Autumn calls for cozy flavors, and this Pumpkin Cake is a perfect way to embrace the season. Made with pumpkin puree, warm spices, and a brown butter cream cheese frosting, this cake brings all the comforting fall vibes to your table.
Jump to:
Why you will love this pumpkin cake recipe
Perfect texture: With both oil and melted butter, the cake achieves a tender, moist crumb that stays soft for days.
Classic fall flavors: A blend of cinnamon and nutmeg enhances the pumpkin, making each bite taste like fall.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: The nutty, caramel-like flavor of brown butter paired with tangy cream cheese makes this frosting heavenly delicious.
Ingredients you will need
Sugar: Use a 50/50 mix of brown sugar and white granulated sugar.
Vanilla extract
Butter: Use unsalted melted butter (or brown it before mixing with the rest of ingredients!).
Oil: Use a neutral vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower oil.
Eggs: Three large eggs at room temperature.
Pumpkin puree: I use homemade Pumpkin puree, but canned puree, like Libby’s, works well too.
Flour: Either all-purpose flour or cake flour will work in this recipe. Cake flour will make a softer, more tender cake.
Salt
Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg: Alternatively, you can add ¼ teaspoon of clove or a teaspoon of pumpkin spice.
Baking powder
Brown butter frosting: Be sure to check out my Brown butter frosting recipe for detailed tips and cooking advice.
Cooking tips for perfect pumpkin cake
Brown your butter: Browning the butter for the frosting adds an extra layer of complexity and richness. Let it turn golden and develop a nutty aroma, but be careful not to burn it.
Room temperature ingredients: Using room-temperature ingredients helps create a smoother cake batter without overmixing.
Don’t overmix the cake batter: Gently fold in the dry ingredients to keep your cake fluffy and tender.
Looking for more easy and delicious cake recipes? Check out these Flourless chocolae cake, this Apple crumb cake, or this decadent Castella cake.
How to make easy pumpkin cake
Preparing the cake
Preheat your oven to 160C (320F) and line two 7-inch cake pans with parchment paper for easy removal. I usually line the bottom of my pans as well as the sides.
In a large mixing bowl, combine both white and brown sugars, vegetable oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
Add the eggs and mix well. Then, whisk in the pumpkin puree.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Carefully fold these dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake light.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack. If making ahead, wrap cooled cakes in plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
Making the brown butter cream cheese frosting
Melt the butter in a light-colored pan over medium-low heat, Stir occasionally until the butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma.
Once browned, immediately pour the butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process.
Prepare a larger bowl filled with ice and a bit of water to create an ice bath. Place the bowl with browned butter in this larger bowl.
Whisk the butter with a metal whisk (or use a hand mixer for it) until the butter becomes pale and fluffy.
Remove the bowl with whipped butter from the ice bath and add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is fully incorporated.
Add the cream cheese and whip until the frosting is smooth and holds its shape well.
Assembling the cake
Place the first layer on a serving plate and spread a generous ⅓ of the frosting on top.
Add the second layer, then apply a crumb coat (a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides) to trap any loose crumbs. Chill for 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight for a firmer structure.
After chilling, apply a final layer of frosting. For a rustic semi-naked look, leave parts of the cake exposed and use remaining frosting to pipe decorations on top if desired.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors meld.
Storing tips
Stored in the fridge, this pumpkin cake stays fresh for 4 days. You can also freeze the cake layers (without frosting) for up to two months.
Recipe card
Pumpkin cake
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Saucepan
- 3 Mixing bowl
- Whisk or a hand mixer
- 2 7” (17-18cm) round cake pans
Ingredients
- 100 g white granulated sugar
- 100 g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 80 g unsalted butter melted (or you can brown it)
- 80 g vegetable oil such as canola oil
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 250 g pumpkin puree
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
For the frosting
- 250 g butter unsalted
- 110 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 500 g cream cheese at room temperature
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 160C (320F). Line the bottoms and sides of two 7-inch (17 cm) cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until fully incorporated.
- Add the pumpkin puree and whisk again until fully combined.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans until they are safe to handle. Then, place each cake layer upside down on a cooling rack to cool completely. If assembling the cake the next day, wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
For the brown butter frosting
- Melt the butter in a light-colored pan over medium-low heat, Stir occasionally until the butter turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma.
- Once browned, immediately pour the butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process.
- Prepare a larger bowl filled with ice and a bit of water to create an ice bath. Place the bowl with browned butter in this larger bowl.
- Whisk the butter with a metal whisk (or use a hand mixer for it) until the butter becomes pale and fluffy.
- Remove the bowl with whipped butter from the ice bath and add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is fully incorporated.
- Add the cream cheese and whip until the frosting is smooth and holds its shape well.
Assembling the cake
- Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread ⅓ of the frosting on top, creating an even layer. Place the second layer on top.
- Apply a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) on the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight if assembling the next day. In this case, keep the remaining frosting in a sealed piping bag in the refrigerator.
- Once chilled, apply the final frosting and decorate to your taste. I went for a semi-naked look and used the rest of the cream for piping decorations on top of the cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve.
Leave a comment