Pumpkin Pecan Cake (Printable Version)
Moist spiced pumpkin pecan cake with luscious cinnamon cream cheese icing — the perfect autumn dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Pumpkin Pecan Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
08 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
11 - 1 cup vegetable oil
12 - 4 large eggs
13 - 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
14 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
15 - 1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
→ Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
16 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
17 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
18 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
20 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
21 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan, ensuring even coverage on all surfaces.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Stir the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract into the wet mixture until smooth and uniform in color.
05 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
06 - Gently fold the toasted chopped pecans into the batter, distributing them evenly throughout.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula for an even surface.
08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should spring back lightly when touched.
09 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before applying the icing. This prevents the frosting from melting.
10 - Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
11 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the fully cooled cake using an offset spatula or butter knife.
12 - Optionally garnish with pecan halves or a light dusting of ground cinnamon. Slice into 12 portions and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crumb stays impossibly moist for days thanks to oil and pumpkin working together, so you can bake it a day ahead without any worry.
- That cinnamon cream cheese icing is the kind of thing people will scrape off the serving plate with a spatula when they think nobody is watching.
02 -
- I once frosted this cake while it was still slightly warm and watched the icing slide right off the edges like a slow avalanche, so patience truly matters here.
- Using pumpkin pie filling instead of plain puree will make the cake overly sweet and throw off the spice balance in ways you cannot fix.
03 -
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for three to four minutes, shaking constantly, until you can smell them from across the kitchen.
- Sift the powdered sugar even if the bag claims it is pre-sifted because hidden clumps will ruin the smoothness of your icing at the worst possible moment.