Description
This Pumpkin Caramel Cake features tender pumpkin spice cake layers, rich homemade caramel filling, and creamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Finished with a caramel drizzle and optional flaky sea salt, it’s a beautiful fall dessert for Thanksgiving and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Homemade Caramel Filling
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (120g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
Pumpkin Spice Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 3 cups granulated sugar (600g)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon (9g)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger (5g)
- 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg (3g)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (163g)
- 1/2 cup carton egg whites or 4 large egg whites, room temperature (120g)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature (360g)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil (28g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (5g)
- Orange gel food coloring (optional)
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (339g)
- 1 cup (8 oz.) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (226g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
- 6 cups powdered sugar (750g)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup caramel filling, room temperature (made above) (160g)
- Flaky sea salt, for decorating, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the caramel by melting the granulated sugar in a saucepan until it reaches an amber color. Carefully add the butter, followed by the heavy cream. Stir until smooth, then mix in the salt. Allow the caramel to cool until thick but spreadable.
- Preheat the oven to the temperature specified in your cake-baking method. Grease and line the cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, beat the room-temperature butter until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, egg whites, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the batter is smooth. Add orange gel food coloring if desired.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake until the cake layers are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool briefly in the pans, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter until creamy. Add the cream cheese and mix until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the cooled caramel and beat until creamy and evenly combined.
- Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread frosting over the layer, followed by some reserved caramel filling.
- Add the next cake layer and repeat the filling process. Stack the remaining layers evenly.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
- Drizzle with additional caramel if desired and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Chill briefly to help the cake set before slicing.
Notes
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Make sure the cake layers and caramel are completely cool before assembling.
- Refrigerate the finished cake in an airtight container because of the cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 850 kcal
- Sugar: 90 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 26 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 115 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
Keywords: Pumpkin Caramel Cake, pumpkin spice cake, caramel cake, pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, fall cake recipe, Thanksgiving cake