Pumpkin Cake Recipe with Walnuts
This Pumpkin Cake Recipe is layered between delicious chocolate and caramel frosting. Topped with walnuts, this cake is hard to resist!
Ingredients
for the cake-
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup pureed pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup California walnuts chopped & toasted
for the caramel frosting-
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup caramel syrup I used the Hersheys brand, meant for ice cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
for the chocolate frosting-
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
for the top-
- 3 tablespoons toffee bits
- 1/3 cup California walnuts chopped & toasted
Instructions
for the cake-
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet (with high sides-sheet pan) with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
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In stand mixer or large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color, 1 minute. Whip in vanilla, eggs and pumpkin until blended. Scrape sides and briefly mix again. Measure out all dry ingredients and add them in all at once. Mix on a low speed until all ingredients are moist. Scrape down the sides and mix again. Stir in sour cream. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chopped walnuts by hand. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 15-18 minutes or until cake is cooked thoroughly. (Make sure to check it at 15!) Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
for the caramel frosting-
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Whip butter, vanilla, and caramel syrup together until well blended. Whip powdered sugar into mixture until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and whip again until light in color, 1-2 minutes. Remove from bowl and divide into two equal portions. Set aside.
for the chocolate frosting-
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Using the same bowl, whip butter, vanilla, and cocoa together until well blended. Stir in powdered sugar. This mixture may look very dry, so with the mixer on, trickle in the milk. Scrape bowl and whip again until light in color, 1-2 minutes. Remove from bowl and divide into two equal portions.
for assembly-
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Cut cooled cake into 4 equal strips width wise. Carefully remove 1 strip of cake and place onto serving platter. Top with half of chocolate frosting, being sure to have thicker frosting around the edges and thinner frosting in the middle. Repeat this process alternating the chocolate and caramel frostings, finishing with caramel. Top cake with chopped walnuts and toffee bits. Serve.