Description
A moist and flavorful pumpkin cake topped with a luscious caramel cream cheese frosting, perfect for fall celebrations or anytime dessert cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 6 oz cream cheese (full fat brick style)
- 1/2 cup salted caramel
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream (as needed)
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (cut into 5 pieces)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition for smooth batter. Stir in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until fully incorporated.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan; this prevents the frosting from melting.
- Prepare Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting: In a bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add the salted caramel and blend well. Gradually add powdered sugar to achieve desired sweetness and thickness. Add 1-2 tablespoons of whipping cream if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the caramel cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
Notes
- Ensure the cake is completely cooled before frosting to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting.
- For a richer caramel flavor, use homemade salted caramel sauce as indicated, or substitute with store-bought salted caramel.
- Use fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin puree for best results.
- If desired, garnish with chopped nuts or a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice on top for extra presentation appeal.
- Store the cake refrigerated to maintain freshness and frosting texture.
