This pumpkin cake is soft, moist, flavorful, and topped with an ultra creamy, flavorful brown butter cream cheese frosting. The cake comes together in one bowl without an electric mixer - so easy! The frosting is ultra creamy, tangy, and has a nutty, caramel flavor. It has pumpkins piped all over the top for an easy festive fall look. The perfect pumpkin cake for any fall or Thanksgiving party.
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Why you will LOVE this recipe:
- Pumpkin: Pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice give this cake lots of pumpkin flavor.
- Frosting: Creamy with warm, caramel notes. It's not too sweet and you won't be able to stop eating it.
- Easy: A one bowl, no mixer recipe. It couldn't be easier to make!
- Moist: The butter, oil, and pumpkin puree together make an ultra soft and moist cake.
Jump to:
- Why you will LOVE this recipe:
- The perfect cake for fall
- Why I add butter and oil
- How to make brown butter
- Tips for the perfect cake texture
- Make ahead and storage
- Key ingredients
- Step by step cake
- How to make brown butter cream cheese frosting
- Decorating
- FAQ
- Check out these other recipes:
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
The perfect cake for fall
This pumpkin cake is full of pumpkin flavor, subtly spiced, and topped with a festive piped pumpkins. It's the perfect cake for a party or get together. The frosting works so well with the pumpkin flavour. It's creamy, toasty, and not too sweet.
This pumpkin cake was inspired by my chocolate cake with pumpkin recipe. It has a pumpkin chocolate buttercream with piped pumpkins.
Why I add butter and oil
Butter gives this pumpkin cake a buttery, rich flavour, but without the oil - it would be dry. That's why I love including some vegetable oil as well to keep my cakes moist for days.
It doesn't compromise the flavor and you can use whatever neutral tasting oil you prefer - I used grapeseed oil. I wouldn't recommend using coconut oil.
How to make brown butter
It's so easy to make brown butter - and it's worth the extra time! It has a nutty, caramelized flavour and elevates any dish.
I love adding brown butter to frosting. Combined with cream cheese, it creates the creamiest flavourful frosting that you won't be able to stop eating.
To make it, all you have to do is cook the butter on medium-low heat, stirring constantly. As it cooks, the milk solids caramelize and turn brown. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe container to cool. You have to move quickly so that it doesn't burn.
Once it cools to room temperature, the butter solidifies and becomes white and creamy. It's perfect to use in frosting when it cools.
Tips for the perfect cake texture
There are a couple of tips that will help you get a soft, moist cake every time:
- Have all the ingredients at room temperature. This will ensure everything incorporates evenly and creates an even crumb.
- Use a scale to weigh the flour for most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
- Stop mixing as soon as no more dry streaks of flour remain. Overmixing the batter after flour is added will create a dense, dry cake.
- Don't overbake the cake. It's ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. I prefer toothpicks over cake testers because they usually work better.
Make ahead and storage
You can make ahead the brown butter and store it in the fridge until ready to use. Take it out and let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to soften before using.
The cake and frosting will keep well in a cake container stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container or jar for up to 3 months.
Key ingredients
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below. But read through these for all the tips you will need for success!
Butter: Good quality real butter will give the best flavor and results.
Vegetable oil: This helps keep the cake soft and moist for days.
Brown sugar: Gives the cake a golden brown colour and adds a touch of molasses flavor.
Pumpkin puree: I recommend canned pumpkin puree for consistent results. If you want to use homemade puree, make sure it's very thick - the consistency of mashed potatoes.
Pumpkin spice: A mixture of spices typically used in pumpkin pie. You can purchase it at most stores or make pumpkin spice at home.
All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Cream cheese: Good quality, brick style cream cheese will yield the best results and keep the cream cheese frosting from becoming runny.
Powdered sugar: This sweetens and thickens the frosting.
Step by step cake
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9” by 12” or 9” by 13” pan with parchment paper. Leave parchment paper handles so that you can easily lift the cake out after baking.
Step 2 - In a large bowl, add melted butter, vegetable oil, and sugar. Whisk well to combine.
Step 3 - Add pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Step 4 - Add eggs and whisk until fully incorporated. Add sour cream and whisk.
Step 5 - Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin spice right into the same bowl. Gently fold with a spatula or whisk until no more dry streaks remain.
Step 6 - Transfer batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Make the frosting while the cake bakes and cools.
Step 7 - Bake for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached. Let the cake cool completely inside the cake pan.
How to make brown butter cream cheese frosting
Step 1 - Make brown butter by melting the butter in a medium saucepan or pan on medium-low heat.
Step 2 - Keep on heat, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn. It will start to foam and then the foam will go away and you will see it bubble. It’s ready when the specks at the bottom turn golden-brown and a foam starts to appear on the surface again.
Step 3 - Remove from heat and transfer to a heat safe bowl to cool to room temperature. Pop in the fridge to cool faster if needed. It’s cooled and ready when the butter becomes opaque and is thick and creamy.
Step 4 - Using a stand or electric mixer, beat cooled brown butter until creamy in a large bowl. Add about half of the powdered sugar in stages, beating until combined.
Step 5 - Add vanilla and salt. Add softened cream cheese a few tablespoons at a time and beat until creamy. Add more powdered sugar until desired texture is achieved. Beat until creamy and fluffy.
Decorating
Step 1 - Set aside about ¾ cup frosting in a small bowl and ¼ cup frosting in a separate bowl. Add orange food coloring to the bowl with more frosting and green into the bowl with less frosting.Orange gel food colouring, Green gel food colouring
Step 2 - Transfer the orange and green frosting into separate piping bags (without piping tips) or into disposable plastic bags. Cut the end off both piping bags, making sure that it’s a small hole.
Step 3 - Lift the cooled cake out of the pan by the parchment paper handles and place onto a cutting board or serving plate.
Step 4 - Spread the white frosting on top of the cake, all the way to the edges. Smooth it out with an offset spatula.
Step 5 - To make the pumpkins, pipe a circle with orange frosting. Fill in the middle with lines like the segments of a pumpkin. Add two lines on the outside of the circle to widen it and make it look more like a pumpkin.
Step 6 - Pipe stems on top of the pumpkins with the green frosting. Pipe a vine on each stem.
Step 7 - Slice the cake and serve! Make sure to wipe the knife after every cut for clean slices. Store in the fridge and serve at room temperature.
FAQ
Yes, use 1:1 gluten free flour instead of all purpose flour.
You can substitute the cream cheese with softened butter. You may need to add more powdered sugar. Loosen the frosting with 1-2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream at the end to make it ultra fluffy and creamy.
Yes you can, but you want it to have a thick paste-like texture. It should be scoop able and thick (not like applesauce). Results may vary depending on the type of pumpkin or squash you use.
I prefer using storebought, canned pumpkin puree for consistency.
It really elevates the flavour but if you don't have time, you can use softened butter in the frosting instead.
Yes, use two 8" round cake pans. Watch the bake time closely because it may vary. If you want to frost the sides of the cake you may need to double the frosting recipe.
Check out these other recipes:
Happy baking!
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cake
Equipment
- electric mixer for frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 cups pumpkin puree one 15oz can
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups flour 270 g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
Frosting
- 1 cup butter cubed, unsoftened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Orange gel food colouring optional
- Green gel food colouring optional
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9” by 12” or 9” by 13” pan with parchment paper. Leave parchment paper handles so that you can easily lift the cake out after baking.
- In a large bowl, add melted butter, vegetable oil, and sugar. Whisk well to combine.½ cup butter, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup brown sugar
- Add pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until smooth.2 cups pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Add eggs and whisk until fully incorporated. Add sour cream and whisk.4 large eggs, ½ cup sour cream
- Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin spice right into the same bowl. Gently fold with a spatula or whisk until no more dry streaks remain.2 ¼ cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
- Transfer batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Make the frosting while the cake bakes and cools.
- Bake for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached. Let the cake cool completely inside the cake pan.
Frosting
- Make brown butter by melting the butter in a medium saucepan or pan on medium-low heat.1 cup butter
- Keep on heat, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn. It will start to foam and then the foam will go away and you will see it bubble. It’s ready when the specks at the bottom turn golden-brown and a foam starts to appear on the surface again.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a heat safe bowl to cool to room temperature. Pop in the fridge to cool faster if needed. It’s cooled and ready when the butter becomes opaque and is thick and creamy.
- Using a stand or electric mixer, beat cooled brown butter until creamy in a large bowl. Add about half of the powdered sugar in stages, beating until combined.3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Add vanilla and salt. Add softened cream cheese a few tablespoons at a time and beat until creamy. Add more powdered sugar until desired texture is achieved. Beat until creamy and fluffy.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, 8 oz cream cheese
- Set aside about ¾ cup frosting in a small bowl and ¼ cup frosting in a separate bowl. Add orange food coloring to the bowl with more frosting and green into the bowl with less frosting.Orange gel food colouring, Green gel food colouring
- Transfer the orange and green frosting into separate piping bags (without piping tips) or into disposable plastic bags. Cut the end off both piping bags, making sure that it’s a small hole.
- Lift the cooled cake out of the pan by the parchment paper handles and place onto a cutting board or serving plate.
- Spread the white frosting on top of the cake, all the way to the edges. Smooth it out with an offset spatula.
- To make the pumpkins, pipe a circle with orange frosting. Fill in the middle with lines like the segments of a pumpkin. Add two lines on the outside of the circle to widen it and make it look more like a pumpkin.
- Pipe stems on top of the pumpkins with the green frosting. Pipe a vine on each stem.
- Slice the cake and serve! Make sure to wipe the knife after every cut for clean slices. Store in the fridge and serve at room temperature.
Bailey Mckinney
So moist and so delicious, it’s a new family favourite!
Mary
So happy you enjoyed it, thank you for making it! 🙂