A Little Guide to Making Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Cake

This is my Grandma’s old-fashioned pumpkin cake recipe. It is a hearty and somewhat dense texture but also moist and fluffy at the same time. It has just the right amount of sugar and spices to compliment the pumpkin flavor instead of overwhelming it. Instead of oil, we use butter as it really brings out the nuttiness of the pumpkin. The pumpkin cake is then topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting to give just the right amount of bite and sweetness to marry the flavor of the spiced pumpkin cake perfectly. And this is an easy cake to make!

A word about this pumpkin cake recipe and other cakes made with fruits and vegetables. They rely on the addition of pumpkin, bananas, apples or carrots to bring both sweetness and texture to the cake. Since harvests vary from year to year, the cake would be sweeter sometimes more than others. The experienced gardener would know when to pick her pumpkin to bake that perfect pumpkin square dessert or this delicious cake. However, today we often rely on canned goods for convenience and lack of gardening space. For that reason, the pumpkin is generally more consistent year to year. If you are really into sugar, you could up the brown sugar to a full cup, however, it will begin to hide the flavors of the spices and pumpkin itself. So we recommend you enjoy the nuisance of the yesteryears and really begin to appreciate how they frugally cut corners.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Below, you will see how easy it is to make this pumpkin cake recipe. It’s a thick batter and the hardest part of the recipe is getting it spread into the pan evenly. That doesn’t sound so bad, though.

Step 1: Prepare your Pan

First, prepare your pan. You want to generously grease and flour your pan and line the bottom with parchment as butter cakes tend to stick to your bakeware. You can also use baking spray. But we always recommend that layer of parchment for extra insurance.

Step 2: Gather Your Ingredients

Next, gather your ingredients. Bring everything to room temperature or just under for best results.

Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients

The next step is to mix together the flour, spices, baking powder and salt. You’ll need a medium bowl.

For a more tender crumb, we recommend sifting the dry ingredients together. If you don’t have a sifter, use a whisk or a fork and mix well.

Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Next, we need to cream the butter and sugars. After they are well combined, mix in the vanilla.

Step 5: Add the Remaining Ingredients

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the batter looks smooth and no longer curdled. Beat well until it’s light and airy.

Then gently beat in your pumpkin and flour mixture. Use a low speed and only mix until its just combined for best results. It will be very thick.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan evenly. Place in the middle of the oven.

Bake until top springs back and the cake start to pull away from the sides of the pan. The color will not change much. Do not overbake. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Step 6: Make the Frosting

While the cake is cooling, bring the cream cheese and butter to just under room temperature or until it is softened.

Beat the butter until smooth, then add the cream cheese. Continue to beat this mixture until well blended. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar a spoonful on a low speed at a time until smooth. You want to beat it until it’s very light.

Generously spread a layer of the cream cheese frosting on the cake.

Slice and serve immediate. Be mindful of where you place your spatula. Oh Maggie…

She’s great at playing innocent.

Since the frosting is made with cream cheese, store any leftovers in the fridge. But will there be leftovers?

Alternative Baking Method

You can remove the cake from the cake pan and frost the sides. Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Substitutions and Tips

Here are some common substitutions and tips for this easy dough recipe.

• Margarine can be used in place of the butter. Make sure it is margarine and not vegetable spread as you need at least 80% fat.
• Allspice can be replaced with 1/8 teaspoon (.25g) of nutmeg and cloves.
• You can use pumpkin pie spice in place of all the spices in this cake. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons or 3 grams.
• You can omit the ginger and allspice if you don’t have any. It will change the flavor, but it will still be a great cake!
• You do not have to use cream cheese. Replace the cream cheese with 1/4 cup (56g) of softened butter. If using only butter, the cake should not be chilled.

Storage

When it comes to cakes made with butter, they are always best eaten the day you make it. It doesn’t have a long shelf life as they tend to dry out rapidly. However, the cake will keep 2-3 days before it becomes too dry. Store covered in an airtight container. Due to the cream cheese frosting, this pumpkin cake must stay chilled. Bring the cake to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for best taste.

We do not recommend freezing this cake. Pumpkin desserts tend to lose their flavor when frozen more than a few days. However, if you insist on freezing for long term storage, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and store up to 3 months unfrosted for best results. Thaw the cake overnight in the fridge and make the frosting the day you want to serve.

Spiced Pumpkin Cake

This is an old-fashioned cake that is just sweet enough and smartly spiced so that you can enjoy that pumpkin in each bite. It's hearty and has a tender crumb. Then the cake is topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting to balance out those earthly flavors.

Print Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes minutes

Cook Time35 minutes minutes

Total Time45 minutes minutes

Servings16

Calories 218.4

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 ¼ cups (187.5g) flour
• ¾ cup (183g) puréed pumpkin
• ½ cup (113g) softened butter or margarine
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (56g) brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp (6g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt
• 1 tsp (2g) cinnamon
• ½ tsp (1g) ground ginger
• ¼ tsp (.5g) allspice

Frosting

• 1 cup (125g) powdered sugar
• ½ cup (113g) softened cream cheese
• ¼ cup (56g) softened butter
• ½ tsp (2.5mL) vanilla

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 325F (160C.)
• Grease and flour one 8 inch cake pan (20cm) or line with parchment.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat softened butter and sugars until creamy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth. Add pumpkin and flour mixture, beating just until blended, about 1 minute.  Pour and level into prepared pan.
• Bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Center should read between 200F (93C) and 210F (99C.)
• Cool in pan completely before icing.

For the Frosting

• Beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and continue to beat until creamy.
• Add vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar 1/4 at a time, beat on low until frosting is smooth.
• Spread frosting generously over top of the cake. Because of the cream cheese icing, cake must be stored in fridge and brought to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Cakes made with butter are best eaten in same day as they dry out over time.

Nutrition Facts

Spiced Pumpkin Cake

Serving Size

 

1 slice

Amount per Serving

Calories

218.4

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

11.1

g

17

%

Saturated Fat

 

7

g

44

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

0.3

g

Sodium

 

143.2

mg

6

%

Carbohydrates

 

27.9

g

9

%

Fiber

 

0.3

g

1

%

Protein

 

2.9

g

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

* Calories provided as a courtesy and not guaranteed.