Pumpkin Pecan Cake With Cinnamon (Printable)
Moist spiced pumpkin pecan cake topped with luscious cinnamon cream cheese icing, perfect for fall gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
11 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
12 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin purée
15 - 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, lightly toasted
→ For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
16 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
17 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
18 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan, ensuring even coverage to prevent sticking.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, and melted cooled butter until smooth and well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée until the mixture is uniform.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently stir in the toasted chopped pecans.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13-inch baking pan and spread it evenly using a spatula to create a uniform layer.
06 - Bake for 32 to 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack before applying the icing.
07 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter together with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating continuously. Mix in the ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the icing is smooth and fluffy.
08 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the completely cooled cake. Cut into 12 squares and serve. Optionally, garnish with an additional 1/2 cup of chopped pecans on top for extra flavor and texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of pumpkin and toasted pecans creates a texture that falls somewhere between a cake and a really good quick bread, and it stays moist for days.
- Cinnamon cream cheese icing is the kind of thing you will want to eat with a spoon straight from the bowl, and it spreads like a dream over the cooled cake.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter once the flour is added develops gluten and turns a tender cake into something rubbery, so stop folding as soon as the last white streak disappears.
- The cake must be completely cool before you spread the icing because I learned this the hard way when my beautiful frosting slid right off the warm cake and pooled around the edges like a moat.
03 -
- Toast your pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for about eight minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until you can smell that deep nutty aroma, because this single step transforms the entire cake.
- Sift the powdered sugar for the icing even if you think you do not need to, because a single lump caught in your spatula as you spread is a small tragedy that is entirely preventable.