Pumpkin Pecan Cake (Printable Version)
Moist spiced pumpkin pecan cake topped with rich cinnamon cream cheese icing for autumn gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
11 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
12 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin purée
15 - 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, lightly toasted
→ Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
16 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
17 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
18 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula. Do not overmix. Fold in the toasted pecans until evenly distributed.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 32 to 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
06 - Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then beat in the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and smooth.
07 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the cooled cake. Cut into 12 slices and serve.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- The spice blend hits every warm note without overpowering the pumpkin, which I learned after dialing back the cloves from a heavy handed first attempt.
- Cream cheese icing with cinnamon stirred in is the kind of quiet upgrade that makes people ask what your secret is.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter once the flour goes in develops gluten and turns tender cake tough, so treat folding like a gentle conversation rather than an argument.
- I once frosted this cake while it was still warm and watched the icing slide right off into a pool, so patience during cooling is nonnegotiable.
03 -
- Toasting the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for three to four minutes until fragrant takes them from background crunch to the best bite in the cake.
- If your cream cheese is cold and refuses to smooth out, microwave it in ten second bursts, checking between each, because nothing ruins frosting faster than stubborn lumps.