Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake

This is an American-style layer cake built from pumpkin puree, warm baking spices, and a cream cheese frosting. The layers bake in 9-inch round pans, cool fully, then get filled and frosted before being finished with chopped pecans.

By Julienne

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 315 g All-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 8 g Baking powder
• 5 g Baking soda
• 6 g Fine salt
• 6 g Ground cinnamon
• 2 g Ground ginger
• 1 g Ground nutmeg
• 0.5 g Ground clove
• 170 g Unsalted butter softened
• 200 g Granulated sugar
• 200 g Light brown sugar packed
• 4 large Eggs room temperature
• 425 g Pumpkin puree unsweetened, not pumpkin pie filling
• 10 ml Vanilla extract
• 120 ml Whole milk room temperature
• 450 g Cream cheese softened
• 330 g Powdered sugar sifted
• 30 ml Heavy cream cold
• 120 g Pecans toasted and chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 175°C. Grease 2 round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and set them on a rack in the center of the oven. The oven is fully preheated and the pans are prepared.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove until evenly combined. The dry mixture looks uniform with no spice pockets.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy at the edges. The mixture is visibly paler and aerated.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition, then mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla. The batter may look slightly curdled before the flour goes in; that is normal. The mixture is evenly blended and glossy.
5. Add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, alternating with the milk, and mix just until no dry flour remains. Fold once or twice with a spatula to finish the batter without overmixing. The batter is thick, smooth, and streak-free.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the centers spring back and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. The cakes are risen, lightly domed, and set in the center.
7. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack and cool completely before frosting. The layers are completely cool to the touch.
8. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar and heavy cream until spreadable. The frosting should hold soft peaks and not be runny. The frosting is smooth, thick, and spreadable.
9. Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate, spread about one-third of the frosting on top, add the second layer, and coat the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Press the chopped pecans onto the top and around the lower edge, if using all of them. The cake is fully frosted and the pecans are attached to the surface.
10. Slice with a sharp knife and serve. For clean slices, wipe the knife between cuts. Slices hold their shape and show even layers.