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A slice of frosted pumpkin cake on a plate with the remaining cake on a stand in the background.
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4.93 / 38 votes

Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

This pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. All the essential pumpkin spice flavors tempered with the creamy coolness of cream cheese frosting. One of my most popular cakes.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 833

Ingredients

For the pumpkin cake

  • 2 cups cake flour, plus more for the pans
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, (I mean freshly ground!)
  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

For the maple cream–cheese frosting

  • Two (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese, fully softened
  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B amber
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the pumpkin cake

  • Crank the heat to 350° (175°C) and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Butter two 8-by-2-inch cake pans and line them with parchment circles cut to fit the pans. Butter the parchment and coat the pan with flour, tapping out any excess. (You can instead spritz the pans with cooking spray for baking, if that's easier for you than buttering and flouring.)
  • Whisk the 2 cups cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a bowl until well combined. Take a whiff. Heaven.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a good old-fashioned hand mixer on medium speed, beat the 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about ⏲ 5 minutes.
  • Plop the 2 large eggs, 1 at a time, into the bowl, beating and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and 1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract mixtures to the bowl, starting and ending with the flour.
  • Scrape in the 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin and beat just until the pumpkin is incorporated and the cake batter is smooth.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pans, dividing it evenly. Give each filled pan a good smack flat against the counter to release any air bubbles.
  • Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, ⏲ 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for ⏲ 10 minutes. Carefully turn out the cakes from the pans onto the rack, peel off the parchment paper, turn them right side up, and let them cool completely.

Make the maple-cream cheese frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl using a good old-fashioned hand mixer on medium speed, beat the Two (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese, 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, 2 cups confectioners' sugar, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup until fluffy.
  • To assemble the cake, place a cake layer on a plate or cake stand and generously frost the top of it. Place the other cake on top and frost the sides and top, swirling the frosting like the pro that you are.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If the frosting seems a touch on the soft side, slip the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until the frosting is set or, if you notice it before you frost the cake, see our note above the recipe.

Notes

  1. Use room-temperature ingredients--It's crucial to use room-temperature ingredients for your frosting to ensure a smooth texture, otherwise, the frosting can be lumpy.
  2. Storage--Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  3. Freezing--The cake and frosting can be frozen separately for up to 3 months. Wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic before freezing and stash the frosting in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before assembling.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 833kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 513mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 74g