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Pumpkin Layer Cake | Life, Love and Sugar

Foodworldlife
By Foodworldlife
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This Pumpkin Layer Cake is the proper solution to take pleasure in pumpkin season! Tender, moist, and scrumptious, it’s loaded with heat spices and crammed and frosted with a wealthy, velvety cream cheese frosting. End it off with a drizzle of caramel sauce and also you’ve landed in dessert heaven.

A slice of pumpkin layer cake on a plate.

The Greatest Pumpkin Layer Cake

It’s fall and, as such, we’re all being inundated with pumpkin this and pumpkin that. You may be asking your self “Why this pumpkin recipe?”. My reply to you is, first, “Why not?” and, second, that it’s merely the most effective pumpkin layer cake you’ll ever have. It makes use of the identical batter as my pumpkin cupcakes but it surely’s baked up into 3 extremely moist, fluffy layers of cake which might be simply bursting with the flavors of fall. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and, most significantly, the delicate sweetness of pumpkin. Yum. All of those nostalgic flavors are surrounded by the splendidly wealthy, just-the-right-amount-of-sweet cream cheese frosting that fills and frosts the cake.

Shock your family members this vacation season and swap the pumpkin pie out for this elegant, distinctive layer cake. I imply, if you’d like pumpkin pie, make that too however you actually need to do this recipe. It’ll flip heads, wow style buds, and persuade everybody who tries it that you’re virtually an expert baker.

Pumpkin layer cake on a cardboard cake circle.

Why You’ll Love This Straightforward Pumpkin Cake

There are such a lot of pumpkin desserts on the market however this one actually takes the cake (ha!). It’s so moist and flavorful and the frosting is simply to die for. Right here’s what makes it so particular, for my part.

  • So moist. The mix of a beneficiant quantity of pumpkin puree and using vegetable oil (versus butter) within the batter makes the pumpkin cake layers among the moistest and fluffiest I’ve ever tasted. Each chew virtually melts in your mouth.
  • The frosting. Talking of soften in your mouth, this cream cheese does simply that. It’s so wealthy and creamy and simply the correct quantity of candy. I can’t get sufficient of the way in which it marries with the candy, spiced cake layers to create the proper mixture of flavors and textures.
  • Easy mixing methodology. The cake batter itself is very easy to place collectively. No fancy mixing strategies required. Merely whisk collectively the moist substances, then the dry substances, and put all of it collectively. All that’s left to do is bake, stack, fill, and frost.
  • Nostalgia. Because the sweetness of the pumpkin and the symphony of the nice and cozy spices that fill this cake dance over your style buds, you may’t assist however be reminded of crackling fires, falling leaves, and the comforting embrace of seasonal gatherings. Every chew is sort of a acquainted hug from autumn itself.
Ingredients for pumpkin layer cake.

What You’ll Want

Right here’s what you’ll have to make this heartwarming pumpkin cake. For exact measurements, scroll to the recipe card under.

Pumpkin Cake Layers

  • Gentle brown sugar – The brown sugar provides additional taste and moisture in comparison with common sugar.
  • Vegetable oil – This provides a lot moisture to this cake.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs – Use giant eggs, not medium or additional giant.
  • Canned pumpkin puree – Use the canned stuff. Severely. Do-it-yourself pumpkin puree has an excessive amount of variability with regards to moisture and sweetness to prove a predictably excellent cake.
  • All-purpose flour – Remember to measure precisely. I like to recommend a meals scale, however you can too use the inside track and degree methodology. You might use a 1:1 gluten-free flour right here as a substitute.
  • Leavening – Just a little of each baking powder and baking soda provide the greatest texture. It’s agency sufficient to work with, however nonetheless tremendous mushy.
  • Spices – The mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves is ideal.
  • Salt – For taste. Don’t depart it out.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Cream cheese – The cream cheese ought to be at room temperature. In any other case, it received’t combine easily with the butter and you’ll probably end up with a lumpy frosting. Alternatively, if it’s too heat and mushy, it received’t keep in your cake very properly.
  • Butter – Ensure that the butter is softened at room temperature. Whether it is too chilly, it received’t combine easily with the cream cheese. Whether it is melted, you’ll end up with a runny frosting.
  • Powdered sugar – I exploit a good quantity of powdered sugar to thicken my frosting in order that it stays on the cake properly and provides quantity to the frosting. You possibly can scale back it, however have in mind you’ll have a a lot thinner frosting. If you wish to scale back it, I’d truly advocate lowering the general quantity of frosting and scale back the whole lot in equal proportions.
  • Vanilla extract – For taste.
  • Caramel Sauce – I extremely advocate making your individual do-it-yourself caramel sauce. Whereas the sauce (do-it-yourself or store-bought) is non-obligatory, I believe it provides a stunning contact of additional sweetness and festivity.

How To Make A Pumpkin Layer Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Right here’s a fast overview of find out how to make layered pumpkin cake. Remember to scroll to the recipe card under for extra detailed directions.

For the cake layers

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F, line the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, and spray them with non-stick baking spray.
  • Mix the moist substances. Whisk collectively the brown sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, eggs, and pumpkin puree.
  • Mix the dry substances. Whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
Whisking together wet ingredients for pumpkin cake.
Whisking together dry ingredients for pumpkin layer cake.
  • Put all of it collectively. Add the dry substances to the moist substances and blend till easy.
  • Bake. Divide the cake batter between the ready cake pans and bake for 18-23 minutes.
Combining wet and dry ingredients to make the batter for a pumpkin layer cake.
Pumpkin cake batter in 3 cake pans ready to be baked.
3 layers of pumpkin cake on a marble counter.
  • Cool. Enable the muffins to chill of their pans for a few minutes earlier than turning them out onto cooling racks to chill utterly.

Frosting and meeting

  • Make the frosting. Beat collectively the cream cheese and butter. Combine in half of the powdered sugar adopted by the vanilla after which the opposite half of the powdered sugar.
  • Stage the muffins. Reduce the domes from the tops of the muffins so they’re flat.
  • Layer. Place the primary cake layer on a serving plate and unfold 1 cup of frosting excessive. Add the second layer of cake and high with one other cup of frosting. Add the final cake layer.
  • Frost. Frost the highest and outdoors of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
Stirring cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl.
Adding caramel drips to pumpkin layer cake.
Piping shells of frosting around the top edge of pumpkin layer cake.
  • Embellish. Drizzle caramel sauce across the sides of the cake and pipe shells of frosting across the high edge. Garnish with sweet pumpkins, if desired.

Suggestions for Success

Striving for perfection? That’s the spirit! I’ve each confidence that you just’ll be capable to get this cake proper, particularly in the event you pay shut consideration to those ideas and tips.

  • Use canned pumpkin puree. I’m all for do-it-yourself the whole lot, simply not right here. I extremely advocate that you just use canned pumpkin puree relatively than do-it-yourself. Do-it-yourself pumpkin puree is simply too unpredictable with regards to moisture content material, sweetness, and extra.
  • Spoon and degree (or meals scale). Measure your flour with care. Including an excessive amount of flour offers you a very dense cake. Too little flour and your cake received’t maintain collectively. I recommend utilizing the spoon and degree methodology. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup little by little, then degree it off with a butter knife.
  • Don’t over-mix the batter. When combining the moist and dry substances, it is crucial to not over-mix. Mixing the batter past the purpose of being easy and properly included may cause the glutens within the flour to overdevelop, providing you with robust, dense cake layers.
  • Room temperature substances. Enable the butter and the cream cheese for the frosting to melt at room temperature. If they’re too chilly, they received’t combine collectively easily and you’ll probably end up with a lumpy frosting,
  • Scrape the edges of the bowl. As you add substances and blend them in (each for the batter and the frosting), scrape down the edges of the bowl intermittently with a rubber spatula, bringing any substances caught to the underside and sides of the bowl into the batter/frosting. It will assist be certain that the whole lot makes it into the combination and is properly included.
  • Cool. Enable the cake layers to chill utterly earlier than stacking, filling, and frosting except you need the cream cheese frosting to soften and slide proper off.
  • Caramel sauce. I discover it’s greatest so as to add the caramel when it’s at room temperature or simply barely hotter. Too chilly and it received’t cooperate. Too heat and it’ll simply slide down the cake. I like to make use of a squeeze bottle so as to add the caramel drip.
A slice of pumpkin layer cake on a plate with a bite taken out of it.

Serving Strategies

Is your slice of pumpkin cake calling out for a good friend on its dessert plate? I recommend you take heed to its pleas and set it up with one (or a number of) of those scrumptious candy accompaniments.

  • Ice cream. Seize a pint of vanilla ice cream or whip up a batch of this Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream. Savor each spoonful with a chew of pumpkin layer cake.
  • Sauce. Make a bit additional caramel sauce and drizzle it over particular person slices. You might additionally strive my Straightforward Do-it-yourself Sizzling Fudge Sauce and/or this Salted Caramel Sauce.
  • Garnish. Make this cake additional festive and add sweet corn or pumpkin candies to the highest. You might additionally chop up some toasted nuts (pecans could be an ideal alternative) or your favourite cookies and sprinkle the items over a slice or over the complete cake.
  • With apple cider. Actually get within the fall temper with a comfy mug of Do-it-yourself Apple Cider. The spices on this cider play completely with this candy, moist cake.
Pumpkin layer cake on a cake stand.

Can I Make This Pumpkin Cake In Advance?

You possibly can! Go forward and make the pumpkin cake layers as much as 2 days earlier than you intend on assembling and serving the cake. Enable them to chill, and retailer them in separate Ziplock baggage at room temperature. The frosting will be made as much as 3 days upfront. Retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge.

When you find yourself able to serve, all that’s left to do is degree the cake layers, stack, fill, frost, and beautify.

The right way to Retailer Leftovers

  • Fridge. Retailer the entire cake in an hermetic cake service or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap (you should definitely prop the plastic away from any decorations with toothpicks). You might additionally slice the cake and prepare the slices in an hermetic container. In any case, retailer it within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Let it sit out at room temperature for half-hour or so earlier than diving in.
  • Freezer. Pop the cake within the freezer for a few hours to agency up earlier than wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap. In the event you already sliced the cake, prepare the slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. Retailer it within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Enable the cake to thaw within the fridge after which let it sit on the counter for quarter-hour or so earlier than serving.
A slice of pumpkin layer cake.

Extra Pumpkin Desserts To Strive

It’s pumpkin season and which means pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, and extra. Listed here are a few of my favourite pumpkin-centric dessert recipes that may aid you hold dessert fascinating this 12 months.

Watch The right way to Make Pumpkin Cake

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A slice of pumpkin layer cake.