Make the cake layers
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 2 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray with nonstick again.
Make the cake batter. With the paddle attachment of a standup mixer, mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. Start on low speed for 30 seconds and then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Bake. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 25-35 minutes. Cool. Cool the cakes in their pans for 5 minutes before turning them out onto wire cooling wracks.
For the frosting
Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter starts to boil gently, swirl the pan to prevent burning. Keep swirling until the butter turns a deep amber color and remove from the heat. Cool. Let the butter cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before chilling in the fridge until solid.
Make the frosting. Allow the butter to come to room temperature. Mix on medium speed (with a paddle attachment) until creamy. Turn the mixer to low and mix in the powdered sugar, followed by the maple syrup.
To assemble
Level. Use a serrated knife to cut the dome off one of the cake layers.
Stack, fill, and frost. Place the leveled cake layer on a cake plate and spread nearly half of the frosting on top. Top the frosting with the second cake layer and spread the rest of the frosting over it. Finishing touches. Drizzle a little extra maple syrup over the cake if you’d like.
Why I Love This Pumpkin Cake RecipeIngredient NotesHow to Make Pumpkin CakeTips for Perfect Pumpkin CakeGetting the Frosting Right How to StoreMore Pumpkin Recipes to TryGet the Recipe
Cake
Yellow cake mix – Vanilla or white cake mix will also work. I LOVE how easy using cake mix makes this recipe. And how fluffy it makes the cake! Pumpkin puree – NOT pumpkin pie mix. Just pumpkin puree in a can (or homemade). I like Libby’s canned pumpkin. Milk – I generally use whole milk. It’s best if it’s at room temperature. It will mix more easily into the batter. Oil – Using oil as opposed to butter for this cake makes it extra moist. Eggs – If you think of it, allow your eggs to come to room temperature before using them. They will mix more smoothly and easily into the batter. Pumpkin pie spice – If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can use a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
Frosting
Butter – I like using salted butter, but you could use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness of the frosting. Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar not only sweetens the frosting but also provides structure. Maple syrup – Real maple syrup, please! The flavor is SO much better.
You’ll also sign up to get new recipes in your inbox. Δ
