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An autumn showstopper dessert, perfect for any occasion; it will be sure to bring oohs and aahs from everyone who has the pleasure of partaking.
I took this cake to work one night last week and the slices flew off the plate so fast I couldn't believe it. But, I mean really moist, tender, fall-spiced pumpkin cake with a fabulous buttery carmel-y, to die for icing and the crowning touch? A scatter of sweet and salty glazed walnuts, really, what's there not to like? Or love?
I used a tube pan just because I think the presentation is so pretty, but you could definitely use a bundt cake pan. Pecans or even almonds could be substituted for the walnuts.
You could add dried fruit like raisins or currants, a finely diced fresh apple would also be quite delicious. If you're looking for a scrumptious dessert that's easy to put together and sure to impress, look no further. If you're anything like me this Pumpkin Buttermilk Pound Cake will be calling your name!
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Pumpkin Buttermilk Pound Cake
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons bourbon, cognac or rum*
- 1-½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2-½ cups packed dark brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 15- oz. can pure pumpkin purée, 2 cups
Ingredients for the caramel icing:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- a pinch salt
- ½ cup Rosemary-Roasted Honey Walnuts, These are optional. You can also make them without the rosemary.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 10- to 12-cup tube pan (the kind without a removable bottom) with baking spray. Rub all over with a paper towel, then spray lightly one more time.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, bourbon, and vanilla.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 5 minutes. Slowly and gradually add the oil, beating until combined. Add the brown sugar. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well on medium-high speed after each addition. Beat in the pumpkin.
- Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture, and mix until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan on the counter once or twice to settle the batter.
- Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, invert the cake onto a rack, removing the pan, and cool completely, at least 2 hours.
- For the icing, combine the sugar, butter, milk and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add vanilla extract. (At this point, the icing will be the consistency of thick syrup.) Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat for about 1 minute.
- Add powdered sugar and beat again till smooth. If needed, add more milk to make an icing that can easily be drizzled.
- When cake is cooled, slowly spoon icing over cake and allow to drip down the sides, pooling a bit on your cake plate.
- Top with walnuts, if desired, before icing hardens.
Notes
You can make the walnuts up to 1 week ahead and store in an airtight container.
For the best flavor and texture, the cake should be baked at least 1 day before serving, and it can be stored (un-iced) at room temperature for up to 2 days: set the completely cooled cake on a plate, wrap tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap.
The cake can be frozen iced or un-iced for 3-4 weeks: freeze unwrapped for 1-2 hours then wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Return to freezer.
Plain toasted walnuts or pecans can be substituted for the walnuts if desired.
Nutrition
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My family loves this cake! Absolutely delicious!
So glad to hear that, Doreen!
This cake is now my all time favorite. Moist and flavourful. Now I'm excited to try some of your other recipes.
Wonderful! Thank you for the review, D!
Hi Chris……….I have made this delicious cake many times in the past but always iced it the day of serving. Can it be iced the day before serving?
Hi Karen, yes that will work well. Enjoy!
Chris,
I love all of your recipes! I would like to try to make Pumpkin petit fours and was wondering if you thought that could be done using this Pumpkin Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe or you One-Bowl No-Mixer Pumpkin Sheet Cake recipe? If you had any thoughts on which might work better? And wondering if this caramel glaze would work as the icing?
Thanks,
Terri
Hi Terri, I think the pound cake would work well for petit fours!
Thanks Chris! I can't wait to try it.
I have made this twice. Once with regular flour and aonce I substituted King Arthur’s Gluten free 1:1 flour. Both cakes I was asked for the recipe. One person doesn’t even really love pumpkin flavor typically! It is moist and even the GF cake was light and fluffy! I left off the nuts all together and to me it wasn’t missing anything. I made 18 mini-Bundt cakes with one recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for your review, Emily!
I have never made pumpkin cake. I thought that i did not like pumpkin at all. But I decided to try this because it looks so irresistible. The recipe is great! The taste is so good. The texture of the cake is excellent! Thank you for the wonderful recipes
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Mary-Liza!
I haven't made this pumpkin cake. However f made the cafe' Sucre Francis and it was delicious. In fact I'm getting ready to bake it again . Thanks for the wonderful recipes.p
Thanks, Savan!
My second time making this cake & it’s delicious. I skipped the topping because I don’t like super sweet cake. It tastes better after a day, so as recommended, make it in advance of serving.,
Thanks, Kay! I appreciate you taking the time to share your review!
I made muffins out of them and skipped the sugar/glaze on the walnuts, otherwise I followed the recipe to a T. Unbelievably moist and tasty! The colour is so beautiful.
What a great idea, to make muffins with this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your result, Lucy!
Hi Chris,
I want to make this for our Thanksgiving dessert for tonight, if I make it this morning will it still be edible this evening? I also want to put some chopped pecans in the cake would that be okay as well?
It looks and sounds scrumptious can't wait to dig in!
Thank's Tere'
yes and ye!
Hi Chris, I made this last year and it was a huge hit, absolutely delicious. I am having a smaller crowd for Thanksgiving this year - was thinking of halving this recipe and baking in a loaf pan. Do you think this would work and if so, about how long would you cook it? Thanks so much for all your great recipes, I always know I can count on them to be great!
Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar , are at least haft it
Yes, half white sugar would be fine. ❤️ Chris
It was so moist and delicious! The cake is not too sweet, just really rich and flavorful. The icing is altogether yum!! It was a big hit at our joint birthday party this evening. I’d better freeze the leftover cake in slices, pronto, or I will be raiding the kitchen in like about 3...2...
Thank you, Chris!! I don’t think I have ever made anything from your blog that wasn’t just out of this world.
Victoria
Hi Chris,
Made the cake yesterday and wrapped it in plastic, then glazed it this morning. It looks and smells wonderful! Everything worked exactly as you had instructed. I realized just as I started that my tube pan was the “removable bottom kind, but my Bundt pan worked perfectly!
Going out to dinner this evening with friends and then back here for a joint birthday celebration. Your cake will be the dessert star! I’ll report back, later 😉
Victoria
Hey. I liked it a lot, but I'm not sure if I unsterstood the amount of the pimpkin puree right.
How much is it?? Maybe you can tell me in cups or ml.
Thank you so much.
Hi Anke, it's 2 cups. I will add that to the recipe. Thanks!
Hey.. I liked it a lot, but I'm not sure if I understand the amount of the pumpkin puree. How much is it?
Thank you!!!
It's 2 cups.
The butter amount in the cake is confusing to me is it 3/4 cup total?
Hi Jill, I edited the recipe to makes things a bit more clear. There is 1/2 cup butter in the cake and 1/2 in the icing.
Thanks so much making it tomorrow! Bought sweet and spicy pecans at Trader Joe’s hope they are yummy on top!
Enjoy! TJ's pecans will be great!
Do you think it would work baked in cupcake molds or even mini loafs? My son says it tastes exactly like the Starbucks Pumkin Bread.
Yes, I think either would work fine!
can this cake be made in a 13 by 9 pan?
I've never tried it Ginger, but I think it would work just fine.
Friends, and you are all my friends, just because you are following Scott and Chris. Adorable they are, and the food. OMG, I am the new best cook in the family. I made this cake and took it to the family camp site recently. Just believe me, the family went crazy. I basically cannot go wrong with any of Cafe Sucre Farine recipes. Family think I am very clever, when really the credit lies with Scott and sweet Chris. They laugh at my jokes, not "the family", Scott and Chris. Happy baking everyone. Sherie
I have made this cake last night for my dads friend's and it finished in a flash. It was so yummy and easy to make.
This looks delicious! Im a new bloglovin follower!
Oh my word, that looks heavenly!
can i bake this beauty in a bundt pan?
definitely, a bundt pan will work! Just be sure to grease it well. I really like Baker's Joy, not sure if that's available to you but it works wonderful.
I'm making this right now for a work function and it's all I can do to not cut into it! I'd like to check out the recipe for the rosemary-roasted walnuts but there is no link??
The cake is gorgeous. I love the combo of butter and oil in it and the addition of the alcohol, which I think always lends great flavor to baked goods. The rosemary walnuts sound very interesting too!
Wow, this is perfect looking fall cake! And the honey roasted rosemary walnuts give it such a nice touch. You are an amazing cook and baker. Sorry I haven't been by lately, I feel like I've been out of it since we had a new addition to our family arrive...a beautiful exchange student from Germany. I have been busy with her and haven't been blogging what I have cooked. Things are beginning to calm a bit so hoping to jump back in soon. Thanks for the visits to my blog Chris!
Seriously gorgeous, and really craving it...I'm soo pinning this amazing cake!
What a perfect fall cake. Have a wonderful visit. Blessings...Mary
Aw shucks I suppose it disappeared without any shots of a cut piece! I love to see the texture on baked goods. This sounds soooo stinking good. I'm saving it fo sho.
wow, I've never seen a cake so perfect!!!!!!!! Love your blog!
Jo Anne, thanks. I think I fixed the Pinterest button. Please let me know if you have any more trouble with it. Chris
One gorgeous Fall inspired cake Chris!
Love the rosemary roasted honey walnuts, wouldn't mind having a bowl of those to snack on;-)
Have a wonderful trip to the UK!
ok I was super excited about the cake then I read the baby news, YAY! Have a wonderful trip.
Oh my. That cake is HOLLERING my name! Have a safe and wonderful trip to see the new grandchild!
STUNNING!!! there's no other word - except I LOVE the flavors! have a wonderful time in the UK, please send it my love!!
Mary x
mmm...this looks insanely delicious!
Hi Chris 😀 Another fabulous-looking recipe! I cannot wait to make this...maybe after our camping trip this weekend. Congratulations to the entire family on the new little gift! How exciting! Praying for a safe trip and a safe delivery.... BTW, keep trying to follow you on Pinterest, but the button doesn't seem to work 🙁 Hugs!
This cake looks like it came out of the magazine!! Wow, the caramel icing is AMAZING and perfectly drizzled over the cake. Have a safe trip to UK, Chris!
I'm sorry I don't have the nutritional information. I'm thinking I probably don't want to know 🙂 You might be able to find the information on Fine Cooking (link at the bottom of the recipe) but I did do some adapting so it won't be totally accurate. Cooking Light may have a pumpkin cake recipe that's a bit more calorie-friendly!
Ohhhhh My Lord! this cake is absolutely awesome Chris!!!! There is everything that a fall treat should contain!!!! So happy for you that you are going to England!!!!!
Chris, It was unusual for me to open your blog and not see a salad... 🙂
I am so exited for you and your family! Share some photos of your grandchildren and more midnight parties... 🙂
Yippee a new baby on the way, Congrats and I know you can hardly contain yourself! Then there is this over the top, stunning, delicious cake. I looking forward to eating a slice or two or three slices of this yummy cake. Safe travels my friend.
how much powdered sugar for icing?
thoroughly enjoy your posts...have a great trip to UK.
Any nutritional info or calorie count on this? It looks heavenly! But I am watching my calories. 🙁
Sept 26 in my diary reads 'make pumpkin cake for Uncle Frank's Birthday.' I think I've found my recipe!
Have a wonderful time visiting your family Chris and I can't wait to hear about the safe arrival of your little grandson.
Oh I love this type of cake I think look perfect!!
Buttermilk pound cake AND caramel icing? WIN. Thawing out my pumpkin now.
Congratulations about the baby...how wonderful. I know you will have a wonderful with your family. You are certainly right...the cake is a showstopper.
You have me sold! This will be a great cake to make over the weekend.
Congratulations to the parents and grandparents! You will love holding the little one...
i'm so excited seeing this cake on my dashboard and make a quick entry here. This looks really spectacular, it sounds delicious, i really admire the way you decorate your cake, at times i find glazing is a messy job for me but you hv done it so beautifully! congrats to you and your family on the coming arrival of the newborn!
This cake just called my name! So delicious looking and full of flavor.
Oh my - have a wonderful trip and congratulations grandma! Such fun. I am so jealous of the trip and adventure. I am also wanting a piece of your absolutely beautiful cake! Fantastic photos 🙂
It looks absolutely beautiful Chris, I didnt buy any pumpkin yet but I think that this cake is a must do this fall!
Hugs and kisses!
This is a beautiful cake and I know I would like it! Have a great trip to UK!
Can't buy pumpkin purée here but my pumpkins will be ready very soon. What weight is in a tin? This looks very yummy and of course I would never leave the alcohol out :-)Keep well, Diane
How exciting to have a new grand baby on the way. As for the pumpkin cake, sweet comfort food at its best. Enjoy!!!
Now that is a cake! Gorgeous, Chris!