Pumpkin Pecan Cake (Print Version)
Spiced pumpkin cake with toasted pecans and luscious cinnamon cream cheese icing for fall gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Batter
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
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan, ensuring even coverage on all sides and the bottom.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, and melted cooled butter together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée, mixing until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the toasted chopped pecans.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 32 to 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack before applying the icing.
07 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, then beat in the ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt until the icing is fluffy and smooth.
08 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the completely cooled cake. Cut into 12 squares and serve. Optionally, sprinkle an additional 1/2 cup of chopped pecans over the icing for extra crunch and presentation.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crumb is impossibly tender thanks to the oil in melted butter and the moisture from pumpkin, and it stays that way for days wrapped on the counter.
- That cinnamon cream cheese icing is the kind of thing you will catch yourself eating straight from the bowl with a spoon at midnight.
- It looks like you spent all day on it, but the whole thing comes together with one bowl and a spatula, no fancy technique required.
02 -
- The cake must be completely cool before you spread the icing, because I learned the hard way that warmth turns cream cheese frosting into a runny mess you cannot fix.
- Do not overmix once the flour goes in, because a few gentle folds yield a cake so tender it practically melts, while aggressive stirring builds gluten and leaves you with something dense and chewy.
03 -
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for about four minutes, shaking the pan frequently, because that brief heat transforms them from background crunch into something fragrant and almost buttery.
- Sift the powdered sugar even if you are in a hurry, because a single lump in the icing will stare at you from every slice you serve.