If I could invent the perfect fall pumpkin cake, this would be it. My pecan praline pumpkin cake is light and springy, with a rich golden color, touched with spice ~ and don’t even get me started on that frosting.
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I love to share recipes like this with you that are utterly perfect from start to finish. The pecans, the caramel, and the spices all elevate this pumpkin cake to company status. Make it whenever you’re charged with bringing something wonderful to a gathering this fall.
➡ The cake is made in one bowl, and the frosting in one saucepan, so the cleanup is a dream.
➡ Cover the pan with foil, set it on the counter, and the whole thing is just as good the next day.
➡ It slices cleanly and travels well, so it’s an easy cake to bring along for fall dinners and holidays. Definitely a highlight in my pumpkin recipe collection.
This pecan praline pumpkin cake has been a reader favorite for years
“Easy to make and results were delicious. From Greats to Grands; everyone loved it!
“This recipe is FANTASTIC!!! Moist, delicious, easy….one of my fave pumpkin desserts!!!
“I love this recipe–and so does every single person I have ever served it to!”
“Oh my goodness! What an incredible cake. The flavor combo is spot on.”
The praline frosting is the whole point
This is a simple cooked frosting made with butter, brown sugar, and half-and-half, then finished with powdered sugar. You pour it over the cake while it’s still warm, shower it with toasted pecans, and it firms up into a rich, caramel-like layer as it cools. It’s insane.
Praline frosting sets fast ~ spread it while it’s warm
Have your spreading knife and toasted pecans ready before you start. Pour the warm frosting over the cake, spread it right away, and add the pecans before it firms up. Pour, spread, sprinkle ~ done.
A few ways to make this cake work for you
Can I make it gluten-free?
Probably. I haven’t tested it, but a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour should be the easiest swap for the all-purpose flour.
Can I make it nut-free?
Yes. Leave off the pecans. You’ll still have the cooked brown sugar frosting, although technically it won’t have that classic praline character.
Can I use a different pan?
Yes, but the baking time will change. This cake is made in a 9×13-inch pan, which keeps it fairly thin and gives you a good cake-to-frosting ratio. For a smaller batch, halve the recipe and use an 8×8-inch pan.
Can I freeze pecan praline pumpkin cake?
Yes. For the best texture, I’d freeze the cake unfrosted, well wrapped, then thaw and make the praline frosting fresh before serving.
This praline pumpkin cake is great for making ahead
This is a great cake to make ahead because the pumpkin keeps the crumb soft and moist, and the praline frosting stays firm once it sets.
Once the frosting is completely set, cover the cake and keep it at room temperature until the next day. For longer storage, refrigerate it and let it come back to room temperature before serving.
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Praline Pumpkin Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9×13 baking pan
Ingredients
cake
- 15 ounce can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
praline frosting
- 1/2 cup half and half or light cream
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup pecan halves, toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9×13 pan.
- Whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, oil, and eggs until well blended.
- Mix in the spices and salt. Fold in the flour and baking soda until everything is well incorporated, but don't over beat.
- Spread the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 25- 30 minutes or until done in the center and a toothpick comes out without wet batter clinging to it.
- To make the frosting, heat the half and half, butter, and brown sugar in a saucepan until it comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Take off the heat and beat in the vanilla and sifted confectioner's sugar. Quickly spread over the cake, the frosting will set up quickly.
- While the frosting is still soft top with toasted pecans.
Notes
- Don’t skip toasting the pecans, it makes ALL the difference, it brings out the flavor and crisps the nuts. You can do it ahead of time, but don’t skip it. To toast them put the nuts in a dry skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they become fragrant and start to brown. Watch them carefully, they can burn easily.
- I love my heavy duty USA 9×13 pan for baking, it bakes perfectly evenly.
Nutrition
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Great recipe, easy to make and results were delicious. From Greats to Grands; everyone loved it!
Yay!! Thanks for your feedback!
This recipe is FANTASTIC!!! Moist, delicious, easy….One of my fave pumpkin desserts!!! I LOVE baking/decorating layer cakes, but sometimes for ease/time constraint these one layers are the way to go! And this one is absolutely perfect!😌
My philosophy exactly 🙂
I always come back to your recipes! I wanted to make a simple pumpkin cake but didn’t have cream cheese for the typical frosting, so I decided to make this. It was so good and we all loved it. My changes: decreased sugar by 1/2 cup, kept overall spice amount but used 1t cinnamon + 1t ginger + 1/4t cardamom + 1/4t cloves, halved frosting and used sour cream instead of cream and walnuts instead of pecans.
I made this cake for a Community Dinner last week. I found the recipe very easy to follow and I did make it in a 9 x 13 pan. (I always try to follow a new recipe exactly the first time I make it.) The frosting is delicious, I licked the bowl, and the reviews I got from the dinner servers was “that is terrific! People wanted a second piece”.
I can’t remember if I’ve left a review before, but wow, this is the BEST pumpkin cake. It’s so good and I love that it is made just using a whisk. So quick and easy! I usually cut down the sugar in the cake to just a heaping cup. The frosting is amazing also.
I have also turned this into a coffee cake by leaving off the frosting and instead, adding a streusel topping (which includes pumpkin pie spice) before baking. Also excellent and gets rave reviews whenever I serve it.
Thanks so much for the review (and the stars!) I love that you transformed it with a streusel topping, I’ll try that. This is one of my favorites, too.
How do you store this cake? Could I make the cake itself the day before and frost it the day of? Wasn’t sure if the frosting needs to be refrigerated due to the half and half and I don’t have any open fridge space! Thank you! 🙂
You can definitely make the cake first and frost it the day you serve, just cool and wrap the cake to keep it from drying out.
This printing of the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of sugar. It just came out of the oven so I haven’t tried it yet. Turn it came out of the oven looking good.
Hi. I’m making this for Thanksgiving. Should the frosting go on the cooled or hot cake after baking?
I make the frosting after the cake comes out of the oven. It can go on a still warm cake.
I’m confused about the pecans and pralines…aren’t they two different things?
I love your recipes!
Pecans are the nuts themselves. Praline is made by boiling the nuts in sugar and making a delicious oooey, gooey filling, frosting or confection
I have quiet a few to- to pumpkin recipes that I think are stellar. But I totally trust Sue so I decided to make this one. My family could not get over the taste and said this is the pumpkin recipe to make. I asked – better than the others? They said yes! It’s all about the frosting. I may try it in a brownie. Once again Sue steered me straight. Thanks.
Thrilled to hear it Louise, and yes, that frosting would be amazing on brownies, you’ve inspired me to try 🙂