There’s a whole lot of pumpkin happening around our little house, I’ve gone on a bit of a fall recipe baking spree and I have to say, a warm house that smells of cinnamon and spiced gingerbread is not a bad place to be on a chilly fall day. November really is the month for pumpkin recipes. Cool, shorter days call for warm, comforting meals and sweetly spiced desserts.
I’ve made this pumpkin cake recipe countless times and it’s pretty fool-proof and very versatile. Pair it with a cream cheese buttercream and candied pecans or the maple cinnamon buttercream and pomegranate and cranberry molasses recipes below. It stays moist for days (oil-based cakes are great if you need to bake in advance) and it’s really quick to make, perfect for holidays. I love the idea of these mini cakes for hosting, there’s no slicing and serving, just individually plated, adorable cakes.
If you’d like to make a standard layer cake, this recipe can be used for a 3-layer 8 inch cake, just increase the temperature to 350 degrees. Buttercream recipe adapted from Sweetapolita.
- 3 c (594 g) sugar
- 1.5 c vegetable oil
- 6 eggs at room temperature
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 c (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- pinch freshly-grated nutmeg
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 c pumpkin puree
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 12 x 18 sheet pan, line with parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess.
- Beat oil and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed for about 3 minutes, then reduce the speed and add the eggs one at a time. Beat on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla and mix for 30 seconds.
- Sift the dry ingredients together and add slowly, mixing on low speed just until combined. Add the pumpkin and mix by hand until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the pan on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes or until the pan is cool enough to handle.
- Set the baking pan aside, take the cooling rack and place it top-down on top of the cake, then invert the cake onto the cooling rack, remove the parchment, and allow the cake to come to room temperature.
- Assembly // Level the cake if desired. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter of your choice, gently cut circles of cake and set aside. Fill a pastry bag or large ziplock with the buttercream and cut a corner off to create a dime-sized circle. Pipe circles on the outer edge of the cakes then fill in the center. Using a small, offset spatula, smooth the circles toward the center of the cake to create a scalloped edge and smooth the center. Place second layer of cake on top and press down, repeating the buttercream process. Just before serving, pour cooled cranberry pomagranite molasses on top and smooth to the edges of the cake. Decorate with sugared cranberries if desired. Can be baked a day in advance but cut and assemble mini cakes the day-of.
- 5 large, fresh egg whites
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, cut into cubes and cool, but not cold
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ c maple syrup or to taste
- pinch of cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- Wipe the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk attachment and a whisk with vinegar or lemon juice and a paper towel to remove any trace of grease. Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Place a metal mixing bowl over the pot of simmering water (bowl should fit snugly) and add egg whites and sugar. Stir constantly with a whisk until the temperature reaches 140 degrees or until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Beat egg whites and sugar on high speed until the bottom of the bowl is completely neutral, about 10 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment and turn mixer on low speed.
- Begin slowly adding the butter pieces and mix until texture is smooth. If the buttercream curdles, keep mixing, it'll come back together.
- Add salt and vanilla extract, then add maple syrup and cinnamon to taste and mix until combined.
- 2 c pomegranate molasses
- 1 c fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1¼ c sugar, or more to taste
- 4 tsp orange juice, divided
- Combine pomegranate juice, sugar, cranberries and 2 tsp orange juice in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until reduced to the consistency of a thick syrup. Add remaining two teaspoons orange juice and remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature then store in a glass container in the fridge.
i love how you combined spicy cake, a tart drizzle, and a maple-y buttercream! quick question- does the molasses use pomegranate molasses or juice?
Hi Heather! Thank you so much! It’s pomegranate molasses which you can make (it’s really easy, I can’t remember exactly which recipe I used but you can google for some ideas!) or purchase. Let me know if you have any other questions