Description
A moist and delicious pumpkin cake topped with a rich cream cheese frosting sweetened with maple syrup and garnished with chopped pecans. This easy and forgiving recipe perfectly balances the warm flavors of cinnamon and pumpkin with a creamy, fluffy frosting, making it an ideal dessert for fall or any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups fresh pumpkin puree
- 15 oz / 425g canned pure pumpkin (1 can)
- 4 large eggs (55-60g/2oz each), at room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups white sugar (or caster/superfine sugar)
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil (or other neutral flavored oil)
- 2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp cooking / kosher salt
Frosting Ingredients
- 6 oz / 180g cream cheese (block, at room temperature)
- 1 cup / 225g unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pecans (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Spray and line a large pan around 9 x 13″ / 23 x 33cm with baking paper ensuring there’s an overhang for easy removal.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree until smooth. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, mixing well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely, approximately 2 hours, before frosting.
- Prepare and apply frosting: In a bowl, beat together the soft cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and sifted icing sugar until light and fluffy. Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake.
- Decorate: Use the back of a spoon to create gentle swirly dents in the frosting. Drizzle the maple syrup over the cake, focusing on the dents to form maple syrup pools, then sprinkle the roughly chopped pecans over the top.
- Serve: Slice and serve the pumpkin cake, enjoying its moist texture combined with the creamy, sweet frosting and nutty crunch.
Notes
- This recipe uses both fresh pumpkin puree and canned pure pumpkin for the best flavor and texture.
- You can substitute white sugar with caster or superfine sugar for smoother mixing.
- Use cooking or kosher salt to balance the sweetness in the cake.
- Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature so it blends smoothly into the frosting.
- Sift icing sugar before mixing to avoid lumps and create a silky frosting.
- Use a baking pan approximately 9 x 13″ / 23 x 33cm and line it with baking paper for easy cake removal.
- This recipe yields a generous amount of fluffy frosting; adjust the quantity if you prefer less.
- The cake is best served after cooling completely and frosting for optimal texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 116 g
- Calories: 431 kcal
- Sugar: 41 g
- Sodium: 348 mg
- Fat: 24.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 10.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52.3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 67 mg
