Pumpkin Cake With Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Savor the flavors of fall with this homemade pumpkin cake, topped with rich salted caramel cream cheese frosting. It’s a delicious twist on a seasonal favorite and pairs perfectly with a cozy cup of coffee!

You may also like:
– Iced Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Coffee (Starbucks Copycat)
– 15 Best Pumpkin Dessert Recipes To Try This Fall
– Apple Spice Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Pumpkin Cake Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Note: The printable and sharable recipe can be found at the end of this article.

Servings: 8-10 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cool Time: 20 min
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cake Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz can)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla

PRO TIP: I recommend using Ghirardelli caramel sauce in this recipe because it is thicker and helps to hold the shape of the frosting. If you’re looking for homemade, check out our salted caramel sauce recipe.

Frosting Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, room temp
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
4 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup thick caramel sauce (Ghirardelli was used in this recipe)
¼ tsp salt
Crushed walnuts (optional garnish)

You may also like:
– Salted Caramel Butter Poke Cake
– Salted Caramel Cracker Bites

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, pumpkin, white sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
5. Slowly add and mix the dry ingredients into the large bowl of wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
6. Evenly distribute the cake batter into the two baking pans.
7. Bake for 30 – 33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8. Allow the cakes to cool for a few minutes then remove from the pans and set on a cooling rack. Place in the freezer for about 15 – 20 minutes to cool completely before frosting.
9. While the cakes are cooling, start on the frosting by adding the cream cheese and butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to combine.
10. Slowly add and mix in the powdered sugar and caramel sauce. Continue to mix until a smooth and fluffy frosting has formed.
11. Add salt and extra caramel if desired for a richer flavor.
12. Transfer about a third of the frosting to a piping bag for decorating the top outer edges of the cake.
13. To assemble the cake, carefully cut the tops of the cake to make the surface even for stacking. Place the cut side down. With an offset spatula, add the middle frosting layer, top with the second layer of cake, frost the top and lightly frost the sides.
14. Use the piping bag to decorate the top, outer edge of the cake.
15. If desired, add crushed walnuts along the decorated frosting edge and add extra caramel sauce in the middle of the cake.