Pumpkin Pecan Cake (Printable)
Moist spiced pumpkin pecan cake with luscious cinnamon cream cheese icing — a perfect autumn dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Pumpkin Pecan Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - ½ cup brown sugar, packed
11 - 1 cup vegetable oil
12 - 4 large eggs
13 - 1½ cups pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - 1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
→ Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
16 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
17 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
18 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
21 - Pinch of salt
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Stir the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract into the wet mixture until smooth and homogeneous.
05 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet batter until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
06 - Gently fold the chopped toasted pecans into the batter, distributing evenly throughout.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula for an even layer.
08 - Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through for even browning.
09 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before applying the icing.
10 - Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
11 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the completely cooled cake. Optionally garnish with pecan halves or a light dusting of cinnamon before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cinnamon cream cheese icing is the kind of frosting people will scrape off the pan with a spatula when they think nobody is watching.
- Pumpkin keeps this cake incredibly moist for days, which means it actually tastes better on day two.
- It looks like you spent all afternoon on it, but the batter comes together in one bowl with zero fuss.
02 -
- Frosting a cake that is even slightly warm will cause the icing to slide right off into a puddle, so let it cool completely with no exceptions.
- Pumpkin puree holds a lot of moisture, which means this cake stays wetter than most and needs a full 45 minutes to set properly in the center.
03 -
- Toasting the pecans in a dry skillet for about 4 minutes before adding them to the batter doubles their flavor and makes the crunch more pronounced in every bite.
- Sifting the powdered sugar for the icing is not optional here, because even tiny lumps will show up in that otherwise silky frosting and once they are in there they are impossible to get out.