Pumpkin Pecan Cake Cinnamon Icing (Printable)
Moist spiced pumpkin pecan cake topped with luscious cinnamon cream cheese icing, perfect for fall.
# What You’ll Need:
→ 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
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée until fully combined.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula. Do not overmix. Fold in the toasted pecans until evenly distributed.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 32 to 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before 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 fluffy.
08 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the cooled cake. Cut into squares and serve.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The crumb stays incredibly moist for days thanks to the pumpkin and oil from the butter, so it is as good on day three as day one.
- That cinnamon cream cheese icing tastes like autumn wrapped around a cloud, and people will genuinely ask you for the recipe.
- It looks impressive but comes together in one bowl with zero fussy techniques.
02 -
- If the cake is even slightly warm when you ice it, the cream cheese will slide right off and pool around the edges in a heartbreaking way.
- Underbaking by even a few minutes leaves the center gummy because the pumpkin holds so much moisture, so trust your toothpick test.
03 -
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for about five minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until you can smell them, and your entire kitchen will smell like a bakery.
- Sifting the powdered sugar directly into the bowl through a fine mesh strainer eliminates lumps faster than you could fix them afterward.