Layered Pumpkin Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Dana’s Aunt Lois sends me recipes every once in a while.  Lois has great taste, so I try to make them whenever possible.  Last week, she sent me a recipe from Tea Time Magazine that looked absolutely fabulous.  We decided that we should make it right away.  This recipe makes one half of a sheet cake and then cuts it in thirds to make a layer cake.  The cake is layered with a fresh Orange Cream Cheese frosting.  The orange in the frosting gives the cake a little something extra that is different from other pumpkin cakes.  It keeps you guessing.  The cake was delicious.

Layered Pumpkin Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease an 18 x 13 half sheet pan and then line with parchment.  Finally, grease the parchment.  Since we are trying to make a layer cake, the multiple applications of grease will help the cake pop right out.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-4 minutes.

While the butter and sugar are creaming, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg into a medium bowl.  Set aside.

Once the butter and sugar are creamed together add the eggs one at a time.  Make sure to beat the mixture well after the addition of each egg.

Once the eggs are incorporated, add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.  Mix to combine.

Slowly add the reserved flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients. Alternate between the flour mixture and buttermilk.

Mix until fully incorporated.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Lightly drop the pan on the counter two to three times to remove any air bubbles.

Place the pan into the preheated 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick can be cleanly removed from the center of the cake.  My cake took 15 minutes.

The timing varies based on your oven.  Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack.

While the cake is cooling, it is time to make the frosting.

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.  Beat slowly at first and once the ingredients become incorporated, beat on high until light and fluffy.  Once the frosting is light and fluffy, add the fresh orange zest.  Beat on medium until incorporated.  Place the frosting in the fridge, covered, until ready to use.

Once cooled, flip the cake out onto a clean countertop and cut into 3 rectangular portions, roughly 13 x 6 inches.

Divide the frosting into quarters.  Use 1/4 to top the base layer of cake.  Add the next layer of cake and use another 1/4 of the frosting.  Finally add the top layer of cake and use another 1/4 of the frosting to frost the top.  Place the remaining 1/4 of frosting in a pastry bag with a star tip for decorating the cake later.

Place the cake in the freezer to solidify the cake for cutting.  This will take about 1 hour.

Once the cake is solid, remove from the freezer and trim all of the sides to make even.

Then cut into 12-18 pieces.  This depends on the size of the pieces you desire.

Pipe the top of each piece with a decorative topping using the remaining frosting in the pastry bag.

Print

Layered Pumpkin Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time

2 hrs

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 15 mins

 

A fabulous Pumpkin layer cake made with orange cream cheese frosting.

Course: Cake

Servings: 12

Author: Rex

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 buttermilk

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

• 11 ounces cream cheese softened
• 3/4 cup salted butter softened
• 7 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbs orange zest roughly the zest of one orange

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease an 18 x 13 half sheet pan and then line with parchment. Finally grease the parchment. Since we are trying to make a layer cake the multiple applications of grease will help the cake pop right out.
3. In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
4. While the butter and sugar are creaming, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Set aside.
5. Once the butter and sugar are creamed together add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to beat the mixture well after the addition of each egg.
6. Once the eggs are incorporated, add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
7. Slowly add the reserved flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients. Alternate between the flour mixture and buttermilk. Mix until fully incorporated.
8. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Lightly drop the pan on the counter two to three times to remove any air bubbles.
9. Place the pan into the preheated 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick can be cleanly removed from the center of the cake. My cake took 15 minutes. This is vary based on your oven. Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack.
10. While the cake is cooling it is time to make the frosting.
11. In the bowl of your mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat slowly at first and once the ingredients become incorporated beat on high until light and fluffy. Once the frosting is light and fluffy, add the fresh orange zest. Beat on medium until incorporated. Place the frosting in the fridge, covered, until ready to use.
12. Once cooled, flip the cake out onto clean countertop and cut into 3 rectangular portions, roughly 13 x 6 inches.
13. Divide the frosting into quarters. Use 1/4 to top the base layer of cake. Add the next layer of cake and use another 1/4 of the frosting. Finally add the top layer of cake and use another 1/4 of the frosting to frost the top. Place the remaining 1/4 of frosting in a pastry bag with a star tip for decorating the cake later.
14. Place the cake in the freezer to solidify the cake for cutting. This will take about 1 hour.
15. Once the cake is solid, remove from the freezer and trim all of the sides to make even.
16. Then cut into 12-18 pieces. Depending on the size of pieces you desire.
17. Depending on the size of pieces you desire.
18. Pipe the top of each piece with a decorative topping using the remaining frosting in the pastry bag.

Recipe Notes

You can view the original recipe here at Tea Time Magazine.

This cake was awesome!  Thanks Lois for the great find.

You can view the original recipe here.