Description
Soft and moist Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cake made with pumpkin puree, warm pumpkin pie spice, and creamy vanilla cream cheese pockets. Pepitas add a little crunch to this easy fall dessert—no frosting required.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 7 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1¾ teaspoons vanilla sugar
Pumpkin Cake Batter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1¾ teaspoons vanilla sugar
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- ⅔ cup + 1 teaspoon pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), as needed
Those quantities match the draft exactly.
Instructions
1. Prepare the pan and oven.
Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle. Grease and lightly flour a 7-inch round cake pan.
2. Prepare the cream cheese mixture.
Beat the softened cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, and vanilla sugar until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the batter.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar.
Whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla sugar in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.
4. Add the pumpkin and yogurt.
Add the plain yogurt and pumpkin puree. Whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
5. Add the oil.
Pour in the vegetable oil and whisk until completely incorporated.
6. Combine the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
7. Finish the batter.
Gradually sift the dry ingredients over the wet mixture. Mix just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
8. Fill the pan.
Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
9. Add the cream cheese.
Drop generous spoonfuls of the chilled cream cheese mixture over the batter, leaving pumpkin batter visible between each portion. Do not stir or swirl.
10. Add the pepitas.
Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the batter and cream cheese.
11. Bake.
Bake on the middle rack at 350°F for about 45 minutes, until the cake is puffed, set, and golden.
12. Cool and serve.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan before removing it. Once cooled, slice with a clean, sharp knife and serve.
Notes
Notes
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Soften the cream cheese before mixing, then chill the prepared mixture while making the batter.
- Once the flour is added, mix only until the dry ingredients disappear.
- Do not swirl the cream cheese into the pumpkin batter; leaving it in spoonfuls creates the creamy pockets.
- Avoid using the broiler or top-heat setting.
- Allow the cake to cool before slicing so the cream cheese can finish setting.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American