A moist Pumpkin Cake topped with cream cheese frosting! The crumb is soft and tender, it’s easy, fast, forgiving and very versatile. Use this batter to make Pumpkin Bars, a round cake, loaf, cupcakes, muffins or even a bundt cake!
The third and final Thanksgiving recipe from a Sassy Lady from the South whose recipes are starring in the 2016 Thanksgiving Special here on RecipeTin Eats.
Wow. This Pumpkin Cake was a HUGE hit with my taste testers!
Pumpkin cake isn’t common in Australia, so I was particularly keen to hear what my taste testers thought of it. I had a group of my mother’s golfing friends around for a midweek Thanksgiving feast taste testing session and also made this cake again for my friends.
Resounding feedback was – YUM!!!!
I think I’m single handedly going to start a pumpkin cake crusade here in Australia. I know I’ve converted at least 15 people already. Just another 24.9 million to go. 😉
Dorothy – the Sassy Lady from the South who is credited with this years’ Thanksgiving Special – calls this recipe “Pumpkin Bars” because she makes it in a slightly larger pan so the cake is thinner, thus it looks more like bars when cut. Mine is around 25% taller than hers (based on rough maths!), which is why it looks more like cake than bars. And hence why I changed the name to Pumpkin Cake. 🙂
I do hope she’s not offended.
Actually, I should say I hope her son is not offended. Because I am told this Pumpkin Cake is actually her sons’ recipe. Perhaps not created by him – well, I know it wasn’t created by him. But he “owns” it now, ever since he was a wee kid and was told by the Sassy Lady from the South that if he wanted more Pumpkin Bars, he could very well get into the kitchen and make it himself.
So he did. And now he’s the Pumpkin Bar King of the family. <3
And now I’ve gone and used his recipe to make Pumpkin Cake.
Oh wait. Not exactly the same. I used fresh instead of canned pumpkin. Because, dear US readers, this may surprise you, but we don’t have canned pumpkin here in Australia!
To be honest, I’m actually sort of glad that we don’t have it here because it means I have to use fresh pumpkin.
Gosh, I have to say, I really was actually quite surprised at how enthusiastically this cake was received by my taste testers. Don’t get me wrong, I love it – a lot. But my taste testers, they LOVED it. Capital letters and bold.
Of course the cream cheese frosting scored high marks – always does. But that cake….it is just so soft, tender and moist! Truly fantastic.
Things brings to a close the 2016 Thanksgiving Special here on RecipeTin Eats. ? It’s been an epic one, starring recipes from the Sassy Lady from the South. You can get the full menu in the Cajun Turkey Breast recipe (that recipe is not only genius, it is so incredibly delish!).
I do hope this week will provide some inspiration for those of you in the States celebrating Thanksgiving next week! – Nagi xx
- 4 eggs
- 1 2/3 cups (350g) white sugar (Note 1)
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 15 oz / 420 g can pure pumpkin , or 2 cups mashed fresh pumpkin (Note 2)
- 2 cups (300g) all purpose / plain flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Frosting
- 6 oz / 180 g cream cheese , at room temperature
- 2 sticks / 225 g / 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups (480 g) confectionary / icing sugar (sifted if clumpy)
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Preheat oven to 350F / 180C, all oven types.
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Spray and line a large pan around 9 x 13" / 22 x 33cm with baking paper with overhang. (Note 3)
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin.
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Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
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Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
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Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
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Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat for 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
1. This can be cut down to 1 1/4 cups.
2. We don't have canned pumpkin here in Australia. So I used fresh pumpkin and it came out perfectly! I used a 800g - 1kg / 1.6 - 2 lb pumpkin, peeled then deseeded cut into large chunks. Boiled it for 15 minutes until very soft. Drained then returned into pot on turned off stove to dry off. Then mashed. That yielded around 2 cups pumpkin.
3. The height of pumpkin cake/bars differs depending on the pan size you use. Mine is smaller than ideal so mine came out more like cake height rather than bar height. But either way, it doesn't matter - this cake is so moist, it is extremely versatile. Make it as a round cake, bundt cake, loaf pan, muffins!
4. Another fantastic recipe from a Sassy Lady from the South, the wonderful Dorothy from Tennessee. A long time reader of RecipeTin Eats, a fantastic cook with great taste to whom a number of reader favourite recipes are credited:
* Moist Easy Apple Cake <-- This is becoming famous!
* Dorothy's Carrot Cake
* 5 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Bars
5. This makes a large cake. If you cut it into large generous squares as pictured, then it will serve 12. If you can it into rectangles, then it will serve 18 - 20. Over half the calories shown below is attributable to the frosting.
2016 THANKSGIVING SPECIAL
Get the full menu here.
LIFE OF DOZER
a) Cruel
b) Cute
c) Funny
d) All of the above
SaveSave
This was a huge hit at work! I made it with the ingredients on the right and 3 cups pumpkin.
PUMPKIN CAKE BARS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING!
Serves 12-24 Nutrition information for the adjusted ingredients on the right.
4 large eggs
1 2⁄3 cups white sugar (1/2 c. white & ½ c. brown)
1 cup vegetable oil (1/2 c oil)
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (2 c. fresh pumpkin, or 3c. you can use yams too)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (1 tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove)
6 ounces cream cheese
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar (1 c. p sugar and 1 tsp vanilla)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour one glass 9 x 13 inch pan.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Spread into prepared pan.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
For the frosting: beat together the cream cheese, butter and confectioner’s sugar.
Evenly spread over bars after they have cooled.
Servings: 24 Amount per serving
Nutrition information for the adjusted ingredients on the right.
Cake with Frosting Nutrition Facts Cake without Frosting
Calories195 % Daily Value* Calories 125 % Daily Value*
Total Fat 10.9g 14% Total Fat 5.5g 7%
Saturated Fat 4.3g 21% Saturated Fat 0.9g 5%
Protein 2.9g Protein 2.4g
Cholesterol 46mg 15% Cholesterol 31 10%
Sodium 205mg 9% Sodium 163mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 22.3g 8% Total Carbohydrate 17.1 6%
Total Sugars 12.8g Total Sugars 7.9g
Dietary Fiber 0.9g 3% Dietary Fiber 0.9g 3%
Vitamin D 5mcg 25% Vitamin D 3mcg 15%
Calcium 40mg 3% Calcium 33mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6% Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 122mg 3%* Potassium 112mg 2%*
Does cake need to be refrigerated because of cream cheese icing ?
This cake is delicious. I have made it many times over the years. You can substitute yams for the pumpkin and it works well also.
Love hearing that you enjoy this as much as I do John! N x
This recipe turned out perfectly!
Also, I am using the frosting recipe as my go-to cream cheese frosting recipe from now on. It had great texture and flavor.
That’s terrific to hear Megan! So glad you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N x
Thank you for the recipe!
I was looking for fresh pumpkin recipe, because we have no canned pumpkin purée in Russia too.
It is gorgeous. Rich, moist and perfectly go together with cream cheese frosting.
Delicious.
That’s terrific to hear Kira! Thank you for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
I didnt have a big pan or cream cheese. I halved the recipe, baked it in a square 9×9 for about 20 minutes and served with a brown sugar butter sauce. I had to hide a piece to have with my tea this morning. I made a gluten free version today substituting brown rice flour and adding 1 tsp xanthan gum. Made my gluten free buddies very happy. Thanks for the deliciousness
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x ❤️
Made this for Thanksgiving 2016. Magnificent. Everyone loved it, even my husband who isn’t usually a big pumpkin fan.
HIGH FIVE! N xx
Made this today and it was delicious! Everything you said about this cake was correct! I topped the icing with toasted walnuts since I saw yours topped with pecans. Thank you for another great recipe!
Woo hoo! So glad to hear that you enjoyed it Patricia, thanks for letting me know! N x
Oh my goodness…look how moist and perfect those pumpkin bars looks!!! And that creamy cheese frosting…swoon! I love the ratio of cakey layer vs frosting layer – it’s absolutely perfect. XO
Big compliment from the baking queen!
Hi Nagi. My husband was very sceptical about PUMPKIN cake but after I had made it, he changed his tune. I did not have cream cheese at the time so instead spread a small amount of butter on top while hot and sprinkled cinnamon sugar over the melted butter and it was quite nice. Will try the frosting next time when I am more organised. Just love the recipes you post and am finding I am cooking more AND eating more ha ha. Love Dozer pics too. Thanks.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Val, and that you’re enjoying my recipes! Thank you for letting me know – N xx
I have bookmarked this one to make for my little sister. She is pumpkin mad – she eats pumpkin pies for breakfast. 🙂 I love the rich colour in this cake and that cream cheese frosting looks divine
Awww cute! Pumpkin for brekki???
I’ve used Heinz condensed pumpkin soup here in Australia instead of canned pumpkin – seems to work OK.
Kathryn! You’re a genius!!! Must give it a go – N xx
What an awesome recipe! I love pumpkin and this is a great addition to my recipe inbox! The creamy icing adds just the right amount of tang to pair nicely with the sweet pumpkin.
btw, mashed butternut squash also works well in this recipe.
Ahhhh yes thank you for reminding me Helene! I haven’t tried it with butternut yet but assumed it would work 🙂 N xx
Pumpkin puree can be pretty hard to get hold of in the UK too, you can sometimes find it in the ‘American’ section of supermarkets but it is rare! I do love pumpkin cake though, and this one looks so moist and delicious; the cream cheese frosting just makes it even better!
Cream cheese frosting makes EVERYTHING amazing, don’t you think??? 🙂
Pumpkin cake and Dozer. Just perfick!
I whole heartedly agree! <3
What a delicious recipe! My mouth is watering right now. I think I’m going to bake this cake this weekend. I have all the ingredients on hands, perfect!
I wait your post to see what picture you put from Dozer. I love it!
BTW.. I got the food photography book and it has been the best tool for me to sharp my skills. Thank you!
Hiiii Carlos! Thank you for purchasing my book, I do hope you enjoy it! Glad you are enjoying the Dozer pics – secretly love the outlet to indulge! N xx
Just in time for Thanksgiving. My guests thank you in advance. Greetings from Washington state.
Don’t thank me, thank Dorothy! It’s her recipe!!!
All am gonna say is am gonna move to Australia and become one of your taste testers!
Nagi – thanks for sharing Dorothys’ recipe – I need to look her up for sure!
You SHOULD. Imagine the wicked fun we would have!
Hi Nagi! Thank you so much for sharing some of my recipes with Australia! Sharing food has always been a passion of mine, but I never dreamed I would be sharing it halfway around the world! Your wonderful blog encourages many people to get in the kitchen and to come together over good food! What better way to show that you care!
Dorothy, I and many people all around the world are indebted to you. Honestly, you’re AMAZING Dorothy!!
I recently tried my first pumpkin treat, and I’m in love with all things pumpkin! This pumpkin cake looks SO good…and omg I love Dozer he’s so adorable 🙂
ME TOO!! Pumpkin isn’t huge here in Australia so it’s a whole new world I’m discovering!!
Many things can be substituted for pumpkin. I use yams, yellow squash (like butternut) or sweet potato. They are all a good base for the spices.