Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

User Reviews

4.9

111 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    30 mins

  • Cook Time

    30 mins

  • Total Time

    1 hr 15 mins

  • Servings

    8 servings

  • Calories

    833 kcal

  • Course

    Dessert

  • Cuisine

    American

Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

This pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. All the essential pumpkin spice flavors tempered with the creamy coolness of cream cheese frosting. One of my most popular cakes.

I Made This!

83 people made this

Save this

66 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

For the pumpkin cake

  • 2 cups cake flour plus more for the pans
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I mean freshly ground!)
  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for the pans
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

For the maple cream–cheese frosting

  • Two (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese fully softened
  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup preferably grade B amber
Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Make the pumpkin cake

  1. Crank the heat to 350° (175°C) and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
  2. Butter two 8-by-2-inch cake pans and line them with parchment circles cut to fit the pans. Butter the parchment and coat the pan with flour, tapping out any excess. (You can instead spritz the pans with cooking spray for baking, if that's easier for you than buttering and flouring.)
  3. Whisk the 2 cups cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a bowl until well combined. Take a whiff. Heaven.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a good old-fashioned hand mixer on medium speed, beat the 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about ⏲ 5 minutes.
  5. Plop the 2 large eggs, 1 at a time, into the bowl, beating and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and 1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract mixtures to the bowl, starting and ending with the flour.
  6. Scrape in the 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin and beat just until the pumpkin is incorporated and the cake batter is smooth.
  7. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pans, dividing it evenly. Give each filled pan a good smack flat against the counter to release any air bubbles.
  8. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, ⏲ 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for ⏲ 10 minutes. Carefully turn out the cakes from the pans onto the rack, peel off the parchment paper, turn them right side up, and let them cool completely.

Make the maple-cream cheese frosting

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl using a good old-fashioned hand mixer on medium speed, beat the Two (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese, 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, 2 cups confectioners' sugar, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup until fluffy.
  2. To assemble the cake, place a cake layer on a plate or cake stand and generously frost the top of it. Place the other cake on top and frost the sides and top, swirling the frosting like the pro that you are. ☞ TESTER TIP: If the frosting seems a touch on the soft side, slip the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until the frosting is set or, if you notice it before you frost the cake, see our note above the recipe.

Notes

  • Use room-temperature ingredients--It's crucial to use room-temperature ingredients for your frosting to ensure a smooth texture, otherwise, the frosting can be lumpy.
  • Storage--Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • Freezing--The cake and frosting can be frozen separately for up to 3 months. Wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic before freezing and stash the frosting in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before assembling.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Serving 1slice Calories 833kcal (42%) Carbohydrates 102g (34%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 45g (69%) Saturated Fat 26g (130%) Monounsaturated Fat 11g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 171mg (57%) Sodium 513mg (21%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 74g (148%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 833 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 833kcal 42%
Carbohydrates 102g 34%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 45g 69%
Saturated Fat 26g 130%
Monounsaturated Fat 11g 55%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 171mg 57%
Sodium 513mg 21%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 74g 148%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Genuine Reviews

User Reviews

Overall Rating

4.9

111 reviews
Excellent

Write a Review

Drag & drop files here or click to upload