This perfect pumpkin cake brings back memories. The tender, moist texture reminds me of the pumpkin cake bars I used to make in junior high. I got the treasured bar recipe from an old children’s cookbook. I lent the cookbook to a neighbor and never saw the book or the recipe again. Through trial and error, I came up with this cake, which I think is even better! It’s so delicious it doesn’t need frosting, but the classic pairing with cream cheese frosting takes it over the top.
| Servings |
|
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 1 cup (4 1/2 oz or 128g) all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
- 1 cup (7 oz or 200g) sugar
- 2/3 cup (5 1/8 oz or 152ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (8 1/4 oz or 234g)) pure pumpkin purée Not pie filling
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tablespoons (3 oz or 85g) cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons (3 oz or 85g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 2 cups (8 1/4 oz or 234g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-3 teaspoons heavy cream
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
|
|
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan* with parchment paper**. Grease and flour the insides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin purée with an electric mixer or by hand with a whisk, until well combined
- Stir in the flour mixture, just until combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 38-43 minutes.
- Cool the cake in pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from pan and transfer to a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer, until creamy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and salt until well combined.
- On low speed, beat in the powdered sugar.
- On low speed, beat in the heavy cream a little at a time until your desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.
Recipe Notes
*To find the cake pan I used, click here.
**To find the parchment rounds I used, click here.