Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Last month I tried a new cake recipe that was delicious. I decided to make this for Thanksgiving dessert this year instead of the Pumpkin Roll that I have made the past few years. This cake is very simple to make. I have never loved pumpkin desserts, but this one only has cinnamon in it, so it is not overpowering like some other recipes that have other spices in them. I highly recommend trying this if you need a new recipe for the Fall!

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

CAKE:

4 large eggs

1 2/3 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

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, and cinnamon; add to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
4 Tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Spread frosting on top of cake. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over icing, if desired.

Eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin

Dry cake ingredients

Cake batter

Ready for the oven

Fresh out of the oven!

Frosting ingredients

Finished frosting

Photos by JoJo

Pumpkin Roll

Last year we had a new dessert at our Thanksgiving feast - a Pumpkin Roll that my mom made. This year I tried it out. I made two pumpkin rolls, and there was only half of one leftover (thankfully, so we could enjoy it a day or two longer!). This was easier to make than I thought it would be. My mom helped me out a little with getting the wax paper off the cakes and rolled them up. The only thing I will do different next time is chop the walnuts finer, as they were a little big. Other than that, this is a great dessert that is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

I don't have photos from when I made the cake, but this blog has some great step-by-step directions.

Libby’s® Pumpkin Roll 

                                                                   

CAKE

¼ cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

FILLING

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

6 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

FOR CAKE:
Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 15” x 10” jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar. Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel so the cake will not stick when rolling it up.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes). Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Unroll cake after it has cooled

Prepare cream cheese filling

Spread filling over cake

Re-roll cake

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top

Photos by JoJo