Pumpkin Cake

image of pumpkin shaped cake for fall and halloween

4.82 from 11 ratings

This pumpkin shape cake not only looks like a pumpkin, but it tastes like one too! It's made with pumpkin cake layers, and is the perfect Fall cake!!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Additional Time20

Total Time1 10

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 36

Calories: 475kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake Layers

3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
3 cups granulated sugar 600g
2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
1 tsp fine salt 6g
2 tsp ground cinnamon 6g
1 tsp ground ginger 3g
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 2g
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1/2 cup carton egg whites or 4 large egg whites, room temperature 120g
2/3 cup pumpkin puree 112g
1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream, room temperature 360g
2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 28g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 678 grams
11 cups powdered sugar 1375 grams - or about 3 lbs
1 tsp fine salt 6 grams
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature or whipping cream (115 grams)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12 grams
orange gel food coloring

Additional Decorations

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled
Kitchen paint brush
Large piping bag
Ateco 789 frosting tip
Red, orange, and yellow fondant
Leaf cookie cutters

Instructions

Pumpkin Cake Layers:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line four 7-inch or three 8-inch round pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use this recipe to make 3, 8-inch cake layers. If you don't have that many cake pans, the batter can sit at room temperature for a few hours. Bake as many layers at a time as you can at a time.
Mix 3 cups all purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.
Mix 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain and the mixture looks like moist sand.
Pour in 1/2 cup of egg whites and 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree. Mix on low until just incorporated. Then mix in 1 1/2 cups of sour cream on a low speed.
Add in 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and 2 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. If you want to color these cake layers, add in the gel food coloring during this step.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 33-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
Place the cake pans into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
Once the layers have cooled, level then using a serrated knife to trim the top of each cake layer. Save the cake tops in a bowl to make the pumpkin stump later.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the vanilla buttercream frosting.
Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.
Once fully mixed, add in the vanilla and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 TBSP at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).

To Assemble This Pumpkin Shaped Cake:

Stack and frost the pumpkin cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer.
carve the top and bottom edge of the cake to begin to make a sphere shape.
Apply a thin coat of frosting around the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
Color the remaining frosting orange with gel food coloring, and place in a frosting bag fit with a wide, flat frosting tip (Wilton 789).
Pipe lines of buttercream vertically up the sides of the cake to make the panels of the pumpkin.
Smooth using an offset spatula and an acetate sheet.
In a separate bowl, crumble the cake tops using a fork. Mix with 1/2 cup of frosting, and some a 1 inch tall stump.
Place this on top of the cake, then brush with melted dark chocolate.
If desired, place fondant leaves around the base of the cake.
Then cut in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe Variations

This recipe can also be used to make a sheet cake! One batch will make 2, 9 x 13-inch cake layers that are about 1-inch tall or 1, 9x13-inch cake layer that is about 2 inches tall.

One batch of cake batter makes about 1800 grams. If you plan to use four circular cake pans, add 450 grams of batter into each pan.

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!
While this recipe makes delicious cake layers, it doesn't make the best cupcakes! I don't recommend using this recipe to make cupcakes. I recommend using my pumpkin cupcake recipe instead (and omit the chocolate chips)!

Making This Pumpkin Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

I recommend making the cake layers in advance and freezing them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

You can also your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

If you decorate this cake in advance, it can be refrigerated (gelatin balloons and all) for up to a week. Let the cake sit at room temperature for an hour or two to let it thaw before enjoying.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

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