As you may have guessed from the gazillion and one references . . . I LOVE autumn and pumpkin! There’s something warm and fuzzy about the aromas, scenery, and most of all, the desserts! If you are looking for the warm and fuzzies, this Pumpkin Cake recipe should definitely get moved to your must make list.
One of my favorite desserts as a child was my nana’s pumpkin roll. The moist cake-like texture of the pumpkin goodness rolled up with a luscious cream cheese filling seemed to envelop our taste buds as we anxiously took that first bite. No worries, I’ll be posting this delectable creation in the coming weeks.
Although the taste is well worth the time needed to make nana’s pumpkin rolls, I thought I would try a dessert that mimics the flavors and textures of her pumpkin roll recipe without the time consuming preparation that it required. That’s when I decided to tinker with a recipe for Pumpkin Cake with a Cream Cheese Swirl.
This recipe produced a light, moist cake with the rich flavors of pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon. An amazing cream cheese swirl is baked in to impart a sweet and tangy flavor that is simply a magical addition to the simple pumpkin cake.
The final product was a super moist dessert, so moist in fact, my friend Brittani’s 16 year-old son stated, “These couldn’t be any more moist.” Quite the terminology, Derek, I’m impressed with the description! Too bad he only noshed on these until he realized they contained pumpkin, after that, they were a no go!
All in all, these were a simple dessert that tasted as if I spent all afternoon duplicating nana’s delicious pumpkin roll. Shhhhhh, it will be our secret!
Pumpkin Cake
with Cream Cheese Swirl
Yield | 24 servings
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 3/4 cups sugar; divided use
3 large eggs; divided use
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; divided use
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/3 cup water
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 kosher salt
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs, pumpkin, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/3 cup water until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until and combine until well blended. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan
4. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, remaining egg, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon of vanilla until smooth.
5. Drop cream cheese mixture in evenly spaced portions over the pumpkin batter. Pull a knife tip through filling to swirl slightly into batter.
6. Bake in a 350° oven until center of the pumpkin batter (not cream cheese mixture) springs back when touched, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan, then cut into 24 bars.
Notes
-*If you can’t find pumpkin-pie spice, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon each allspice and cloves (all ground).
- Recipe adapted from the November 2003 issue of Sunset Magazine via myrecipes.com.
-For a thinner cake, use a 10 x 15 inch pan, and bake for approximately 22-25 minutes or until the center of pumpkin batter (not cream cheese mixture) springs back when touched.
Storage
Store these Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
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{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }
what a beautiful cake! Love the swirl.
Somehow the fruit roll up I just had for dessert isn’t cutting it anymore. Can you send a piece of this over?
Wonderful! i’ve been too scared to try a pumpkin roll, because I can hardly bake.
-Krystal @ recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
This looks GORGEOUS!! And sounds super delicious. I like
i make pumpkin rolls frequently during the fall as they are absolutely delicious and impressive looking! this cake looks fantastic too!
I have tried pumpkin with a lot of thing but cream cheese is always my favorite! I love the tang!
-Amalia
http://buttersweetmelody.wordpres.com
So delicious, Jamie and looks much simpler than a pumpkin roll!
I’m going to have to stop reading your blog if I ever want to loose the baby weight (or at least that’s what I’m calling it).
Pumpkin definitely makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Should I be concerned about eating my emotions? Hmmm.
This sounds glorious. I love anything have to do with cream cheese frosting but the pumpkin really seals the deal for me.
Well, there’s another one for my pumpkin to-bake list!!
I’ve been making tons and tons of pumpkin desserts (you should check them out!). I love moist pumpkin bars type desserts! Cream cheese and pumpkin is probably the best flavor combination out there. Great share!
Okay, so this has all my favorites, pumpkin, cream cheese all in a cake! I’m having dessert envy as I type. This looks awesome!
I am looking for the perfect pumpkin cake/ bar. Have to try these! I like that the cheesecake swirl would replace an icing.
Ha! Ignore that last comment. My flu-weary eyes initially read “1 can canned pumpkin” instead of “1 cup canned pumpkin.”
YUM! Pumpkin roll is hands down my favorite pumpkin recipe and this is it in cake form? OH YEAH! I am all over this. Thanks for sharing Jamie and I’ll be looking for your Nana’s pumpkin roll recipe to see how it stacks up to Libby’s recipe.
~ingrid
This cake looks amazing, I love the top of it
I’m reading this as I drink (or rather inhale) my morning cup of coffee, this pumpkin cake sounds *perfect* with it…wish I could reach through the computer screen!
It does looks super moist and super good!
cake looks too good,..hppy weekend
SO glad I found your blog! This recipe looks delicious, as do your others!!
Okay, so you already know my feelings about this, but I just had to come and immortalize the situation that occurred just after you posted this. I was so excited to read the post I started reading it on my iPhone in the car, and a certain husband was purposely taking corners a little fast because he KNOWS going round corners in a car makes me queasy if I’m not driving. By the time we got into the drive way, I was ready to hurl.. but STILL wanted Pumpkin cake with cream cheese swirl! And yes, I know. That’s big behavior.
Oh my goodness that looks super delicious! Too bad I suck at baking, I’m gonna have to have someone help me recreate this masterpiece! Have you ever made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?
I made this awesome recipe today!! Your picture made it so tempting and inviting – and I LOVE pumpkin with cream cheese. I laughed when I added another printed recipe to my pile of ‘to try”s because I have sooo many from you there! I had to taste test this recipe and ended up having 3 pieces (I made it in a jelly roll pan so they were thin – sounds like a good excuse to me to eat MORE..!=) I will definitely be sharing this one! Thanks so much -
This looks delicious! Australia fails miserably at pumpkin desserts– we simply don’t have any! It’s good to get hold of recipes like this one for that very reason
And your styling in the first picture is just wonderful, btw.
Oh my word Jamie! That looks amazing!! The boys tried to rip the laptop out of my hands when they saw this
The recipe is stored. I will have to bake this cake. It looks delicious. HMMM.
Ok Queenie, you told me to try this recipe, so I did tonight it was very easy to make. It tastes just like Nana’s pumpkin rolls. The pumpkin whoopie’s pies…I am holding out until I get the pan… My pumpkin blow ups were to hard for me to handle. I was sad all day! LOL
These are gorgeous!!. It almost looks like a leaf! hahaha so pretty! That’s all I can say..
Yum! I’m totally with you I love fall the crisp cool air,the crunchy leafs but most importantly the desserts! This looks fabulous can’t wait to try it!
Love the looks/sound of this! Never such a thing as too many pumpkin recipes–I am bookmarking this now
I am adding this to my ever growing list of pumpkin recipes. I am hoping for a lot of time in the kitchen over this next month!
ooh man, I am addicted to pumpkin right now
These look delicious! I will definitely be trying these. I love pumpkin!
Perhaps you should credit the Nov. 2003 issue of Sunset magazine:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001182817
Thanks, I took care of that and added it next to the myrecipes.com note.
-Jamie
Hey, Jamie! I was looking to make this today but in your directions it says to add 1/3 cup water yet that isn’t listed on the ingredients list. Can you confirm it’s water I’m adding?
~ingrid
Ingrid-
Yes, I added the water to the ingredient list, thanks for bringing that to my attention.
-Jamie
Gorgeous and so perfect for fall and the ratio of cake to cheesecake looks perfect -yum!
Oh my. If I hadn’t made pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (and eaten 4) the other day I’d be tempted to make these right now. Canned pumpkin and cream cheese are pretty much a staple in my kitchen from September-December.
Think that this would work with your butternut squash purée in lieu of pumpkin?
Yes, definitely! Thanks so much for stopping by!
-Jamie
Beautiful! The swirl looks perfect. I’m sure the cake tastes awesome too!
I’m loving the cream cheese swirl!
Made this yummy cake last night and brought it to the office this morning, it’s a big hit. Thank you for sharing your “master” cooking expertise, it is greatly appreciated.
Susan
A gorgeous cake!!
Yum this looks good! Tow of my favorite ingredients — pumpkin and cream cheese. Ear0-marking this for a future weekend bake!
Definitely one of the most beautiful pumpkin bakes I’ve seen this season =)
Made this on Thursday and took it to work 10/29. My worked loved it. Every piece was gone. Super moist and super Yummy!!! Thanks for the Best Halloween dessert!! Making it tonight for the family!!
Can’t wait to try your other recipes!!! :0)
Didn’t quite get the swirl effect as pretty as your photo, but it was delicious nonetheless. How about posting a video “how-to” on achieving your gorgeous swirl effect???
I just made this recipe and it turned out beautifully! Delicious!
I love how the cream cheese is baked with the cake instead of being put on as a frosting!
Nice post. I learn one thing on totally different blogs everyday. It will always be stimulating to read content from different writers and observe a little something from their blog.
Should the butter be melted, or room temp?
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