make it into a 9-inch cake, reduce the baking time to 32-38 minutes. You also can make it a 9 x 13-inch pan with the same baking time or make it a 3 6-inch layer cake with 30-35 minutes of baking.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Here is how to make your favorite cream cheese frosting. Believe or not, cream cheese is pumpkin cake’s best friend 🙂
If you make this Pumpkin Cake, let me know by tagging me on Instagram or tell me all about it in the comments section down below. I love seeing your baking 🙂
More Pumpkin Recipes:
Pumpkin Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, spoon & leveled
- 1 teaspoons x baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg*
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger*
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves*
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8ml) pure vanilla extract
For Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounce (224g/1) full fat block cream cheese (not cream cheese spread), softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Generously butter 2 8-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round sheet of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, both sugars, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until combined and smooth. Add the wet mixture into the flour mixture using a mixer or a whisk and mix just until combined. Don’t overmix.
- Evenly distribute your batter between the cake pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 20 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. You can chill the cake in the refrigerator so they can cool faster.
Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cake cools, make cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, add vanilla extract and beat on high speed until completely smooth. If the frosting is too thin, chill the bowl in the fridge for about 10-20 minutes to thicken.
Assemble The Cake
- To assemble, use a cake leveler or a long-serrated knife to level the tops of your cakes if needed.
- Place the first layer of cake onto a cake stand, then spread an even layer (about 1/2 inch thick) of cream cheese frosting. Spread all the way to edges, smoothing evenly. Repeat with the second layer. Add remaining frosting on the top of the cake, then use a cake scraper to smooth frosting out around edges, making a rustic look. Garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Store cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
No Comments