This take on pumpkin spice cake from Cake Magic! by Caroline Wright elevates the fall treat with an infusion of ginger syrup and a savory-sweet topping of cream cheese frosting.
Pumpkin-Ginger Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- PUMPKIN CAKE:
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for greasing the pans
- All-purpose flour, for dusting the pans
- 4 cups dry Cake Magic! Cake Mix (below), whisked well before measuring
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt (preferably not Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, or 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- CAKE MAGIC! CAKE MIX:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt (see Note)
- GINGER SYRUP:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- ¼ cup chopped, peeled fresh ginger
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 4 cups (one 16-ounce box) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
1
Pumpkin Cake: 1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and side of the pan(s). Dust with flour to coat, then invert and tap out any excess. (If making cupcakes, use liners instead of greasing and coating the tins.) 2) Whisk together the cake mix, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the yogurt, butter, water, and eggs until moistened and no lumps remain (be careful not to overmix). Stir in the canned pumpkin. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. 3) Bake until the layers are evenly golden on top and a few moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the center of the cake, 40 to 45 minutes (40 to 50 minutes for a Bundt, 25 to 30 minutes for a 13 by 9-inch cake, and 25 to 30 minutes for cupcakes). (At this point, coat the layers with ginger syrup and let them cool completely in the pans.)
2
Cake Magic! Cake Mix: Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together well to combine. Whisk the mix again before measuring. Note: It’s important to use table salt in the cake mix; other types will eventually settle out of the mix.
3
Ginger Syrup: 1) Combine the sugar, water, ginger, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 2) Stir to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the vanilla. 3) Remove from the heat and set aside to steep, covered, for at least 20 minutes. 4) Strain the ginger from the finished syrup. Use the syrup warm or at room temperature. Ginger Syrup will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Reheat it in a small saucepan over low heat before using.
4
Cream Cheese Frosting: 1) Combine the butter, cream cheese, salt, and 2 cups of the sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. 2) Add the remaining sugar and beat on medium speed until the frosting is pale and no longer grainy, about 2 minutes. 3) Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Cream Cheese Frosting will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 1 week. Before using, bring it back to room temperature and stir it vigorously or beat it again for best results.
5
Frosting Variations:
6
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: Substitute 1 1/2 cups non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening for the butter. Substitute 1⁄3 cup tofu cream cheese, at room temperature, for the cream cheese.
7
Cream Cheese Glaze for Bundt Cakes: 1) Combine 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, a pinch of salt, and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar in a medium-size saucepan. 2) Bring the mixture to a boil and let boil, without stirring, 1 minute. 3) Remove from the heat, add 1 ounce cubed room temperature cream cheese, and stir until combined.
8
Cream Cheese Frosting for Sheet Cakes: 1) Use 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature; a pinch of salt; 2 cups confectioners’ sugar; and 1 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature. 2) Proceed as directed in the original recipe.
Pumpkin-Ginger Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Print RecipeIngredients
- PUMPKIN CAKE:
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for greasing the pans
- All-purpose flour, for dusting the pans
- 4 cups dry Cake Magic! Cake Mix (below), whisked well before measuring
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt (preferably not Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, or 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- CAKE MAGIC! CAKE MIX:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt (see Note)
- GINGER SYRUP:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- ¼ cup chopped, peeled fresh ginger
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 4 cups (one 16-ounce box) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake: 1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and side of the pan(s). Dust with flour to coat, then invert and tap out any excess. (If making cupcakes, use liners instead of greasing and coating the tins.) 2) Whisk together the cake mix, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the yogurt, butter, water, and eggs until moistened and no lumps remain (be careful not to overmix). Stir in the canned pumpkin. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. 3) Bake until the layers are evenly golden on top and a few moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the center of the cake, 40 to 45 minutes (40 to 50 minutes for a Bundt, 25 to 30 minutes for a 13 by 9-inch cake, and 25 to 30 minutes for cupcakes). (At this point, coat the layers with ginger syrup and let them cool completely in the pans.)
Cake Magic! Cake Mix: Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together well to combine. Whisk the mix again before measuring. Note: It’s important to use table salt in the cake mix; other types will eventually settle out of the mix.
Ginger Syrup: 1) Combine the sugar, water, ginger, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 2) Stir to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the vanilla. 3) Remove from the heat and set aside to steep, covered, for at least 20 minutes. 4) Strain the ginger from the finished syrup. Use the syrup warm or at room temperature. Ginger Syrup will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Reheat it in a small saucepan over low heat before using.
Cream Cheese Frosting: 1) Combine the butter, cream cheese, salt, and 2 cups of the sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. 2) Add the remaining sugar and beat on medium speed until the frosting is pale and no longer grainy, about 2 minutes. 3) Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Cream Cheese Frosting will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 1 week. Before using, bring it back to room temperature and stir it vigorously or beat it again for best results.
Frosting Variations:
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: Substitute 1 1/2 cups non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening for the butter. Substitute 1⁄3 cup tofu cream cheese, at room temperature, for the cream cheese.
Cream Cheese Glaze for Bundt Cakes: 1) Combine 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, a pinch of salt, and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar in a medium-size saucepan. 2) Bring the mixture to a boil and let boil, without stirring, 1 minute. 3) Remove from the heat, add 1 ounce cubed room temperature cream cheese, and stir until combined.
Cream Cheese Frosting for Sheet Cakes: 1) Use 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature; a pinch of salt; 2 cups confectioners’ sugar; and 1 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature. 2) Proceed as directed in the original recipe.
More About Cake Magic!:
Choose a batter, flavor with syrup, add a frosting—it’s magic!
Want something decadent and fudgy? Darkest Chocolate Cake + Caramel Syrup + Malted Milk Chocolate Frosting + crushed candy bars = Candy Bar Cake. Or how about a nutty cake like the Elvis: Peanut Butter Cake + Bacon Syrup + Nutella Frosting, topped with candied bacon. Fit for the king, indeed!
This innovative and remarkably easy way to bake luscious, flavorful cakes is a formula for cake bliss. Cake Magic! is a full-color visual cookbook—photos in the front, recipes in the back—and the first step in every baker’s cake adventure. It includes valuable baking tips, vegan and gluten-free variations, plus how to tweak the recipes to make sheet cakes, Bundt cakes, and cupcakes, too.
Buy the Book
Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Workman
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