Pumpkin Pecan Cake Cinnamon Icing (Printable)
Spiced pumpkin cake with toasted pecans and cinnamon cream cheese icing for fall entertaining.
# What You Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - ½ 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 - 1½ cups canned pumpkin purée
15 - 1¼ cups chopped pecans, lightly toasted
→ Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
16 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
17 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
18 - 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make It:
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.
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. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
06 - Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then beat in the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until fluffy.
07 - Spread the cinnamon cream cheese icing evenly over the completely cooled cake. Cut into squares to serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The spice blend hits every warm note without overpowering the pumpkin, which was a hard balance to get right after several flat tasting attempts.
- That cinnamon cream cheese icing is the kind of thing you will catch yourself eating straight from the bowl with a spatula.
02 -
- I once iced this cake while it was still barely warm and the whole top layer slid right off when I tried to move it, so patience truly matters here.
- Discovering that sifting the powdered sugar eliminates the gritty texture in the icing was a turning point I wish someone had told me about sooner.
03 -
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for about five minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until you can smell them, this single step elevates the entire cake.
- Beat the icing on medium high speed for at least two full minutes after all the sugar is added to get that cloudlike fluffiness that makes people ask for the recipe.