Pumpkin Spice Cake
We all know the pleasures of mixing pumpkin purée with eggs, cream, and sugar for the requisite seasonal pies, but don't overlook the joy of presenting a spectacular new dessert like our Pumpkin Spice Cake.
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We all know the pleasures of seasonal pies, but don't overlook the joy of presenting a spectacular new dessert like our Pumpkin Spice Cake. Layers of cake cushioned with Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting create a lasting impression even before you take the first bite. One taste of this moist cake and creamy icing, and the traditional pumpkin pie may have to make room on the sideboard for a new holiday favorite.
Ingredients
For cake:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground nutmeg
For Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened
- 1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp. grated orange zest
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions
- Step 1Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans with softened butter. Cut three 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and fit them into the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly coat the paper circles with butter and set aside.
- Step 2Make the batter: Cream butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside. Combine the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.
- Step 3Bake the cake: Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.
- Step 4Make the frosting: Blend the cream cheese, pumpkin purée, butter, orange juice, zest, and vanilla in a large bowl using an electric mixer set at medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy, about 5 more minutes.
- Step 5Assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one-third recipe of Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. Serve or store refrigerated for up to four days.
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