Pumpkin Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.25 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 0.25 tsp allspice (Ground)
• 0.25 tsp ground cloves
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter (1 stick; at room temperature)
• 0.5 cup sugar (White sugar)
• 0.25 cup light brown sugar (Packed)
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling; author likes Libby's)
• 0.25 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs (Large; at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (For the cake)
• 4 oz cream cheese (At room temperature; use full-fat, not the spreadable type from a tub)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (At room temperature; for frosting)
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (For the frosting)
• 0.125 tsp salt (For the frosting)
• 2 cup confectioners' sugar
• toasted pecans (Optional, for sprinkling on top; amount not specified)
• nonstick cooking spray (For the loaf pan; amount not specified)
• parchment paper (For lining the bottom of the loaf pan; amount not specified)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a standard loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, line its bottom with parchment paper, and set it aside.

2. 2

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and ground cloves until evenly combined.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine the room-temperature butter, white sugar, and packed brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

4. 4

   Add the pumpkin purée and vegetable oil to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until well combined.

5. 5

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the cake's vanilla extract, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl so the mixture is evenly combined.

6. 6

   Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat only until the batter just comes together; do not overmix. Remove the beaters and finish mixing gently with a rubber spatula.

7. 7

   Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. 8

   Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely before frosting.

9. 9

   In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, frosting butter, frosting vanilla, and frosting salt until smooth and creamy.

10. 10

    Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, beating until the frosting is smooth and light.

11. 11

    Remove the cooled cake from the pan and place it on a serving tray. Spread the frosting over the cake. If desired, sprinkle toasted pecans on top. Slice and serve.

12. 12

    Refrigerate any leftover cake. Let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

The recipe page lists prep time as 25 minutes, cook time as 105 minutes, and total time as 130 minutes; the stated oven bake itself is 40–50 minutes. The source says toasted pecans are optional. For a shortcut, the body excerpt suggests replacing the individual spices with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. It also says the batter can be baked in an 8×8-inch pan; start checking around 25 minutes. The excerpt's square-cake bake instruction is cut off, so no further timing is provided.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baked
• fall
• pumpkin
• vegetarian
• contains dairy
• contains gluten