Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
User Reviews
5
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Description
This pumpkin cake recipe uses either fresh pureed pumpkin or canned pumpkin mixed with eggs, sugar, oil, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt to create a moist, flavorful cake batter. The batter is baked until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, yielding a tender crumb infused with pumpkin and warm spice.
After cooling completely, a frosting made by creaming together room temperature cream cheese and butter is spread over the cake. Sifted icing sugar is added gradually and beaten to achieve a light and fluffy texture. Vanilla extract adds flavor.
The finished cake is drizzled generously with maple syrup, which pools in the swirled frosting, and topped with roughly chopped pecans for texture contrast. This cake works for gatherings and offers a moist, sweet dessert with classic pumpkin spice character.
For better pumpkin flavor, fresh pureed pumpkin is preferred, made by boiling peeled pumpkin chunks until soft. The cake stores well in the fridge for up to five days and should be brought to room temperature before serving. It can also be baked in various shapes including bundt pans or made into muffins with adjusted baking times.
Ingredients
Pumpkin puree options
- 1 2/3 cups pumpkin puree I use this (Note 1, fresh
- 15 oz / 425g pumpkin puree 1 can (Note 1, canned
Other cake batter ingredients
- 4 egg 55-60g/2oz each), at room temperature, large
- 1 2/3 cups white sugar (or caster/superfine sugar, Note 2)
- 1 cup vegetable oil or other neutral flavoured oil, or canola oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour also known as plain flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt Note 3, cooking salt
Frosting
- 6 oz / 180g cream cheese block, at room temperature (Note 4)
- 1 cup / 225g butter softened, unsalted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups icing sugar sifted (Note 5, soft, aka powdered sugar
Finishing
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup maple syrup (don't be shy!)
- 1/2 cup pecans , roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Spray and line a large pan around 9 x 13" / 23 x 33cm with baking paper with overhang. (Note 6)
- Batter - In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Bake - Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack to cool completely (~ 2 hours) before frosting.
- Frosting - Spread frosting on then use the back of a spoon to make swirly dents. Drizzle over maple syrup, concentrating on the dents to create maple syrup pools! Sprinkle with pecans. Then serve.
Frosting
- Cream butter - Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the icing sugar in 3 batches, starting the beater on low after each addition to avoid a snowstorm. Once incorporated, turn the beater up to high and beat for 3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Use frosting immediately.
Notes
- Using fresh pureed pumpkin enhances pumpkin flavor; peel and boil chunks until soft, drain, and puree before measuring.
- Canned pumpkin is a good alternative and widely available, providing convenience without sacrificing taste.
- Sugar amount can be reduced to 1¼ cups for a less sweet cake.
- Use kosher or coarse cooking salt to enhance flavor; if using table salt, reduce quantity to ½ teaspoon.
- For frosting, block cream cheese is preferred; if only spreadable cream cheese is available, increase icing sugar accordingly.
- The cake is versatile and can be baked as a bundt, loaf, or muffins (reduce bake time to ~25 minutes for muffins).
- Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12- 20
Amount Per Serving
Calories 431 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 116g | |
| Calories | 431cal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 52.3g | 17% |
| Protein | 3.4g | 7% |
| Fat | 24.3g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 10.2g | 51% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 348mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 108mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 41g | 82% |
| Vitamin A | 3750IU | 75% |
| Vitamin C | 0.8mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1.3mg | 7% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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