Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword pumpkin-cream-cheese-cake, pumpkin-cream-cheese-pound-cake

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 45

Cooling time 4

Total Time 6 10

Servings pieces

Calories 703kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

4 cup all purpose flour sifted
1 3.4 oz box pumpkin spice instant pudding See Cook's Note
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup butter (salted or unsalted) softened
1 8 oz block cream cheese softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup 100% canned pumpkin puree
6 large eggs room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 oz block cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
heavy cream or half and half for thinning
1 cup toasted and chopped pecan or walnuts for garnishing optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously butter and flour an angel food pan or spray with baking spray. (May use a pan with or without a removable bottom.)
In a medium size mixing bowl use a whisk to sift together the flour, pumpkin spice pudding mix, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese on high speed for 2 minutes. Lower the speed to medium-high and add granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes or until light and creamy.
Add the pumpkin puree whipping until fully incorporated, then add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition stopping to scrape the bowl periodically,
Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add the sifted dry ingredients. After all of the flour mixture is added, beat on medium speed for about 45-60 seconds or just until fully combined. Be careful not to over mix.
Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 1/2- 1 3/4 hours OR until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes back clean. Check at 1 hour and lay a piece of foil on top to prevent over browning, if needed.
Cool for 20 minutes in the pan before carefully removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve simply dusted with powdered sugar or a drizzle of caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. See below for instructions to make cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting: Using an electric mixer whip together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fully combined, about 2 minutes. Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add powered sugar. Add heavy cream 1 Tbsp at a time to thin for drizzling. Repeat until your desired thickness is reached.
Frost cooled cake and garnish with pecans. Store chilled.
Toast Pecans: Spread pecans in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast for 6-8 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven or until fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Notes

Pumpkin Spice Pudding Mix Substitution - If you're unable to find pumpkin spice instant pudding, don't panic. You can adapt this recipe adding 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and one 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding to the dry ingredients, instead. Pumpkin pie spice is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. It gives this cake a cozy flavor profiel.
Pan Option - This recipe will make a larger cake, so I recommend that you use an angel food pan and not a bundt pan, to prevent it from spilling over while baking. You can use a pan with or without a removable bottom, of course. A cake pan with a removable bottom is my preference, as it makes removing the cake from the pan much easier.
Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature - Bring the butter, cream cheese and eggs to room temperature before combining. This ensures they combine evenly and the cake batter will be smooth. .
Pumpkin - Use 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling for this pound cake recipe.
Adjust the Frosting - The cream cheese frosting for this cake is meant to be thick and decadent. You can make it thinner if you like, by adding more heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your preferred consistency.

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