Equipment needed or recommended to make this cake:
• Mixing bowls
• Mixer – stand mixer is preferred
• Spatulas
• (2) – 9” cake pans
• Parchment paper
• Long serrated knife
Let’s get started:
Before you begin, read through the recipe and make sure that you have all the ingredients. I found that as I made the cake I had the cream cheese and the butter (for the frosting) on the counter so it would have time to come to room temperature.
Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
For the cake:
• 3 cups gluten-free flour*
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1-3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 15-oz. pumpkin puree
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• Zest of one orange
• 3/4 cup raisins
For the frosting:
• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1-1/4 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 1/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes
*We used Jules All Purpose Gluten-free Flour in this recipe.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Butter (2) 9-inch diameter baking pans. Line the baking pans with parchment paper (using a pencil trace the bottom of the pan onto the parchment paper and then cut the circle out so you are assured a good fit). Dust the pans with gluten-free flour and set aside.
Step 2
Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.
Step 3
Place the sugars in a bowl of a stand mixer (or alternatively in a large bowl to be used with a hand mixer) along with the oil and beat until combined. The mixture will be kind of grainy.
Step 4
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the sugar and oil combination, beating well after each addition.
Step 5
Add the pumpkin, vanilla and orange zest to the sugar and egg mixture; beat until well blended.
Step 6
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until just incorporated.
Step 7
Stir in the raisins and the coconut flakes.
Step 8
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking pans. Bake for 1 hour at 350°F or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes completely in the pans on a rack.
Step 9
Run a knife around the outer edge of each cake to release the cake from the pan(s). Invert the cakes and remove the parchment paper. Turn the cakes over, rounded side up. Using a long serrated knife, carefully cut each cake in half horizontally to give you 4 cake layers (alternatively, if you don’t want to cut them into layers you could skip this step and just frost two layers).
Step 10
Make the frosting. Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and the butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and beat briefly. Add the sifted powdered sugar in about 3 additions, beating until the frosting is smooth after each addition. Be careful not to over beat the frosting or it will potentially become too stiff to work with.
Step 11
Place one cake layer on a cake platter. Spread the top of the layer with about 1/4 of the frosting. Top with the second layer and another 1/4 of frosting. Repeat until you get to the last layer. Place this last layer, rounded side up on top of the cake and frost with remaining frosting. You only need to frost the top, not the sides. Top with coconut flakes.
This cake can be made ahead. In fact, we enjoyed our cake the first night and throughout about 3-4 days (of course refrigerate it since it contains the cream cheese frosting). This is an exceptional cake that can be served to anyone – gluten-free or not!
Free Recipe provided by: Neville's Recipes © 2024
https://recipes2.nevillesonline.com/: