A Moist and Spiced Halloween Pumpkin Cake
Halloween is just around the corner, and we’re in a pumpkin mood at home! I love pumpkin in all forms, from pumpkin pie and pumpkin soup to pumpkin in salads. Being such a big pumpkin fan, it was only a matter of time before I found myself craving pumpkin cake too.
This moist pumpkin cake is perfect for fall. It’s gently spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and homemade pumpkin purée gives it a lovely moist texture that lasts for days. I decorated the cake with little fondant pumpkins for a cozy Halloween look. They’re easier to make than they look!
This is a great recipe to bake with kids or serve at a Halloween party. If you love Halloween cakes you should also check out my Halloween spider cupcakes and my Oreo bat cupcakes.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cake
- Moist for days: Pumpkin purée gives the cake a soft, tender texture that keeps well.
- Full of fall flavor: Cinnamon and nutmeg add just the right amount of warm spice.
- Easy to decorate: Simple fondant pumpkins turn an everyday cake into a festive Halloween centerpiece.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can prepare the fondant decorations and pumpkin purée ahead of time.
About This Delicious Pumpkin Cake
This is a simple pumpkin cake with a soft, moist crumb and a warm flavor from cinnamon and nutmeg. The pumpkin adds moisture without overpowering the spices, and a simple powdered sugar glaze gives the cake a sweet finish.
I like to decorate it with fondant pumpkins and chopped walnuts. The little pumpkins make it look special without requiring any advanced decorating skills. You can also switch up the topping if you prefer something creamier. Cream cheese frosting or fluffy whipped buttercream both work well if you’d like a thicker layer.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cake
Below I’ll explain some of the key ingredients to bake a delicious pumpkin cake using my recipe:
- Pumpkin purée: You can make your own pumpkin purée for this cake, or use canned pumpkin purée. Homemade purée lets you choose the pumpkin andyou can roast it to bring out more flavor. I recommend butternut squash because it’s generally less watery than many other pumpkins. If you’re using canned pumpkin, choose plain 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: These two spices give the pumpkin cake its warm, fall flavor. The mix is enough to complement the pumpkin without making the cake taste overly spiced.
- Vegetable oil: Oil helps keep the cake moist for several days. A neutral-tasting oil, such as canola oil, is a good choice.
- Fondant: White fondant is the easiest option if you want to make your own colored decorations. You can knead gel food coloring into separate portions to make orange, brown, and green fondant. Gel coloring is handy here because you can add it gradually without making the fondant too wet.
- Walnuts: Chopped walnuts add a little crunch and work nicely with the soft cake and sweet glaze. You can leave them off if you prefer a smoother finish.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Purée
In some parts of the world, canned pumpkin purée is a popular shortcut for fall baking, and there’s nothing wrong with using it. However, if you would like to make your own to bring out even more flavor or if you live in a country where it’s not common, you can make your own homemade pumpkin purée and it’s really easy!
My favorite option is to use butternut squash because it has low water content compared to other pumpkins, and roast it to bring out as much flavor as possible. Here’s how to make it:
- Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy parts. If it’s a big pumpkin, chop it roughly into pieces.
- Roast the pumpkin pieces in the oven until the flesh is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork (30-45 minutes).
- Let the pumpkin cool completely, scoop the flesh out of the skin, and blend it until smooth.
You can make the purée a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
How to Make Fondant Pumpkins
The fondant pumpkins are my favorite part of decorating this cake! They’re made from simple shapes, so you don’t need any special tools or cake-decorating experience. All you need is orange, brown, and green fondant for the pumpkins, stems, and leaves. Here’s how to make them:
- Color the fondant: Split white fondant into three portions and knead orange, brown, and green gel food coloring into them. Add the coloring a little at a time until you get the shades you want.
- Shape the pumpkins: Roll small pieces of orange fondant into balls. Use a knife to gently press lines down the sides to give each pumpkin its shape. Dust your hands with a little powdered sugar if the fondant starts to stick.
- Add the stems and leaves: Shape small stems from the brown fondant and leaves from the green fondant. Attach them to the pumpkins with a tiny amount of water.
- Let them dry: Place the finished pumpkins on a plate and leave them uncovered at room temperature for at least 24 hours before using them to decorate the cake.
How to Bake the Pumpkin Cake
You can bake this pumpkin cake in a 24 cm / 9-inch round springform pan or a square baking pan of a similar size. Grease the pan before adding the batter so the cake is easier to release once it’s cooled.
The cake develops a lovely orange-golden color as it bakes. To check whether it’s done, insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean, and the cake should be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Let the pumpkin cake cool completely before adding the glaze. If the cake is still warm, the glaze will melt and become too thin to sit nicely on top. Spread the glaze over the cooled cake, then arrange the fondant pumpkins on top before the glaze sets. Finish with chopped walnuts.
How to Store or Freeze Pumpkin Cake
This pumpkin cake stays moist for several days when stored covered at room temperature.
Note that if you chill the decorated cake, condensation can make the fondant pumpkins slightly damp and glossy. It’s a fun little effect if you want shiny pumpkins, but otherwise, keep the cake covered on the kitchen counter.
You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months. For the best results, freeze it without the glaze, fondant decorations, or chopped walnuts. Add the topping and decorations after the cake has thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned pumpkin purée?
Yes! Choose plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added spices and sweetener. The moisture content can vary between products, so the texture may differ slightly.Can I make the pumpkin cake ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the pumpkin purée and fondant pumpkins a day or more in advance. The cake itself also keeps well for several days when covered at room temperature.How far ahead should I make the fondant pumpkins?
Make them at least 24 hours before decorating the cake so they have time to dry and firm up. You can make them up to 3 months in advance if you like.Do I have to use butternut squash?
No! Butternut squash is my preferred choice because it tends to be less watery, but you can use other pumpkin varieties. The amount of water in the purée may vary depending on the type you use.Can I freeze this pumpkin cake?
Yes! Freeze the pumpkin cake for up to 3 months without the glaze, fondant decorations, or walnuts. Let it thaw before decorating and serving.
Recipe
Halloween Pumpkin Cake
Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Drying fondant decorations 1 day Time: 1 day 1 hour 30 minutes 
Difficulty: Intermediate
Yield: 12 servingsUdstyr
- Orange gel food coloring
- Brown gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Nutri Ninja blender
- 24 cm springform pan
- Cake Platter
Ingredients
Garnish:
- Fondant
- Orange gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Brown gel food coloring
- 30 g walnuts
Pumpkin Puree:
- 1 kg pumpkin or butternut squash
- 3-4 tbsp water
Pumpkin Cake:
- 4 eggs
- 450 g granulated sugar
- 250 ml vegetable oil (such as canola oil)
- 400 ml pumpkin puree (see above)
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Frosting:
- 300 g powdered sugar
- Water (as needed)
Instructions
Decorations:
- Make the decorations at least 1 day before serving the fondant has time to harden.
- Knead gel food coloring into three separate pieces of fondant: orange, green, and brown. Shape little pumpkins from the orange fondant. Rub a little powdered sugar on your hands first so the fondant doesn't stick.Fondant, Orange gel food coloring, Green gel food coloring, Brown gel food coloring
- Shape small stems from the brown fondant and small leaves from the green fondant. Attach the stems and leaves to the pumpkins with a little water.
- Place the finished fondant pumpkins on a plate and let them harden, uncovered, for at least 1 day before adding them to the cake.
Pumpkin Purée:
- If using homemade pumpkin purée, note that it can be made from pumpkin or butternut squash (butternut squash works best). It's a good idea to make this ahead of time, e.g. the day before you bake the cake.
- Cut the pumpkin in half and place both halves cut-side up on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake at 180 °C (356 °F) for 50-60 minutes, until a fork easily pierces the flesh.1 kg pumpkin or butternut squash
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and let the pumpkin cool completely.
- Scoop the pumpkin flesh out of the shell with a spoon and add it to a blender or food processor with a little water. Add just enough water, a little at a time, to blend the pumpkin into a smooth purée.3-4 tbsp water
- Store the pumpkin purée in a freezer bag or airtight container until ready to use.
Pumpkin Cake:
- Add the eggs and granulated sugar to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the vegetable oil and pumpkin purée, then whisk to combine.4 eggs, 450 g granulated sugar, 250 ml vegetable oil, 400 ml pumpkin puree
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.300 g all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until you have a smooth batter.
- Grease a 24 cm / 9 inch springform pan. Pour the pumpkin cake batter into the pan.
- Bake the pumpkin cake at 180 °C (356 °F) for 50-60 minutes. The cake is done when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake has started to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan.
Glaze:
- Stir the powdered sugar with a little water until you have a pourable glaze. Spread the glaze over the completely cooled pumpkin cake with an offset spatula.300 g powdered sugar, Water
- Decorate with fondant pumpkins and chopped walnuts.30 g walnuts
