September 29, 2017

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake

If you're looking to really get into the spirit of fall and have your kitchen smell like it too, then this cake is the perfect thing to whip up. This Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake is soft and tender with a delicious pumpkin spice flavor and tangy, yet sweet cream cheese frosting.

The pumpkin spice flavor is brought to you with the help of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, and pumpkin puree adds the classic pumpkin flavor. It's super easy to make, but looks beautiful and is a definite crowd pleaser.

I like to make this cake as a naked cake with just enough frosting to fill the layers and coat a thin layer on the outside. I find that it makes a good ratio of cake to frosting. If you want to fully cover the cake, you'll need to double the cream cheese frosting.

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the sugar and oil until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Gently add pumpkin puree on low, scraping down the bowl as needed to ensure it is fully incorporated.

Coat three 7-inch cake pans with cooking spray or butter and flour and line the bottom of each with parchment. Evenly divide the batter into the pans. Bake for 38-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edge of each pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack and turning each cake out. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of powdered sugar followed by the cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy.

Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully cut the tops off with a serrated knife so that each layer is level.

Place one layer, top side down, on a cake stand or board and spread with frosting. Repeat this step with the next layer.

Apply a crumb coat, or a thin layer of frosting, around the cake and chill for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake

This Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake is soft and tender with a delicious pumpkin spice flavor and tangy, yet sweet cream cheese frosting.

  • Author: Marisa Guerra
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 to 12 servings
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Cake

  • 300 grams (2 ½ cups) flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • 346 grams (1 ¾ cups) sugar
  • 198 grams (1 cup) vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 oz (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 283 grams (2 ½ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 28 grams (2 tbsp) heavy cream

Instructions

Pumpkin Spice Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices and set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the sugar and oil until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed.
  5. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined.
  6. Gently add pumpkin puree on low, scraping down the bowl as needed to ensure it is fully incorporated.
  7. Coat three 7-inch cake pans with cooking spray or butter and flour and line the bottom of each with parchment. Evenly divide the batter into the pans.
  8. Bake for 38-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edge of each pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack and turning each cake out. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
  2. With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of powdered sugar followed by the cream.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy.

Cake Assembly

  1. Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully cut the tops off with a serrated knife so that each layer is level.
  2. Place one layer, top side down, on a cake stand or board and spread with frosting. Repeat this step with the next layer.
  3. Apply a crumb coat, or a thin layer of frosting, around the cake and chill for 20-25 minutes.
  4. Enjoy!

Notes

  • This recipe for cream cheese frosting is only enough for a crumb coat, or a light layer of frosting that still exposes parts of the cake. I find that it makes a good ratio of cake to frosting. If you want to fully cover the cake, you'll need to double the cream cheese frosting.
  • The cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and chilled for several days. It can also be sliced, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled.
  • I decided to make a three layer 7 inch cake, but this recipe can also be used to make a two layer 8 inch cake as well, depending on what size pans you have. You’ll need to adjust the baking time slightly.

Keywords: pumpkin, cake, layer cake, pumpkin spice, fall, halloween

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