Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze and Candied Pecans
When the leaves begin to change colours, flavours like pumpkin and warming spices become everyone's favourites. But a recipe this easy and delicious can be enjoyed anytime of the year. Both moist and fragrant, this cake is perfect to accompany your afternoon tea and fancy enough to serve to guests.
Ingredients
Cake
Group A
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Group B
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
Group C
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger or 1/2 tsp dry ginger
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup melted butter or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
Cream Cheese Glaze
- ½ cup cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup icing sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 2 - 3 tsp milk
Candied Pecans
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup pecans
Instructions
For Cake
- Set oven at 350 degrees F.
- Butter and flour an 8.5" or 9" fluted tube pan.
- In a large bowl, sift the ingredients from Group A.
- Place the ingredients from Group B in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Make sure there are no lumps in the brown sugar.
- Add the ingredients from Group C to the pumpkin mixture. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
- Use a spatula to combine until there is no flour visible. Do not over mix. The dough will be stiff.
- Scoop batter in the pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 35- 40 minutes or until inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
- Remove from pan and let cool.
For the Candied Pecans
- Place 3 tablespoons of sugar in a shallow fry pan (do not use a non-stick pan).
- Place over low heat and do not stir. Allow the sugar to dissolve and begin to turn to an amber colour. Do not let the colour go beyond or it will burn.
- Add 1 cup of pecans and use two metal spoons to coat them in the melted sugar. Be careful not to touch the sugar mixture as it is very hot. Keep turning the pecans until well-coated. This will take only a couple of minutes. Do not burn the pecans.
- Carefully pour the candied pecans on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Let cool.
For Cream Cheese Glaze:
- In a bowl, use a whisk to soften the cream cheese.
- Add the icing sugar and mix well.
- Add the vanilla and milk until the desired consistency is achieved. The glaze should pour like corn syrup. Use immediately.
Assembling the Cake
- Chop the candied pecans.
- Place the cake on the serving platter. Pour the glaze over the top so that it runs down the sides.
- Sprinkle with the chopped candied pecans.
Notes
This recipe converts easily to muffins. Lightly grease the muffin tray and fill 2/3 way. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean.
Once baked, remove the muffins and let cool on a rack. Once cooled, drizzle some of the glaze.
Top with the chopped candied pecans.
Once baked, remove the muffins and let cool on a rack. Once cooled, drizzle some of the glaze.
Top with the chopped candied pecans.