It’s only natural that I had to incorporate maple in the recipe since they are waffles. Lucky for me, pumpkin pie and maple are BFF’s.
When assembling, try to line up the waffles as best as you can. It really makes cutting the quarters or slices a ton easier. Just a suggestion of course.
Find the recipe for the butter pecan glaze here and check out more waffle recipes.
PrintPumpkin Pecan Waffle Cake
- Yield: 1 waffle cake (5 layers, about 8 servings) 1x
Description
Stacked up like a cake, delicious pumpkin waffles are layered with maple buttercream and topped with butter bourbon pecan glaze. A sweet brunch or fun dessert.
Ingredients
Waffles
- 2 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 + 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 + 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 4 eggs, divided
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Maple Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 1 + 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Butter Pecan Glaze
- 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat up your waffle maker.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove. Stir to combine.
- Separate the egg yolks and whites.
- Beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Add the buttermilk, egg yolks, melted butter, vanilla bean paste, and pumpkin into the dry ingredients. Mix with a hand mixer until incorporated.
- Fold in the stiff egg whites. The mixture will be slightly lumpy.
- Scoop about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter into the waffle maker. Quickly spread the batter to the edges before shutting it.
- Cook until done, about 5 minutes, until the waffles are crisp.
- Lay the finished waffles out on a piece of wax paper without stacking. Let them cool completely before assembling.
Maple Buttercream
- In a mixing bowl, add butter and cream cheese. Mix on medium-high until smooth and combined.
- Add the maple extract and powdered sugar. Mix on low until just combined, then increase to medium-high and beat another minute until fluffy.
- Transfer to a disposable piping bag with a coupler.
- Place a waffle on a cake stand. Pipe a layer of buttercream on the top. Add another waffle. Repeat with remaining waffles — 5 waffles total.
- Refrigerate to chill for 1–2 hours.
Butter Pecan Glaze
- In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped pecans and toast, stirring, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in the buttered pecans.
- Add more cream a teaspoon at a time until the glaze pours in a slow, steady drizzle.
- Drizzle over the chilled assembled waffle cake and serve.
Notes
Line up the waffles as neatly as possible when stacking — it makes slicing much cleaner. Chill the assembled cake for at least an hour before drizzling the glaze so the buttercream is set.
- Category: Dessert, Cake, Waffles
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I achieve the best texture for the pumpkin pecan waffles?
Make sure to mix the pumpkin puree well with the dry ingredients and avoid overmixing the batter to keep the waffles light and fluffy.
What is the purpose of the butter pecan glaze in this recipe?
The butter pecan glaze adds a rich, nutty flavor that complements the pumpkin and maple in the waffle cake, enhancing the overall taste.
Can I substitute the pecans in the glaze with another nut?
Yes, you can use walnuts or almonds as a substitute for pecans, but keep in mind that this will slightly alter the flavor profile.
