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Close up of pumpkin cake squares with pecans

Easy Pumpkin Pecan Cake

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5 from 5 reviews

Gorgeous Pumpkin Sheet Cake, with a crunchy pecan topping and cheese swirl! Flavorful and easy to make, this is your next favorite fall cake recipe.

  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 12 squares

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash puree, at room temperature
  • 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup white or light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy or double cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
  2. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment or aluminum paper (bottom and two sides only, it will be easier to unmold), and spray or butter the unlined sides.
  3. In a large bowl beat butter adding sugar gradually until very creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Add vanilla and mix well.
  5. In two parts, add sifted flour with baking powder, spices and salt (I sift it directly over the butter). Mix only until starting to blend.
  6. Add pumpkin or butternut squash puree and mix well.
  7. Pour into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
  8. In a small bowl mix sour cream (or cream cheese) with sugar and cream.
  9. Drizzle on top of the pumpkin batter.
  10. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top and bake for about 30-40 minutes,  until a tester comes out clean.
  11. Let cool on wire rack. Unmold carefully. Serve at room tº.
  12. It keeps buat room tº for 2 days and a week in the fridge wrapped in film.

Notes

  • Pumpkin: as I mentioned above, I use homemade pumpkin puree but use the canned variety, unsweetened. So much easier!
  • Spice mix: I make my pumpkin spice mix but you can use one you like already. If you have never used them together, take this recipe as a guide and adjust individual spices to your liking.
  • Nuts: pecans are the traditional pair with pumpkin, but walnuts work very well too. Use hazelnuts if you want to innovate. Another option is to omit the nuts.
  • Cheese: cream cheese makes a thicker swirl, and sour cream makes it slightly more fluid.
  • Storing: the cake keeps at room temperature for a couple of days. You can freeze it for a few weeks, well wrapped. Defrost at room temperature.
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 12
  • Calories: 429
  • Sugar: 30.4 g
  • Sodium: 158.8 mg
  • Fat: 24.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 50.1 g
  • Fiber: 2.4 g
  • Protein: 5.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 78.5 mg