I have never baked so much with pumpkin like this season. There’s just something about the combination of pumpkin and cream cheese that I love. So here it is, another pumpkin dessert.
My favorite type of pumpkin (especially for desserts) is butternut. It has a beautiful sweet meat. Here we don’t have canned pumpkin puree, it’s just not available on our market, so I always make my own from scratch. I take a butternut squash (about 35 oz), wash it, cut into smaller pieces, place them on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 45 minutes at 220C. Let them cool and spoon out meat.
I adapted the recipe from Cinnamon and Thyme.
This fall cake is, like so many other seasonal cakes, rich with cinnamon and similar spices. After baking such a treat, your whole house smells lovely even the next day. What is your favorite spice? Which one do you use most often? Cinnamon is definitely the most frequent guest in my kitchen, although I almost always use a pinch of cardamom in cakes like this.
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Pumpkin spice cake
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 cake
Description
This pumpkin spice cake is a delightful autumn dessert, rich with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, creating a warm and inviting aroma that fills your home.
Ingredients
- 7/8 cup (200 g) butter, softened
- 10 1/2 oz (300 g) brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 14 oz (400 g) pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 14 oz (400 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4/5 cup (200 ml) milk
- 500 g cream cheese
- 10 1/2 oz (300 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease and flour two springform pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree and milk until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared springform pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- For the frosting, combine the cream cheese with the vanilla extract, then gradually add the powdered sugar and mix well.
- Assemble: place the first cake layer on a serving plate and frost it with half of the frosting. Place the second layer on top and frost with the remaining frosting. Decorate with walnuts.
Notes
- For best results, use homemade pumpkin puree from butternut squash.
- The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste; a pinch of cardamom adds a unique flavor.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 80
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the author recommend butternut squash over regular pumpkin for this cake?
My favorite pumpkin for desserts is butternut squash because it has a beautiful sweet meat. Since canned pumpkin puree isn’t available where I live, I roast a whole butternut squash — about 35 oz, cut into pieces on a parchment-lined sheet at 220°C for 45 minutes — then spoon out and puree the meat.
What is cardamom doing in this recipe, and can I leave it out?
I almost always use a pinch of cardamom in cakes like this, and here I call for ¼ teaspoon. Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste, but I consider cardamom a signature addition that gives the cake a unique flavor alongside the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
Why does the oven temperature drop between roasting the squash and baking the cake?
First preheat to 220°C (428°F) to roast the butternut squash until soft (45 minutes), then reduce to 180°C (356°F) for the cake. The lower temperature lets the cake bake evenly through — 220°C would brown the outside before the center sets.
Sounds like a great recipe, I love anything with pumpkin in it!
The cake was a bit dense and definitely need more baking powder but overall delish.
Hi, April, thanks for trying the cake. I actually like it dense and moist like this, but sure you can add more baking powder if you don’t like this type of sponge cake