Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Cinnamon Icing (Printable)
Spiced pumpkin pecan cake with creamy cinnamon icing—a cozy autumn dessert for gatherings.
# Ingredient List:
→ 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
→ 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
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the 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 flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until uniformly blended. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter until smooth and well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée, mixing until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet batter using a spatula, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the toasted pecans.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 32 to 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before applying the icing.
07 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until light and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, then beat in the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until the icing is fluffy and smooth.
08 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the cooled cake. Slice into squares and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cream cheese icing has enough cinnamon in it to make you close your eyes on the first bite.
- It looks like you spent all day but the whole thing comes together in about an hour.
02 -
- The cake must cool completely before you frost it or the cream cheese icing will melt into a puddle and slide right off.
- Toasting the pecans in a dry skillet for three to four minutes releases oils that raw pecans simply do not have.
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and give you a lighter, more even crumb in the final cake.
- If your cream cheese icing tastes flat, add another tiny pinch of salt and taste again because salt is what makes sweetness interesting.