The Only Pumpkin Cake You’ll Need This Holiday Season

When Claire Saffitz teamed up with Yossy Arefi for a video, we knew that all of our dessert dreams were coming true. When we heard that they were gifting us with a pumpkin cake recipe from Arefi’s book Snacking Cakes, we didn’t think things could get better, but then we found out that it’s a one-bowl recipe and that was that. We were completely sold. This olive-oil cake is then glazed with a maple-olive oil glaze that is just out of this world.

What You Need

For the cake:

200g light brown sugar

2 large eggs

230g pumpkin puree

120 ml olive oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon allspice

a few grinds of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

190g AP flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons chopped and toasted pumpkin seeds

For the glaze:

100g powdered sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons maple syrup

1-2 tablespoons hot water

dash of kosher salt

chopped pumpkin seeds

flaky salt

What To Do

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and then preheat it to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper that will hang over the two edges.

In a big bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until it has become foamy and pale, which takes about a minute. Then add in the pumpkin puree, olive oil, spices, and salt. Whisk thoroughly until well mixed.

Add in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda until it is all mixed together and there are no lumps.

Pour the batter into your pan then gently tap it onto the counter to burst any air bubbles. Using an off-set spatula, smooth the top. If you’re not planning to glaze the cake, sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top now.

Bake the cake until it has risen and turned golden, which will take about 25-35 minutes. Once done, let it cool on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. Then remove the cake using the parchment paper and put it back on the cooling rack until it has fully cooled.

If you are using a glaze, mix together the powdered sugar, olive oil, maple syrup, a tablespoon of hot water, and a dash of kosher salt in a medium sized bowl. Whisk together until it is completely smooth. To adjust consistency, add in more water or powdered sugar until reached desired consistency.

Pour the glaze over a completely cooled cake and then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and flaky salt as desired. Let it harden for about 20 minutes before cutting into the cake. You can keep the cake stored wrapped well at room temp for up to three days.