Pumpkin Cake takes the flavours of pumpkin and spices and turns them into a delightful cake to celebrate the pumpkin season. This cake is sure to satisfy your craving for pumpkin flavours without pumpkin spice.
Originally posted on November 5, 2020, updated on September 17, 2024.
The recipe for this pumpkin cake is all about that warm, spiced aroma filling your kitchen and the first bite that screams autumn comfort.
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Ingredients For Pumpkin Cake
This easy pumpkin snack cake recipe has ten ingredients. Most of these ingredients are standard cake ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour.
- Sugar.
- Pumpkin Puree.
- Baking Powder.
- Baking Soda.
- Eggs.
- Vanilla Extract.
- Vegetable oil.
- Cinnamon.
- Salt.
Cream Cheese Icing (optional)
Cream cheese icing is an added touch to this snack cake. There are a total of four ingredients in this icing.
- Cream Cheese.
- Confectioner’s Sugar.
- Milk.
- Clear Vanilla Extract.
No Pumpkin Spice In This Recipe
This recipe doesn’t have pumpkin spice in it. There is pumpkin and cinnamon, but it is made without the other flavours that make up pumpkin spice, making this the cake for pumpkin lovers who don’t like pumpkin spice.
Can Fresh Pumpkin Be Used In Place Of Canned In Cake?
The short answer to this question is: Yes!
We have made this cake using fresh pumpkin that we roast and puree. It is a bit more work, but it is worth it. We make a few mason jars full of pumpkin puree every fall to make pies, tarts, and this recipe.
To roast or cook a pumpkin for this recipe, you will need about one average-sized (2 pounds/1 kilogram) pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin into quarters, remove the seeds and strings of the pumpkin. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 30 to 60 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool a little. Remove the skin and puree in a food processor until smooth. Store in mason jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
We also like to use smoked pumpkin puree to get a slightly different flavour. We smoke pumpkin in our Pit Boss Pellet Smoker.
How To Serve Pumpkin Cake
When it comes to serving this cake, there are a variety of ways to serve it:
- With cream cheese icing, as the recipe below calls for. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon over the icing or mix it into the icing for more flavour.
- Drizzle warm maple syrup or honey over the cake with or without the icing. We like to do this without any icing on the cake.
- Dust the cake with powdered sugar instead of icing.
- Top an iced cake with chopped walnuts or pecans
- Top with creme fraiche or whipped cream
Serve this cake with:
- Coffee or tea, especially a chai latte
- A sniffer of brandy or cognac goes well with this cake for an after-dinner treat
How To Store Pumpkin Cake
Covering loosely and keeping it at room temperature is the best way to store this cake if you have leftovers.
Or it can be stored in an air-tight container for up to three days.
It can also be stored in the freezer for up to three months without the icing. Thaw at room temperature, then add the icing.
If you like pumpkin without spice and want to try it in a cake, this cake is it. You can taste the pumpkin without the overwhelming taste of pumpkin spices.
We hope you enjoy it as much as our family does. And if you want a taste of pumpkin spice, We are sure adding a pumpkin spice blend instead of cinnamon will also work in this recipe.
If you love pumpkin and want to try another recipe, check out our Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, which makes a great snack any time of day.
If you make this recipe, we would love to hear about it. Leave a comment below.
Pumpkin Snack Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- ⅓ cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp clear vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Grease and flour a 13" x 9" cake pan
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a larger bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
- Add vegetable oil, pumpkin and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy
- Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean
- Cool in pan on a cooling rack until completely cooled
- Once cooled, spread cream cheese icing over top, cut into squares and serve
Cream Cheese Icing
- Beat cream cheese until smooth
- Add sugar, ¼ cup cup at a time, beating between additions
- Add milk and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy
- If the icing is too thick add a little more milk, ½ tablespoon at a time, until it is smooth and easy to spread.
- Spread over cake. Refrigerate any leftover icing up to one week.
