Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Experience the warmth and aroma of freshly baked pumpkin spice pound cake. It’s a delightful treat for the Fall season.
Pumpkin was not something I grew up in the UK, as my mum never really served pumpkin pie or pumpkin, anything else.
It wasn’t until I moved to Canada and my mother-in-law served me pumpkin cheesecake that I was the first time I was introduced to the unique flavor of a dessert.
Over the years, I tasted pumpkin pie, scones, cookies, cheesecake, and pumpkin bars, all of which tempted me to create a pumpkin spice pound cake.
When the leaves begin to fall and the colors turn, there’s something special about the Fall scenery; giant bright orange pumpkins and warm Fall spices fill the air.
We not only decorate the front of our house with pumpkins and corn stalks, but we also aim to create our tradition for the season using this gourd-like squash, better known as winter squash.
I created a rich, buttery homemade pumpkin pound cake using pumpkin purée and seasonal spices such as nutmeg, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and all-spice.
Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake
This homemade pound cake is sweet and spicy and tastes like biting into a thick piece of traditional pumpkin pie without the crust.
This is your cake if you want your pumpkin pie fixed without the crust.
It’s such a moist pound cake with the pumpkin purée that you must stop eating more than one piece.
Although the buttercream frosting lends just the right sweetness, you can enjoy this easy-to-make cake without frosting.
The bright orange is fancy enough to serve with friends or family at any traditional Thanksgiving gathering.
The cost to make this cake is around $7-10, but you can’t beat that for a fresh cake made with your hands.
You know what ingredients you put in; it will mean more to you than any store-bought cake (if you can find one like this).
This would also make a lovely gift or dessert if you are off to a dinner party.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cooking Time: 55 minutes – Tube Cake or 35 minutes -Muffins
- Serves: 12 slices
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can of Pumpkin Purée (mine was 15 oz ED. Smith)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup of brown sugar dark and packed tight
- 1 cup butter softened
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1.5 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour (I used cake flour)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon on the top of the cake
- 1/4 teaspoon All-spice
- 3/4 cup of buttermilk **Note: If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute** Add one teaspoon of white vinegar into a measuring cup, then add milk until it reaches 1 cup. You will need the extra for the buttercream. Let stand for about 5-15 minutes; it should curdle and work like buttermilk.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a tube pan with some butter and dust with some flour.
- Open a can of pumpkin puree. You will need to drain the liquid, which is easily done. Line a strainer with a paper towel and set it over a bowl.
- Add the pumpkin purée, then top with a paper towel. Push down a bit to release the pumpkin liquid. Let this stand for 10 minutes. (Do not throw out the juice)
- Pour the pumpkin puree into a bowl or stand mixer.
- Add the brown and granulated sugar and butter.
- Mix on medium speed until well blended.
- Add the eggs one at a time until they are well incorporated.
- Add the pure vanilla extra and sour cream and mix until blended.
- Measure your flour onto a piece of waxed paper and add all the spices- pumpkin, cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix it around with a spoon until blended.
- Starting with your flour, add some into the mixer in equal parts, then the buttermilk, then the flour, buttermilk, and you should end with the flour. (hold back 6 tablespoons of buttermilk for the buttercream)
- Mix until well blended, then pour into your greased and floured tube pan or greased muffin tins.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Muffins will take around 35 minutes.
- Cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool further.
Brown Butter Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée juice
- 1 cup butter at room temperature divided into half cups
- 5 cups of powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 3 to 6 tablespoons of milk
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt half a cup of butter on low until it turns brown.
- Remove from the heat and cool.
- In a large bowl or mixer, add the other half cup of butter and beat well, then add the brown butter and mix well.
- Add the sugar, vanilla, pumpkin purée juice and mix.
- Pour the milk one tbsp at a time and beat for three minutes until fluffy.
Spread the buttercream on your cooled muffins or pumpkin spice pound cake and sprinkle with cinnamon.
You can serve a slice of pumpkin spice pound cake with coffee, tea, nut milk or milk.
Discussion: What recipes do you make with Pumpkin?
Check out the Top 25 Pinterest Pumpkin Recipes for Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake
Experience the warmth and aroma of freshly baked pumpkin spice pound cake. It’s a delightful treat for the Fall season.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can of Pumpkin Purée (mine was 15 oz ED. Smith)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup of brown sugar dark and packed tight
- 1 cup butter softened
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1.5 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour (I used cake flour)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon on the top of the cake
- 1/4 teaspoon All-spice
- 3/4 cup of buttermilk
- Brown Butter Frosting
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée juice
- 1 cup butter at room temperature divided into half cups
- 5 cups of powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 3 to 6 tablespoons of milk
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a tube pan with some butter and dust with some flour.
- Open a can of pumpkin puree. You will need to drain the liquid, which is easily done. Line a strainer with a paper towel and set it over a bowl.
- Add the pumpkin purée, then top with a paper towel. Push down a bit to release the pumpkin liquid. Let this stand for 10 minutes. (Do not throw out the juice)
- Pour the pumpkin puree into a bowl or stand mixer.
- Add the brown and granulated sugar and butter.
- Mix on medium speed until well blended.
- Add the eggs one at a time until they are well incorporated.
- Add the pure vanilla extra and sour cream and mix until blended.
- Measure your flour onto a piece of waxed paper and add all the spices- pumpkin, cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, baking powder and mix it with a spoon until blended.
- Starting with your flour, add some into the mixer in equal parts, then the buttermilk, then the flour, buttermilk, and you should end with the flour. (hold back 6 tablespoons of buttermilk for the buttercream)
- Mix until well blended, then pour into your greased and floured tube pan or greased muffin tins.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Muffins will take around 35 minutes.
- Cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool further.
Brown Butter Frosting
- In a saucepan, melt half a cup of butter on low until it turns brown.
- Remove from the heat and cool.
- In a large bowl or mixer, add the other half cup of butter and beat well, then add the brown butter and mix well.
- Add the sugar, vanilla, pumpkin purée juice and mix.
- Pour the milk one tbsp at a time and beat for three minutes until fluffy.
Notes
**Note: If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute** Add one teaspoon of white vinegar into a measuring cup, then add milk until it reaches 1 cup. You will need the extra for the buttercream. Let stand for about 5-15 minutes, and it should curdle and will work the same as buttermilk.
Looks good. Couple of quick questions though. How much pumpkin would you think to use if you cooked your own pumpkin for this? From the size of the can I’d guess about two cups…. Does that sound about right to you? Also if I made up my own pumpkin spice mix I’m guessing around 2-2&1/2 teaspoons for the cake?? I’ve cooked my own pumpkin before, the only difference I found was the home cooked pumpkin was a little more watery so I drain it before using. I’d cook it much like you might do for regular squash, with a little water I the bottom of the pan and then just mash it good. A friend of mine and I used to cook up the jack-o-lanterns the day after Halloween for pies and such. We still laugh about it as her younger son will not eat pumpkin pie unless it is made from home cooked pumpkin. Even today it has to become cooked pumpkin or he won’t eat it. Must drive his wife batty, but his mother still cooks the pumpkin just for him!!!! Mind you she has been known to turn the air blue cutting those pumpkins up before cooking,,,, lol!!
Hi Christine,
Yes it was about 2 cups of pumpkin. I would put in 2.5 teaspoons myself as it really won’t make a huge difference. I drained the juices from the pumpkin but I tell ya, this was just like a pumpkin pie.. How do you cook and prep the pumpkin? We’ve never done this but want to this year… we picked up our pumpkin today.
I just cut it up and put it into a roasting pan with a little water……much like you would cook a squash, which is what pumpkin actually is.You can try to peel it before cooking or after, I’ve done both. Then I freeze it in quantities that work with the recipes I use. So in this case in about 2 cup lots.
So if you don’t peel it do you just cook it then scoop it out?
Ok that buttercream frosting looks amazing.
If you put your face up the screen and sniff I bet you can smell it… lol.. it was very nice! You should see the Tangerine Pound Cake I made today!
Brown sugar buttercream is hard to beat. I’m not a huge pumpkin fan, but I do like a little slice of pumpkin loaf with a cup of tea.
Yum! I might not be able to get off the couch after that though – butter creams are sooooo rich!
This looks FABULOUS. I love, love love pumpkin. And the frosting..I’m drooling.
I’m going to have to try this one out, it is so perfectly timed! My spouse wanted pumpkin pie… and pumpkins were priced by the unit, so naturally the largest one possible came home. I bagged up over 14 cups of pumpkin to freeze last night! That’s after making two pies already…!
I usually make loaf and cookies with it. Personally I don’t really care for the pie, but when it’s sitting on the counter I always manage to eat it, haha.
Wow, that’s alot of pumpkin. I don’t mind the pie but I have a sweet tooth.. and a savoury tooth.. ah heck I just love to eat! Cheers for droppin in Anne! Mr.CBB
I just gained 5 pounds looking at it. Thanks a lot!
Haha..tell me about it I had 3 pieces. 🙂
Ok, this just looks AWESOME. My wife made homemade pumpkin bars this weekend, I may have to pass this recipe on to her.
Pumpkin Bars sound interesting. Was there cream cheese in them?
I am in LOOOVE! This recipe is definitely on my list for Thanksgiving dinner – YUM!
You will love it. It’s like eating a pumpkin pie without the crust so a huge hunk of filling haha
It says to add pumpkin twice in the recipe…do you add it in the beginning or after the eggs? Also it says to hold back 6tbsp of buttermilk for the icing. So how much buttermilk do you actually add to the cake batter? I am very excited to give this cake a try but I want to make sure I understand the recipe before attempting it!! Thanks:)
Hi,
Thanks for letting me know. I didn’t have a recipe plugin back when I started the blog. For the buttermilk take 6 tablespoons from the 3/4 cup for the buttercream icing and the rest is for the cake. I hope that helps. My family loves this cake because it tastes like pumpkin pie!