Pumpkin makes cakes soft and tender with a glowing orange colour in a way nothing else can! This Pumpkin Cake is perfectly spiced and comes with a tangy cream cheese frosting. The only thing that could make it better? Maple syrup. So I added it!
Pumpkin cake
This is a pumpkin cake recipe for people who want:
an easy, foolproof recipe (just wait until you see how simple it is!);
a cake with excellent pumpkinness* that’s not overwhelmed by the use of excessive store-bought spice mixes;
a crumb that’s springy, soft and moist, rather than tight/dense or airy/delicate (like angel cake);
a big cake to feed lots of people without the deft required to cut tall layer cakes into 16 tiny slivers; and
a cake with excellent frosting-to-cake ratio. Specifically, a cream cheese maple frosting. A dreamy combination with pumpkin!
So if all that sounds good to you, read on!
* I am not sure that’s a word but it seems fitting here.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Cake
Here’s what you need to make this cake.
Pumpkin puree options
I use fresh because it tastes better and takes 8 seconds to puree. Plus, canned pumpkin isn’t readily available here in Australia. 🙂 But canned works perfectly fine!
Canned pumpkin is a convenient option if you can get it and it works perfectly for this cake. But if you use pureed fresh pumpkin, you’ll be rewarded with a better tasting cake! It’s just a plain fact that freshly cooked pumpkin tastes better than something that’s been sitting in a can for months / years. Yes, we made and compared them side by side. 🙂
Use what works for you!
To make your own pumpkin puree, just boil chunks of pumpkin for 10 minutes or until very tender. Then blitz – it literally takes 8 seconds.
Pumpkin cake batter
Here are the other ingredient you need for the batter:
Flour – Plain / all-purpose flour. Self raising flour (also called self-rising flour) will work but it won’t rise as much. I haven’t tried this cake with gluten-free flour.
Oil – Any neutral flavoured oil like canola and vegetable oil. Using oil instead of butter keeps this cake moist. Why? Because butter firms up at room temperature whereas oil does not. So cakes made with oil are more moist. However, the trade-off is that butter tastes better than oil. In this cake, we’ve got other flavours at play here – the pumpkin and cinnamon. So I don’t miss the butter!
Baking powder – This is what makes the cake rise. As a side note, the original version of this cake used a combination of baking soda and baking powder. However, over the years, I’ve found that using only baking powder gives the cake a softer crumb. Plus, we cut out one ingredients. 🙂
Cinnamon – Flavour! Classic combination with pumpkin.
Sugar – Regular white sugar, or caster sugar / superfine sugar.
Large eggs at room temperature, which means eggs that are 55-60g/2oz each sold in cartons labelled “large eggs”. They need to be at room temperature, not fridge cold, so they blend into the ingredients better. More information on the right eggs for baking here!
Salt – Just a touch, to bring out the other flavours in this cake. Standard baking practice these days. 🙂
Cream cheese frosting
There is no better frosting for pumpkin cake! Here’s what you need:
Cream cheese – use BLOCK, not the spreadable cream cheese in tubs (too soft). If you can only get the spreadable cream cheese, add extra icing sugar to correct the consistency.
Softened unsalted butter – softened but not super soft / borderline melting.
Icing sugar aka powdered sugar – 🇦🇺 Australia, use soft icing sugar, NOT pure icing sugar (which is used for things like royal icing ie sets hard).
Vanilla extract – For flavour.
Maple syrup – UGH, forgot to put it in the photo! This is for drizzling on top. I wanted to put it in the frosting but it made the frosting too loose.
How to make Pumpkin Cake
WHY CAN’T ALL CAKES BE THIS EASY???!!
Whisk wet – Whisk the eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin puree.
Add dry – Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt then whisk until combined. Batter. Done!
Bake in a 23 x 33 / 13 x 9″ lined pan (or thereabouts) at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced) for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. See the video for my easy way to line the pan!
Frosting – While the cake is cooling, make the frosting! Just beat the cream cheese and butter for a minute on high until creamy. Then add the icing sugar (powdered sugar) in 3 batches, starting the beater on low to avoid a snowstorm. Once it’s incorporated, crank the beater up to high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the frosting is fluffy!
Slather the frosting on the cooled cake, and use the back of a spoon to make swirly dents for maple syrup to pool in.
Drizzle with maple syrup, as much as you want / dare, then sprinkle liberally with roughly chopped pecans.
And now it’s time to dig in!
Making this cake might be the best decision you make in October. It’s totally straight forward. Your kitchen will smell amazing. It’s big enough to share with those you deem worthy.
And that moment when you take the first bite of that soft cake loaded with beautiful pumpkin flavour, mingling with that tangy cream cheese frosting mixed with rivers of maple syrup and the littering of soft pecans….
I challenge you to stop at one piece. (Even if you cut yourself a very, very big one). – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Fresh or canned pumpkin? I’m in the fresh camp!
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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin puree options
- 1 2/3 cups fresh pumpkin puree , I use this (Note 1)
- 15 oz / 425g canned pure pumpkin , 1 can (Note 1)
Other cake batter ingredients
- 4 large eggs 55-60g/2oz each), at room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups white sugar (or caster/superfine sugar, Note 2)
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil (or other neutral flavoured oil)
- 2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp cooking / kosher salt (Note 3)
Frosting
- 6 oz / 180g cream cheese block, at room temperature (Note 4)
- 1 cup / 225g unsalted butter , softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted (Note 5)
Finishing
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup maple syrup (don't be shy!)
- 1/2 cup pecans , roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat 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 with overhang. (Note 6)
- Batter – In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Bake – Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack to cool completely (~ 2 hours) before frosting.
- Frosting – Spread frosting on then use the back of a spoon to make swirly dents. Drizzle over maple syrup, concentrating on the dents to create maple syrup pools! Sprinkle with pecans. Then serve.
Frosting
- Cream butter – Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the icing sugar in 3 batches, starting the beater on low after each addition to avoid a snowstorm. Once incorporated, turn the beater up to high and beat for 3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Use frosting immediately.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published in November 2016. Recipe slightly improved (I now only use baking powder as I find it makes the cake rise more evenly), recipe writing improved (I’ve come a long way in 7 years!), sparkling new photos and a brand new video with me IN it!
More pumpkin recipes
Life of Dozer
Today – visiting a local community garden just a few minutes from home called Happy Hens. What an extraordinary oasis! 100% volunteer run in a beautiful location by the water, filled with an abundance of herbs and vegetables. Everyone is welcome – so locals, drop by to see it and say g’day! Might even see you there. 🙂 ~ Nagi & Dozer xx
And from the original publication date in 2016:
a) Cruel
b) Cute
c) Funny
d) All of the above
This pumpkin cake is a huge hit at our place. Swap out pumpkin for bananas, pears, berries, anything really and bake in a loaf tin. You get a perfect pumpkin-banana-pear-whatever bread each time.
This is such a comfort food! Just a delicious combo. I’ve also made it out of sweet potato and followed everything else exactly. It was just as delicious!
To Chef JB: Just to let you know, I tried it with a normal gluten free plain flour, and simply added 1 tsp of xanthum gum. It was a HUGE hit for Thanksgiving!! I made two in the sheet pans, stacked them with frosting in-between and on top. Worked a treat for 18 people with leftovers! I did it with tinned pumpkin, but will try with fresh next time. MANY thanks!
This recipe went down a treat as a cake and as muffins. However, the pumpkin flavour was very, very subtle, perhaps because I used butternut pumpkin? Besides that, it was very well received.
This cake is very moist and absolutely delicious. I’ve made it twice now and everyone loves it. We have substituted the walnuts for crushed peanuts due to allergies and it works nicely. The frosting is amazing I could just eat that with a spoon! I did only add 1 cup of sugar to the frosting though.
Can I make it as a layer cake? Want it for our 45th wedding anniversary
I have never tried pumpkin cake before but what I just made is one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten! So moist. I used walnuts instead of pecans. The maple syrup really elevates all the other flavours. I give this recipe 6 out of 5 stars. I used a Kent pumpkin too. What a winning recipe. Xx
I made with fresh pumpkin and it was delicious. I only made it with 1/4 of the icing to reduce sugar but still awesome and kids loved it 🤩
Fabulous so glad i found you. X
I made both a cake version and a muffin version (12 large baked for close to half an hour) and both were delicious. I reduced the sugar to 1 1/3 cups and that is just right for me when there’s some sweetness on top. For the cake I used a maple cream cheese icing recipe from Sweet (Ottolenghi and Goh) which I love. I was taking the cake on the road and wanted a one and done topping for it. For the muffins I used a sprinkle of brown sugar and chopped walnuts, which paired nicely. Love the recipe and it will replace my usual pumpkin loaf recipe. This has a much nicer texture – not so stodgy – and still a good pumpkin flavour (I used 1 2/3 cups canned).. It kept well – though too delicious to be around long (3 days), and very quick and easy to put together. Thanks for a new fall favourite Nagi!
I’m confused. How much total pumpkin am I using ? Ounces-wise ?
Is it either or on the directions, or fresh AND canned. Or are we talking both ?
The pumpkin puree options are either/or.
Best pumpkin cake I’ve made.
Provided it for morning tea and it feeds a crowd, everyone enjoyed it. Thanks Nagi
I made this with gluten free flour. Turned out absolutely lovely. Will definitely make again.
I just made the pumpkin cake recipe. WOW! I honestly do not care for pumpkin but with the maple syrup and cream cheese frosting its going to be a staple for Thanksgiving!
I made it .. wow so delicious the family love it, yum! Thankyou for your great recipes.
Yet another perfect recipe from Nagi! No joke the entire office has the book and we only use your recipes.
As far as the videos I completely disagree with the previous comment someone made.
We LOVEEEE seeing Nagi on the screen. For far too long we wanted to feel the human connection that comes through in your writing… now we actually see you on the screen! Yay!
Delicious!!!! I scaled it down so i could make it into a loaf tin, l used pepitas on top as l didnt have nuts. I will definately make it again, thanks Nagi
Hi there
I agree with your comments, I too have made this delicious cake..one thing you can add to the topping of pepitas is finely cut chunks of bright yellow dried Apricots..not too many just a sprinkle..saw this in a shop yesterday as a topping for carrot cake. It would look super on this Pumpkin cake.
I also made with fresh pumpkin..superb cake!
Deb
I made this for a work potluck today and had to share the recipe with many coworkers. It was a huge hit!
I used locally grown pumpkin and the flavor was incredible.
This is incredible! Made for a party and everyone loved it! I used fresh pumpkin. I only drizzled a little maple syrup on the top. I had additional syrup on the side for people to add more. I also put the pecans on the side in case someone has an allergy. Definitely will make it again.
I’ve made it. OMG!!! Delicious!! 😋This is definitely a make again recipe. I wish I could submit a picture of it. It looks almost like yours 😉
Thank you, Nagi