Pumpkin Stack Cake is Easy as Pie

After a holiday-induced break Brooklyn to the Catskills is back in action and posting regularly again!  Let’s all give a collective sigh of relief that the holidays are finally behind us and we made it through the “cyclone bomb” only a little worse for the wear.  It’s a new year and time for some new recipes to try out!  This Pumpkin Stack Cake is the perfect way to kick things off – it’s delicious, easy to make and visually striking – what more could you want?

Pumpkin is Not Just for Thanksgiving (Really!)

At my house we all love pumpkin desserts but usually only eat them in the fall when I bake pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie.  It really is crazy to limit eating pumpkin to 2-3 months out of the year because it is so easy to work with and makes such a rich, moist treat.  But perhaps pumpkin still feels too fall for you to consider for a winter dessert?  Well this Pumpkin Stack Cake features a maple infused whipped cream that nicely compliments the pumpkin and helps it transition seamlessly from fall into winter, making it ideal for a trapped-in-the-house-want-something-sweet weekend.

This Pumpkin Stack Cake is delicious and beautiful, imagine presenting this to your family and friends (they don’t have to know it is easy to make)!

Let’s Be Honest, You’re Afraid to Stack, Aren’t You?

Baking can be intimidating for people, especially if they don’t do it often or if they “only make box cakes”.  I’m going to let you in on Betty Crocker’s dirty little secret: baking isn’t hard.  Anyone who can follow directions can bake.  Now you might be thinking – fine, I can follow a recipe but that cake has four stacked layers, how in the world am I going to do that???  The answer is easy – you bake twice (two pans in the oven x two bakes).  Seriously, anyone can do that, there is literally no skill involved other than cleaning out your pans and baking a second set of cakes.  Believe in yourself, you can do this!!

Gnomes love a Pumpkin Stack Cake and you will too!

You’ve Got This, Now Go Impress Your Guests

Imagine the ooh’s and ahh’s when you invite your friends over for a pizza dinner and you nonchalantly present this cake for dessert, everyone will be talking about your mad baking skills for days.  While it looks like a complicated cake to make it really is super easy to make.- you don’t have to cut or level cakes, and you aren’t covering it with a perfectly frosted shell.  You can totally do this.  Give it some bumps and soft edges and movement – this is a cake that wants to be eaten, nut just stared at.  Good luck and let us know in the Comments section below how you make out!

PUMPKIN STACK CAKE – THE RECIPE

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups sugar

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 large eggs

1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Step 1

With oven rack in middle position heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line them with ­parchment paper, then grease parchment and flour pans.

Step 2

In a bowl whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat sugar, butter, and eggs on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes (I use the stand mixer with a paddle attachment). Reduce speed to low, and add in pumpkin, mixing until incorporated. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until only few small flour streaks remain, around 30 seconds. Pour 1/4 of batter (about 1 cup) into each prepared pan and spread to even out.

Step 3

Bake cakes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, typically about 12 to 14 minutes. Cool cakes on wire rack for 10 minutes. Next turn out each cake onto large plate, peel off parchment, and then reinvert onto lightly greased rack. Cool completely. While cooling clean and reprep pans and repeat bake with remaining batter.

Step 4

Using a hand mixer or your stand mixer with a dry, clean bowl and whisk attachment, whip cream and maple syrup together on medium speed until stiff peaks form, around 3 minutes. Place 1 cake layer on cake plate or pedestal, then spread one-fourth of whipped cream (scant cup) evenly over top. Repeat with remaining cake layers and whipped cream. Sprinkle pecans on top and present to your awestruck family and friends!

Please tell us what you think, we really want to know!

Tell us what you think!

Please comment below if you try the Pumpkin Stack Cake recipe and let us know how it goes!  Find all of Brooklyn to the Catskills‘ recipes in the Food section of our website.  We’d love to hear what you think about our other recipes too!  And don’t forget to subscribe to Cooks Country as much of my inspiration comes from them and their outstanding recipes.