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–+ servings
cross section of salted caramel pumpkin cake.
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Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cake

The best of fall flavors come together in this salted caramel pumpkin cake. From the homemade caramel sauce to the warm spiced, moist pumpkin sponge to the lightly sweetened whipped cream cheese frosting, this cake is an autumn lover's dream dessert!
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings16 servings
Coursecake
CuisineAmerican
AuthorSloane

Equipment

Ingredients

For the pumpkin cake:

  • 280 g (2 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
  • 213 g (1 cup) dark brown sugar
  • 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
  • 174 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) neutral oil
  • 3 eggs, room temp
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 15 oz (1 can) pumpkin purée
  • raw sugar, for topping

For the whipped cream cheese frosting & topping:

  • 227 g (1 block) cream cheese, cold
  • 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
  • 227 g (1 cup) heavy cream
  • 1 batch salted caramel sauce, or store-bought

Instructions

For the pumpkin cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.
  • Soak one cake strip in ice water.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
  • Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until mostly combined. Then, mix in the pumpkin purée followed by the rest of the dry ingredients until fully combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with raw sugar, if desired.
  • Wrap the soaked cake strip around the outside of the pan, then bake for 38-42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. 
  • Allow the pumpkin cake to cool completely before frosting.

For the whipped cream cheese frosting:

  • In a large bowl, add the cold cream cheese and sugar, and cream together with an electric hand mixer until completely smooth.
  • Add the heavy cream and mix on medium speed until thick.

For assembly:

  • Top the cooled pumpkin cake with the whipped cream cheese frosting. Drizzle the salted caramel sauce on top and serve!

Notes

  • Use pure pumpkin purée, NOT pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and other ingredients.
  • Use a cake strip to create a flat cake layer. Soak these wilton cake strips in ice water before starting the cake batter. Just before baking, wrap the cake strip around the pan. The cold temperature on the outside of the cake will prevent the edges from baking faster than the center, resulting in an evenly baked flat cake.
  • Use cold cream cheese & heavy cream. In order to create a sturdy whipped cream cheese frosting, pay close attention to the temperature of the ingredients. Cold cream cheese will ensure it's thick enough, while cold heavy cream will whip up and give the frosting enough structure.
  • Cream the cream cheese & sugar thoroughly. Cream the two until completely smooth before adding the heavy cream to avoid over-mixing and risk the frosting splitting!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 4581IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg
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