A Very Large Pumpkin Layer Cake – with toffee pecans and cream cheese frosting

It is a big-format Pumpkin Layer Cake sandwiched with cheese frosting (not too candy!), littered right through (and on) with the flicker and crunch of crushed toffee pecans. Serves 20 to 48. Should you want me, I’ll be within the fridge with a fork!

An enormous four-layer Pumpkin Cake!

That is the form of cake you make for gatherings however secretly hope to maintain underneath a dome all week (not that any dome is sufficiently big for this), slicing your self slivers each time the craving strikes.

We’re speaking 4 mushy layers of cinnamon pumpkin cake, every smothered with a cream cheese frosting that’s softly creamy and tangy somewhat than cloying, with a sprinkle of finely chopped toffee pecans in each layer for some welcome textural distinction and addictive pops of nutty sweetness.

There’s a good quantity of frosting in each single chew, so that you’ll be additional glad to find that it’s not too candy with lower than half the sugar of conventional cream cheese frostings.

And it’s BIG!

40cm/15″ lengthy, 8cm / 3.2″ excessive and weighs 2.5kg (5 lb).

Reduce into 16 thick slices for severe cake monsters, 20 common servings, as much as 48 in petit 4 kind which quickly turned certainly one of my favorite issues about this cake. Extra on this under!

Elements

There are 3 components to this cake:

1. The pumpkin cake layers – based mostly on my Pumpkin Cake recipe.

2. Cream cheese frosting

3. Toffee pecans

1. Pumpkin PUREE OPTIONS for the cake

I take advantage of recent as a result of canned pumpkin isn’t straightforward to seek out in Australia, it tastes higher and takes 8 seconds to puree. 🙂 However canned works completely wonderful!

2. OTHER CAKE INGREDIENTS

I’ve tried utilizing extra spice combos previously, however I hold coming again to only plain cinnamon. I like that it enhances somewhat than overwhelms the pumpkin flavour. Easy is greatest!

• Flour – Plain / all-purpose flour. I don’t suggest utilizing self-raising flour (additionally known as self-rising flour) because the flour-to-baking-powder ratio used on this recipe is particularly to make sure the cake rises flat somewhat than doming.

• Oil – Any neutral-flavoured oil reminiscent of canola or vegetable. Utilizing oil as a substitute of butter retains the cake moist as a result of butter corporations up at room temperature, whereas oil stays liquid. That’s why oil-based truffles keep softer for longer. The trade-off, in fact, is flavour – butter all the time wins on that entrance! However on this cake, the pumpkin and cinnamon deliver sufficient that I don’t miss the butter one bit.

• Baking powder – Our rising agent, although I take advantage of barely lower than within the Pumpkin Cake (3 somewhat than 4 teaspoons) so the cake comes out flat somewhat than with a dome.

• Cinnamon – For flavour! Pumpkin’s greatest buddy!

• Sugar – Common white sugar or caster/superfine sugar each work.

• Eggs – Giant eggs (55–60g / 2 oz every), at room temperature. Room temperature eggs mix higher into the batter, providing you with a smoother, extra even crumb. (Extra on the correct eggs for baking right here!)

• Salt – Only a contact to boost the flavours. Commonplace inclusion in candy recipes today. 🙂

3. toffee pecans

• White sugar – The bottom of the toffee, it melts right into a golden, caramelised coating that hardens because it cools. Simply common white sugar, although caster sugar / superfine can even work simply wonderful.

• Pecans – My nut of selection, as a result of it’s a traditional pairing with pumpkin cake!

• Salt – Not making an attempt to make salted toffee right here, however simply sufficient to make sure the toffee doesn’t style tooth-achingly candy. It’s fairly superb how salt can dial down sweetness!

4. cream cheese frosting

Sure, you want two complete blocks of cream cheese frosting! I didn’t need a buttercream masquerading as a cream cheese frosting immediately, I needed a frosting the place cream cheese is entrance and centre as a result of that slight tang simply goes so effectively with pumpkin cake!

Additionally, dialling up the cream cheese is the rationale why I used to be capable of dial down the sugar to half the quantity usually utilized in cream cheese frosting. 🙂

• Cream cheese – Use block cream cheese, not the spreadable variety that is available in tubs (it’s too mushy). If spreadable is all you may get, add a bit additional icing sugar to agency up the frosting.

• Unsalted butter – Softened to a pliable state, however not overly mushy or beginning to soften.

• Icing sugar (powdered sugar) – 🇦🇺 In Australia, use mushy icing sugar, not pure icing sugar (that one’s for issues like royal icing, which units exhausting).

• Vanilla extract – For a contact of heat and flavour.

• Salt – To deliver out flavours and in addition, it dials down the sweetness a bit.

Find out how to make Pumpkin Layer Cake

There’s just a few parts to this recipe however none of them are tough. You too can make all parts the day earlier than then assemble the subsequent day, for those who really feel like breaking apart the method or for those who stuffed up your schedule and ran out of time to complete it (who me? 😊).

1. Pumpkin cake layers

It’s wonderful in case your trays are barely smaller, your cake layers will simply be thicker and also you’ll have a taller cake. I don’t suggest utilizing bigger although because the cake layers can be too skinny.

This recipe may also be made in 20cm / 8″ or 23cm / 9″ pans to make 4 layer spherical truffles.

1. Line trays – Evenly spray or grease two trays then line with baking paper / parchment paper. I take advantage of normal jelly roll pans – 38 × 25 cm / 10 x 15″ which can be 2.5 cm / 1″ deep (the truffles are 1.5cm / 0.6″ thick.

2. Moist components – Whisk the moist components in a big bowl.

3. Dry components – Add the dry components into the identical bowl and whisk till integrated.

4. Divide the batter between every tray. Unfold to the corners then assertively bang the pan on the counter to unfold the batter as evenly as potential (it’s too thick to tilt/unfold).

5. Bake for quarter-hour in at 180°C/350°F oven, or till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clear.

6. Cool within the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Absolutely cool earlier than use.

   If storing in a single day, cowl the floor with baking paper earlier than wrapping with cling wrap because the floor is cheesy. Preserve within the fridge.

2. pecan toffee crumble

My failsafe toffee ideas – soften low and sluggish, use a chopstick to stir somewhat than a spatula and take it off the range when it’s pale golden as it should get darker as you toss the pecans. No one likes burnt toffee!

(PS Should you’re questioning why I take advantage of a chopstick – I discover it stirs extra gently for a extra even soften and there’s much less floor space for toffee to get caught to.)

1. Roast the pecans for 10 minutes in a 180C/350F (160C fan-forced) oven. This step actually brings out the pecan flavour so don’t skip it! Let cool on the tray for no less than 5 minutes earlier than utilizing.

2. Make toffee – Unfold the sugar in a fair layer in a big saucepan over medium warmth.

3. Stir – After 2 minutes or so, you will note the sides soften into a transparent sugar syrup. Gently stir utilizing a chopstick (or comparable, one thing skinny with minimal floor space) then let the sugar proceed melting, stirring two or three extra instances.

4. Toffee color – As soon as absolutely melted, let it change into a light-weight amber color then take it off the range.

5. Work quick! Add the pecans and salt. Use a rubber spatula to coat within the toffee.

6. Unfold the pecans in a single layer on a baking paper lined tray as greatest you’ll be able to. The toffee begins to exhausting shortly so it may be a battle! However don’t fear you probably have pecan clumps, a thinner layer is simply simpler to cut than large mounds of exhausting pecan toffee, and cools quicker too.

7. Cool absolutely then break up into giant chunks by hand.

8. Chop – Use a knife to cut the toffee pecans. I chop about half fairly finely (I get a good quantity of “mud” which I really like!) to be used contained in the layers. Then I chop the remaining marginally bigger to make use of for adorning and serving. Bigger items contained in the cake get in the way in which of slicing, I discover. Toffee is tough!

   Resist consuming by the handful (it’s sweet, in spite of everything!) and put aside for assembling.

3. Not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter for two minutes on excessive till creamy and fluffy, scraping down the edges as wanted. a minute on excessive till creamy.

2. Fluff it! Then add the icing sugar (powdered sugar) in 3 batches, beginning the beater on low to keep away from a snowstorm. As soon as it’s integrated, add the vanilla and salt. Crank the beater as much as excessive and beat for 1 minute till the frosting is fluffy.

   Use instantly or refrigerate till required, even in a single day. If it’s within the fridge for greater than half-hour and the frosting turns into exhausting, depart it out to return to room temperature then give it a quick and livid beat to re-fluff.

4. ASSEMBLE

Prime tip: assemble on the platter you plan to serve this cake on. Keep away from having to maneuver this as soon as assembled!

1. Reduce every cake into half lengthways, then trim as wanted so you have got 4 equal items.

   For ease of dealing with (shifting round and so forth), as soon as I’ve reduce the cake I cowl every bit with a separate piece of baking paper, then invert onto the cool rack (so the paper acts as a sling to switch the cake round as wanted).

2. Place a bit of cake on a serving platter. Unfold with one-fifth of the frosting. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the finely chopped pecans and dirt.

   Frosting rationing – I take advantage of one-fifth of the frosting between every layer, then two-fifths on the highest and sides.

3. Repeat twice extra, then place the ultimate cake layer on prime. Take care when dealing with the cake layers to keep away from breaking! Use the paper then invert, or use lengthy kitchen utensils to help the cake items, like two offset spatulas, lengthy knives and even rulers.

   Should you begin getting a Leaning Tower of Pisa scenario, simply nudge and press to make the stack as at the same time as potential. I’ve been recognized to shove bits of toffee pecans between layers to “prop” up sagging sections. Do it now earlier than you begin frosting the highest and sides – else it will get messy!

4. Frost the highest and sides with the remaining cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle the highest with pecan crumble (I take advantage of a number of the bigger items right here as I believe it seems nicer). Refrigerate for an hour – this helps stabilise the cake – the reduce slices as thick as you dare, and serve!

Some logistical issues

I don’t ordinarily shut a put up with a bit on cake logistics, however I really feel prefer it’s bought a spot right here as a result of it is a bit of a giant, assertion cake that requires a bit extra effort than easy one-bowl truffles. 🙂 So right here we go!

1. It could actually serve 48 – The cake cuts into 48 tall petit 4 dimension items that are perfect for passing round as an after dinner deal with! Every bit is roughly 4 x 4 x 8 cm tall (1.6 x 1.6 x 3.2″). The cake is definitely fairly wealthy so truthfully, most individuals would most likely discover that piece ample for dessert, particularly if the principle was substantial.

   Although really, it might have the alternative impact and begin a stampede as individuals attempt to seize seconds and thirds earlier than it’s all gone! 🤣

2. Take into consideration storage and transportation! It is a lengthy cake – 40cm/15″ lengthy, 8cm / 3.2″ excessive and weighs 2.5kg (5 lb). It’s formidable!! 🙂 Should you don’t have a tupperware container giant sufficient, stick skewers within the cake as help poles for a foil tent, then for additional safety wrap that in cling wrap.

3. Getting forward with the cake – The cake has a superb shelf lifetime of 5 days as a result of it’s made with oil somewhat than butter. So you may make the cake effectively forward and hold it within the fridge till you’re able to assemble.

4. Making the frosting forward – The frosting will be made even two days earlier than and saved within the bowl till required. Simply take it out of the fridge and let it soften on the counter (about an hour, relying on how heat/chilly your kitchen is) then give it a swift-and-furious beat to re-fluff (about 1 minute). Then use per recipe.

And lastly, certainly one of my favorite options about this cake (don’t decide me!) is that it’s terrific eaten chilly, straight out of the fridge. The cake stays mushy, the frosting stays creamy, and you may skip the dreaded 30-minute await buttercream to thaw from rock-hard to edible – it kills me each time!

Hope you get pleasure from! – Nagi x

Watch methods to make it

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A Very Large Pumpkin Layer Cake – with toffee pecans and cream cheese frosting

Creator: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 45 minutes minutes

Cook dinner: 25 minutes minutes

Whole: 1 hour hr 10 minutes minutes

Dessert

Western

Servings20 – 48

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. An enormous-format 4 layer Pumpkin Cake sandwiched with a not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting, littered right through (and on!) with the flicker and crunch of crushed toffee pecans. Heavenly mixture of flavours and textures, this is likely one of the greatest truffles I’ve made all 12 months!Salt is vital on this recipe – for bringing out the pumpkin flavour and offsetting the sweetness within the toffee and frosting.This can serve 16 generously (just for severe cake monsters!), 20 common servings or 48 tall squares – suppose, petit 4 type.

Elements

CupsMetric

Pumpkin puree choices – CHOOSE ONE

Not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting

Cook dinner ModeStop display screen from sleeping

Directions

Pumpkin cake layers

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Evenly oil spray or butter grease two 38 × 25 cm / 10 x 15″ baking trays which can be 2.5 cm / 1″ deep (jelly roll pans). Line with a sheet of baking paper. (Observe 6)

• Batter – In a big bowl, whisk collectively the pumpkin and Moist components. Add the Dry components and whisk effectively till mixed.

• Fill trays – Divide the batter between the trays (735g batter every). Unfold out to the sides utilizing a spatula then faucet the trays on the counter (assertively!) to unfold the batter out as evenly as you’ll be able to.

• Bake quarter-hour or till a toothpick comes out clear.

• Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks then cool fully (1 hour+) or refrigerate in a single day.

• Reduce – Invert a bit of cake onto a slicing board. Reduce in half lengthways. Trim as wanted for stage, even layers. Cowl every bit of cake with its personal sheet of baking paper (trimmed to dimension), with overhang for ease of dealing with.

Assembling

• Platter – Assemble on the platter you plan to serve it on (shifting as soon as assembled is tough / dangerous).

• Frosting quantities to make use of – one-fifth between every layer, and two-fifths for the highest and sides.

• Layering – Use the paper to switch one piece on the cake platter. Unfold with one-fifth of the frosting, sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of pecan toffee crumble. Prime with one other layer of cake (invert utilizing paper, or use 2 lengthy offset spatulas/knives/rulers to deal with). Repeat twice extra with frosting and pecan crumble.

• Frost floor – Unfold the highest and sides with remaining frosting. Sprinkle the floor with remaining pecan crumble.

• Refrigerate for no less than 1 hour (to stabilise a bit) then reduce slices to serve! Use additional pecan crumble for serving, if you need (I would like!).

Toffee pecan crumble

• Toast nuts – Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Unfold the nuts on a tray and roast for 10 minutes. Take away and let cool for no less than 5 minutes.

• Toffee – Unfold the sugar in a big saucepan over medium low warmth. Go away it till you see the sides melting into a transparent sugar syrup, then use a chopstick to stir every so often to encourage the sugar to completely soften. As soon as it turns pale golden, take away from warmth (it should go extra golden within the subsequent step).

• Work quick – Add the pecans and salt into the toffee. Use a rubber spatula to shortly coat. Unfold onto a baking paper lined tray as greatest you’ll be able to earlier than the toffee begins to agency up (don’t fret if you cannot although).

• Cool and chop – Cool for an hour till the toffee hardens. Break into giant chunks then use a knife to cut it into small items and toffee pecan mud (that is very nice!). Put aside till required.

Not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting

• Cream butter – Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Beat for two minutes on medium excessive till easy and fluffy. Use the paddle attachment if utilizing a stand mixer.

• Add the icing sugar in 3 batches, beginning the beater on low after every addition, to keep away from a snowstorm. Scrape down the edges as wanted. As soon as the icing sugar is blended in, add the vanilla and salt. Flip the beater as much as excessive and beat for 1 minute.

• Use instantly, or refrigerate till required, even in a single day, although you will have to deliver it again to room temp if it chills and hardens, and provides it a great beat to re-fluff.

Recipe Notes:

1. Utilizing pureed recent pumpkin makes a cake with higher pumpkin flavour. Use 800g – 1kg / 1.6 – 2 lb pumpkin. Peel, take away seeds, reduce into giant chunks. Put in boiling water and cook dinner for 10 minutes or till very mushy. Drain, depart in colander set over the recent pot on the turned off range to steam dry and absolutely cool (round half-hour). Then blitz to puree (I take advantage of a stick blender) and measure out 1 2/3 cups (400g) and use per recipe.
Canned pumpkin is a well-liked canned vegetable product in America. You possibly can typically discover it within the worldwide part of shops that carry American items. It’s really excellent – it’s simply pure pureed pumpkin.Whereas I’d by no means use some canned vegetable merchandise, I’ll fortunately use canned pumpkin.
2. Sugar – This may be reduce all the way down to 1 1/4 cups for those who’d prefer it barely much less candy, however any much less and the cake layer will dome a bit an excessive amount of, I believe.
3. Salt – I do know this seems like lots but it surely actually brings out the pumpkin flavour on this cake. Be sure you use cooking / kosher salt. Should you solely have desk salt, halve the quantity, you probably have salt flakes, improve by 50%.
4. Cream cheese – Should you can solely discover the spreadable tub kind which is softer, you’ll possible want so as to add a bit extra icing sugar so the icing sugar isn’t too unfastened.
5. Icing sugar – Australia, remember to use mushy icing sugar not pure icing sugar (which units exhausting).
6. Cake form – This may also be made as a tall 3 or 4 layer 20cm/8″ or 23″ cake, in both 3 pans or 2 pans (then reduce every in half). The bake time will differ, simply test with a toothpick:

• 3 x 20cm/8″ pans – 20 to 22  minutes
• 3 x 23cm/9″ pans – 18 to twenty minutes 
• 2 x 20cm/8″ pans – 30 to 35 minutes
• 2 x 23cm/9″ pans  – 25 to half-hour

Storage – This cake will keep recent for five days within the fridge. Incredible even chilly, straight from the fridge – the frosting stays fantastically creamy! Leftover toffee pecans will hold for every week within the fridge in an hermetic container. Sprinkle on ice cream, eat along with your fingers!
Diet assuming 20 servings, together with frosting and half the pecan toffee crumble (it makes greater than you want for the cake, utilizing leftover for serving is non-compulsory).

Diet Data:

Serving: 116gEnergy: 504cal (25%)Carbohydrates: 54g (18%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fats: 31g (48%)Saturated Fats: 13g (81%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 4gMonounsaturated Fats: 12gTrans Fats: 0.5gLdl cholesterol: 85mg (28%)Sodium: 298mg (13%)Potassium: 166mg (5%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 43g (48%)Vitamin A: 3809IU (76%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 68mg (7%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Key phrases: cream cheese frosting, pumpkin cake, pumpkin layer cake

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