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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cinnamon Frosting

Moist, tender pumpkin layers warm with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, stacked with tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting and topped with crunchy toasted pecans.

Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cinnamon Frosting

Ingredients

  • 2⅓ cups300 gAll-purpose flour
  • 1 cup200 gGranulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup packed150 gBrown sugarpacked
  • 1¾ cups425 gPumpkin puree, canned
  • ¾ cup180 gCanola oilplus a little for greasing the pans
  • 4 large200 gEggsroom temperature
  • 1¾ tsp8 gBaking powder
  • 1⅛ tsp5 gBaking soda
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • 1½ tbsp10 gGround cinnamondivided
  • 2¼ tsp4 gGround ginger
  • ¾ tsp1.5 gGround nutmeg
  • ½ tsp1 gGround cloves
  • 2½ tsp10 gVanilla extractdivided
  • 1 cup225 gCream cheesesoftened
  • ½ cup115 gUnsalted buttersoftened
  • 2½ cups300 gPowdered sugarsifted
  • ½ cup chopped60 gPecanschopped

Steps

  1. Set the cream cheese, butter and eggs on the counter to soften for about 30 minutes before you begin.
  2. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans with a little of the canola oil and line the bottoms with parchment.
  3. Spread the pecans on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant; set aside to cool.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves and four-fifths of the cinnamon (about 8 g); save the remaining fifth of the cinnamon for the frosting.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, the remaining canola oil, the eggs and half of the vanilla until smooth.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops.
  8. Bake 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto the rack, peel off the parchment and cool completely, about 1 hour.
  10. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time, then the remaining half of the vanilla and the remaining cinnamon.
  11. Place one cake layer on a plate, spread about one-third of the frosting over the top, set the second layer on it, then cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
  12. Scatter the toasted pecans over the top. Chill 20 minutes to set the frosting, then cut into 12 slices.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Milk, Egg, Tree nuts, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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