This Pumpkin Cake recipe has a light sugar coating and a cream cheese filling hidden in the center is full of all the kind of good you want in a slice of pumpkin cake…the kind that feels like a fancy cake and is hiding a sneaky surprise.
We often see pumpkin loaf cake with a light crumb, maybe a frosting being served up a bunch at this time of year and this cake takes that idea and tips it on it’s head by making a beautiful light crumb with butter and stuffing the center with cream cheese.
Why you’ll love this
Pumpkin crumb
The browned butter pumpkin crumb in this cake is light and has a balanced flavor that is like Fall in a bite.
Cream cheese center
The soft creamy center adds a complimentary texture to the cake, and takes this cake from a simple snack cake to a standout dessert!
Ingredients and substitutions for Pumpkin Cake
- Butter: Unsalted butter was used to make the browned or caramelized butter for this cake with 180 grams or 6.3 ounces will provide the quantity of butter needed here for the cake due to the loss of moisture that takes place during the browning process.
- Sugar: The use of light brown sugar compliments the pumpkin and adds a depth of flavor. You could substitute with a mix of light and dark brown sugar. Completely substituting with superfine or caster sugar would only add sweetness so it’s not recommended to do this.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs, add structure to our cake, the egg helps to bind everything together so are essential. Folding egg whites into our cake batter helps to create a nice and light consistency in our cake crumb.
- Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin was used in the cake as it ensures an even consistency for you to replicate in your own kitchen and also includes less moisture than homemade mashed pumpkin.
- Flour: Plain or all purpose flour adds a light texture to the cake and you’ll keep a light crumb by only mixing until combined.
- Baking soda and powder: These help the cake rise for a light crumb and avoid a stodgy result.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
You can definitely change up the dish by changing the following:
No cheesecake filling - The cake stands on its own with a delicious light crumb that is fuller on pumpkin flavor minus the spice and the depth is provided from the brown butter.
Sweet potato - You could also subsititute the pumpkin puree with a sweet potato one instead.
Storage
Due to the cream cheese filling, this cake is best kept covered and in the fridge if not being served within 24 hours of making. It will sit outside just fine to cool for the first 24 hours, particularly if you do not have a large container that can fit within the fridge because this is a hefty cake.
Equipment needed to make this
Mixing bowl: You’ll need a large mixing bowl to prepare the cake batter and two medium bowls to combine the filling and dry ingredients together. As well as a small bowl to prepare that sugar topping.
Stand or hand mixer: A stand mixer ior hand mixer works best here to prepare your cake components with both the batter and cream cheese filling needing a good amount of icing.
Cake tin: A spring form tin that is 20 cm or 8 inches was used to get the cake out of the tin easily, however, a standard cake tin of similar size would also work well.
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How to make Pumpkin Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line your cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat on medium until pale and well combined, approximately 3 minutes.
Add in the egg yolks and whip until well combined, a further 1 minute.
Add in the pumpkin and combine until the mixture is smooth.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl and beat on low until just combined.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add the whipped egg whites to the back batter and gently fold the until it is a smooth mixture and fully incorporated.
Spoon half the batter into your cake tin and create a small well in the center by pressing the edges up against the tin.
For the cheesecake filling, place the cream cheese into a bowl and beat for 1 minute.
Toss in the sugar and beat until well combined and smooth a further 1 minute.
Pour in the maple syrup and add the egg and whip until smooth and well combined.
Spoon the cheesecake filling into the center, smoothing out evenly.
Slowly and carefully spoon the remaining batter over the cheesecake filling, spooning the batter from the outer edges and working inwards until your filling is no longer visible.
Smooth out the batter carefully prepare your sugar topping.
Toss the sugar and ground cinnamon into a small bowl and stir together, before sprinkling over the entire surface of your cake.
Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes until golden or a skewer comes out clean from the edges of your cake.
Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Set aside to cool completely.
Slice and serve.
Dig in!
Pumpkin Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 10-12 1x
- Category: Cakes
Description
Brown butter in our batter hides a cream cheese filling that compliments our Fall flavors and makes this Pumpkin Cake recipe a standout without much effort.
Ingredients
150 grams / 5.3 ounces brown butter, softened
50 grams / ¼ cup superfine/caster sugar
150 grams / ¾ cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature and separated
250 grams / 1 cup + 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour
5 grams / 1 teaspoon baking soda
6 grams / 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
Cheesecake filling
300 grams / 10.6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
50 grams / ¼ cup superfine/caster sugar
20 grams / 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Sugar topping
20 grams / 1 ½ tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Cake batter
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line your cake tin with greaseproof paper.
- Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat on medium until pale and well combined, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add in the egg yolks and whip until well combined, a further 1 minute.
- Add in the pumpkin and combine until the mixture is smooth.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl and beat on low until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Add the whipped egg whites to the back batter and gently fold the until it is a smooth mixture and fully incorporated.
- Spoon half the batter into your cake tine and create a small well in the center bu pressing the edges up against the tin.
Cheesecake filling
- Place the cream cheese into a bowl and beat for 1 minute.
- Toss in the sugar and beat until well combined and smooth a further 1 minute.
- Pour in the maple syrup and add the egg and whip until smooth and well combined.
- Spoon the cheesecake filling into the center, smoothing out evenly.
- Slowly and carefully spoon the remaining batter over the cheesecake filling, spooning the batter from the outer edges and working inwards until your filling is no longer visible.
- Smooth out the batter carefully prepare your sugar topping.
- Toss the sugar and ground cinnamon into a small bowl and stir together, before sprinkling over the entire surface of your cake.
- Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes until golden or a skewer comes out clean from the edges of your cake.
- Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- Slice and serve.
- Dig in!
Notes
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Nutrition
- Calories: 442 calories
Keywords: cake, fall recipe, fall baking, cream cheese filled cake
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