Pumpkin Cake adapted from a Farm Journal Recipe found on a handwritten card in my Fancy Lady Recipe Box (~1940s/1950s) / Caramel Frosting adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Dessert Cookbook (1960)
One of my taste testers (also one of my best friends) said this cake tasted like “autumn on a fork” and I couldn’t agree more. With summer winding down and fall weather ahead of me, I searched my vintage recipe collection to find something that featured pumpkin that wasn’t pie.
I discovered this recipe in my Fancy Lady Recipe Box and it did not disappoint. While it’s a handwritten recipe, there is a note at the top that credits it to the Farm Journal. I did a little Googling to see if I could ascertain the publication date, but no luck — my guess is the 1950s, so let’s go with that!
The thing that caught my eye was the addition of maple extract, which really amps up the autumnal flavor, so don’t skip that if you can help it (although if you don’t have maple extract you can certainly use vanilla in its place).
I added a bit of pumpkin pie spice to the recipe because it really is a must these days. While I used one teaspoon, I think you could add another half teaspoon if you want a little more spice.
I went on another quest to find a frosting that was worthy of this beauty and tried to make a penuche frosting, a handwritten recipe from the same recipe box. Sadly, that was a big fail, so I turned to my tried and true Better Homes & Gardens Dessert Cookbook from the 1960s and found this much simpler Caramel Butter Frosting. It is probably the best frosting I have ever made, and that’s not hyperbole — it’s so good and incredibly simple to make.
The pumpkin cake is soft and plush, not dense or cloying like some pumpkin cakes and breads can be. And the caramel frosting pairs so well with the maple and warm spices.
Since it is made in a sheet cake pan, you can easily transport it to any get-together. It’s perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any time you’re craving a taste of fall.
Drop a comment below if you made this recipe – I’d love to know!
Maple Pumpkin Spice Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and set aside.
- Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well incorporated (it will be like a wet sand).
- Beat in eggs one at a time until incorporated.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree. The mixture may look curdled but it will work itself out once you add the flour.
- Stir the maple extract into the milk.
- Add the dry mixture to the batter, alternating with the milk, ending with the dry mixture. Mix just until combined after each addition; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 pan and spread evenly.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, about 30-35 minutes. I suggest checking at the 25-minute mark to see where things are.
- Cool on a wire rack until completely cool before you frost.
- Top with Caramel Butter Frosting or the frosting of your choice. A buttercream flavored with pumpkin spice would pair well as well.
- YIELD: 12-15 servings
- See make-ahead and storage notes below.
Notes
Caramel Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup milk
- Pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3 ¼ cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often.
- Once melted, bring to a full boil, then cook for 1 minute or until the mixture is slightly thick, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Remove from the stove and let cool for about 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent the bottom from scorching in the residual heat.
- Gradually add the milk to the mixture, stirring constantly until the milk is fully incorporated.
- Stir in the salt and vanilla.
- Transfer the mixture to a heatproof mixing bowl and using a stand or hand mixer, gradually beat in the powdered sugar until you reach a spreading consistency.
- This icing gets a little crisp on the surface when it starts to cool. If this happens before you start to frost your cake, just mix it for a few seconds and it will be good to go.
