Cakes and Frostings

Pumpkin Spice Cake

A fall-friendly spice cake made with real, puréed pumpkin, chopped pecans, and topped with a sweet pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting.

Servings

16 pieces

Level

Easy

Cake

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) Challenge Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups puréed pumpkin
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Topping

  • ¼ cup (½ stick) Challenge Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 8 ounces Challenge Cream Cheese, softened
  • 2½ cups confectioners sugar
  • ¼ cup puréed pumpkin
  • 3 Tablespoons minced crystallized ginger

Cake

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • 2
    Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
  • 3
    Cream butter, sugar and pumpkin pie spice until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
  • 4
    Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the butter alternating with addition of pumpkin and lemon juice. Stir in pecans.
  • 5
    Spread batter evenly into prepared baking pan and bake 30-35 minutes (or until wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean).
  • 6
    Allow the cake to cool. Spread frosting on cake and garnish with candied ginger.

Topping

  • 1
    Cream butter with pumpkin pie spice and lemon zest. Blend in cream cheese.
  • 2
    Add confectioners sugar and ¼ cup pumpkin; beat until smooth.