Thursday, October 24, 2013

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hey guys! Today I'd love to share another one of my favorite fall recipes with you: Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!

You've probably picked up on this by now, but I love seasonal cooking, and really really love fall. What you may not have learned yet, is that I think cream cheese frosting may be one of the most delicious things ever invented. Seriously. If I make standard buttercream, it's pretty likely I'll lick the beaters clean, but when I make cream cheese frosting, I lick the beaters, and then spend the next 5 minutes or so scraping every last bit of frosting out of the bowl with my finger and devouring it. Truth.

So, this cake is the best. The cake itself is super moist, full of awesome pumpkin and spices, and has a really great texture. It's almost like a carrot cake, but pumpkin style! And then the frosting. Ohhhhhh the frosting. Dreamy cream cheese frosting with a bit of pumpkin puree added in for a hint of pumpkin flavor. It makes the frosting the most gorgeous peach hue that I can't get enough of!

Well, enough of my rambling about this cake. Let's hop to it!
Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: Adapted from this recipe 

Serves 12-20 (this cake is super filling).
Ingredients:

For the Pumpkin Spice Cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (I used Trader Joe's Gluten Free mix. Since it doesn't have xanthan gum added to it, I also added 1tsp xanthan gum)
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 cup lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut
- 3/4 cup crushed canned pineapple- do not drain

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened and cut into large cubes
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 3 tbsp unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a very large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and the cloves.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and vanilla and mix until well combined.
4. In medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, coconut, and pineapple. Mix until well combined.
5. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
6. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. I swear, it won't look as much like chili in person...
7. Pour your chili, ahem, I mean cake batter into two 9" cake pans, and spread evenly.

8. Pop your cake pans in the oven and let bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack, still in the pans, for 15 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edge, remove the cake from the pans, and let cool on the wire rack until cooled completely.
10. Meanwhile, while the cake cools, combine the cream cheese and the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer until it gets light and fluffy.
11. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and about half of the powdered sugar, and beat until fairly well combined.
12. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, and beat until super smooth. Let's look at a close-up
Awwwwwww yea, this is the stuff that dreams are made of.
13. Ok! Now place one of your fully cooled cake layers on a plate. Then scoop about half of the frosting on top of it, and use a spatula to spread the frosting out to the edges.
14. Place the second layer on top, scoop the second half of the frosting onto the top cake layer, and spread out to the edges with your spatula.

15. Once that's done, lick that spatula clean. This step is not mandatory, but it is highly encouraged!
Ah! Look at that beauty! So, once everyone oohs and ahs, you can slice into this sucker.
Oh, hello dream cake! Now, just to note, because of the coconut, etc, this cake is a bit on the crumbly side. Be sure to use a sharp, long knife when you cut this. It can help to chill the cake for about half an hour before slicing into it.
If you do gluten-free baking or are looking to try it, this is a really fantastic recipe. I brought about half of this cake to work with me the other day, and it was a total crowd pleaser! My gluten eating co-workers raved about it and quite a few got through their piece, thought about who had baked it and said "Wait! Was that gluten free?" Ahhh success!

Anyway, I hope you get to try out this dreamboat of a fall cake soon!

Til next time!

-Becca
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26 comments:

  1. yumm, that looks so delicious! i can't wait to try the recipe =)
    do you want to follow each other? following you now on facebook and bloglovin =)

    www.lesley-kim.com

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    1. Thanks, Leslie! I'd love to check out your blog. Thank you for following me!

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  2. I looooove cream cheese frosting too- it's the best. I have really noticed my love of seasonal foods in the last few years. We only really have 2 seasons here in AZ- hot & nice, but I really notice the difference in what I want to eat. Beautiful pics- gimme a piece of cake!!

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    1. Man, it's so good. I'm glad you're still able to experience the seasons even with the consistent weather! I love seasonal eating because it really lets you mix things up and take advantage of what's growing locally. I'll see if I can mail you a piece ; )

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  3. That is a beautiful cake, and it looks and sounds D E L I C I O U S !

    - Isabelle @ Head Red + Blondi

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  4. I never thought of mixing coconut and pumpkin together, but I am really excited to find someone to make this for me!

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    1. It's a pretty good combo! Mostly it gives it a really nice texture. I hope someone makes it for you soon! Haha

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  5. This cake looks absolutely amazing, I love the colour of the crumb, so warm, dark and wintery. The combination of flavours excites me, you made the pumpkin a little bit exotic with that coconut and pineapple. Never heard of a cream cheese frosting before, but it looks great as well! A very inspirational pumpkin cake :)

    Sofie x
    Little green Sofie

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    1. Thank you, Sofie! I love the color of this cake, too. It's so pretty!

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  6. Yum! My aunt gave me a recipe for pumpkin cheesecake when Jordan and I got married. This recipe has reminded me of it. I think I will have to dig it out soon!
    Whimsy Darling

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    1. Mmm, pumpkin cheesecake is the best! You should definitely make that soon!

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  7. oh man, this cake. i need it asap. i think i'm going to dream about it!
    katie

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    1. Haha, definitely! It's pretttttty delicious!

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  8. oh dang that looks fantastic! I love the fantastic step by step directions! yum!

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    1. Thanks, Kelsey! I'm glad the directions were helpful!

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  9. This looks so delicious, that cream cheese frosting is PERFECTION.
    I can almost smell it right now ♥ I want a bite!

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    1. Thanks, Irela! It was amazing while it lasted!

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  10. You are making my stomach grumble. This looks AMAZING!

    Xo, Hannah

    sweetsweetnoir.net

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  11. i don't even like pumpkin stuff but man that looks good!

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  12. Becca, question for you! I was thinking about making this cake tonight but am confused about the pineapple. When you say canned pineapple, do you mean crushed? It doesn't look like there are big chunks in the pics, so I'm assuming so, but want to check!

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    1. Hi Amy Marie! Golly, yes I did mean crushed canned pineapple! Sorry for the mix-up. I'll edit that right up! Thanks for pointing that out and I hope you LOVE the cake!

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