Pumpkin Pecan Cake (Print version)
Spiced pumpkin cake with toasted pecans and luscious cinnamon cream cheese icing for fall entertaining.
# What goes in:
→ 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
# Cooking steps:
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, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly distributed. 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, mixing until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the toasted pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 32–37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before icing.
06 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Mix in the cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt, then continue beating until the icing is fluffy and spreadable.
07 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the completely cooled cake. Cut into 12 slices and serve.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- The spice blend hits every warm note without overpowering the pumpkin, which is a balance most recipes completely miss.
- That cinnamon cream cheese icing is the kind of thing you will catch yourself eating straight from the bowl with a spoon.
02 -
- I once tried to ice this cake while it was still slightly warm and the entire top layer slid right off onto my counter, which is a mistake you only make once.
- Discovering that toasting the pecans in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding them to the batter was a genuine game changer that took this cake from good to memorable.
03 -
- Bring every cold ingredient to room temperature before starting because even a slightly chilled egg can cause the batter to curdle and look broken.
- The single biggest secret to this icing is beating the cream cheese and butter together for a full two minutes before adding any sugar, which creates a silkier final texture than you thought possible.