Easy Pumpkin Ricotta Cake Recipe

Easy Pumpkin Ricotta Cake Recipe makes a spiced pumpkin layer cake with salted caramel and cream cheese frosting, ready in about 2 hours 30 minutes. It makes one 4-layer 6-inch cake that feeds 12, and it has no ricotta in it, so the name is a little misleading.

Why This Recipe Works

The batter is stirred by hand with oil instead of butter. Oil keeps the crumb moist and soft for days, and there is no creaming step to get wrong. Whisk the wet ingredients for a full 1 to 2 minutes so the eggs, sugars and pumpkin blend into one smooth mixture.

The caramel simmers covered and undisturbed. The steam trapped under the lid washes sugar crystals off the sides of the pan, so the caramel stays smooth instead of turning grainy. Brushing the sides with a wet pastry brush catches any crystals the steam misses.

A ring of frosting piped around each layer acts like a dam. It holds the caramel and graham crumbs in the middle, so nothing leaks out when you stack the layers. Chilling the cake between layers keeps the stack from sliding.

Easy Pumpkin Ricotta Cake Recipe Ingredients

For the pumpkin cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g), spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed (200 g)
• 1 cup canola oil (240 mL)
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

For the salted caramel sauce

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (84 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar (480 g)
• Tiny pinch of fine sea salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 3 graham cracker sheets, crumbled

How To Make Easy Pumpkin Ricotta Cake Recipe

Bake the pumpkin cakes

1. Prep the pans: Heat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Grease four 6-inch pans and line them with parchment, so the layers slide out clean.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger in a medium bowl. Whisking spreads the spices evenly, so no bite is bitter.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, the oil and the pumpkin puree for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture should look smooth and uniform.
4. Combine: Add the dry mixture to the wet one. Stir just until no flour streaks remain and the batter is smooth.
5. Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the four pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the centers spring back when you press them.
6. Cool: Flip the cakes onto a clean tea towel and let them cool completely. Warm layers would melt the frosting later.

Make the salted caramel

7. Dissolve the sugar: Put 1 cup granulated sugar and the water in a saucepan and swirl to wet all the sugar. Heat on medium until the sugar dissolves.
8. Simmer: Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the syrup turns light amber. Lift the lid and check the color every minute, and do not stir. Brush any sugar crystals off the sides with a wet pastry brush.
9. Add butter and cream: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream while stirring. It will bubble up, so keep your hand back.
10. Season and cool: Pour the caramel into a jar and stir in the salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Let it cool completely before you use it.

Make the cream cheese frosting

11. Beat the butter: Whisk 1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature unsalted butter for 1 to 2 minutes, until it turns pale yellow.
12. Add the cream cheese: Beat in the cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute, just until combined. Beating longer makes the frosting loose.
13. Add the sugar: Add the powdered sugar and the tiny pinch of fine sea salt. Mix on low first so the sugar doesn’t fly out, then beat on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth.
14. Finish: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons room temperature heavy cream and the vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Beat on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until the frosting is fluffy.

Assemble and decorate

15. Frost the first layer: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the first cake. Pipe a frosting border around the edge.
16. Fill: Sprinkle graham crumbs inside the border, then drizzle caramel over them. Stay inside the border so the caramel can’t leak.
17. Stack: Repeat with the next layers. If the stack starts to slide, freeze it for 15 to 30 minutes between layers.
18. Firm up: Chill or freeze the whole cake until firm. A cold cake is much easier to frost.
19. Frost the outside: Cover the outside with frosting. Smooth it with a cake scraper and make a raised border around the top.
20. Decorate: Fill the top border with caramel and sprinkle with graham crumbs.

Recipe Tips

• Measure the flour right: Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and makes the cake dry.
• Watch the caramel color: Caramel goes from amber to burnt fast. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as it looks light amber, since it keeps darkening in the hot pan.
• Keep the layers cold: Cool cake layers and a chilled stack are easier to frost and won’t crumble. A cake that is still warm will melt the frosting.
• Use room temperature ingredients: Soft butter, cream cheese and cream blend into a smooth frosting. Cold cream cheese leaves small lumps.

What To Serve With Easy Pumpkin Ricotta Cake Recipe

Cut slices with a hot, wiped knife for clean edges. Serve with coffee or a mug of hot tea. Whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream goes well on the side.

How To Store

• Fridge: Cover the cake and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days, because of the cream cheese frosting. Let slices sit out for 20 minutes before serving.
• Freezer: Wrap unfrosted layers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge before you assemble the cake.
• Make ahead: Bake the layers and make the caramel a day ahead. Frost the cake the day you serve it.

FAQs

Is there ricotta in pumpkin ricotta cake?

Not in this recipe. The ingredient list has no ricotta, and the frosting uses cream cheese instead. If you want to add ricotta, test it in a small batch first, since it changes the moisture in the cake.

Can I bake this in a different pan size?

The recipe is written for four 6-inch pans. You could use two 8-inch pans, but the time will change and you should start checking early. The cake is done when the centers spring back.

Can I use butter instead of canola oil?

Oil is what keeps this cake so moist and soft, so it works best as written. Another neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, is a safe swap. Butter changes the texture.

Why did my caramel turn grainy?

Sugar crystals on the sides of the pan or stirring the syrup usually cause it. Don’t stir while it simmers, and brush the sides with a wet pastry brush. Covering the pan helps steam wash the crystals down.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving (1 of 12), worked out from the ingredients.

• Calories: about 680 kcal
• Total Fat: 35g
• Total Carbohydrate: 88g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 6g

Easy Pumpkin Ricotta Cake Recipe

Recipe by Paula

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

50

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

40

minutes

Total time

150

minutes

A spiced pumpkin layer cake with homemade salted caramel, graham cracker crumbs and cream cheese frosting. Makes four 6-inch layers and serves 12.

Ingredients

• For the pumpkin cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g), spooned and leveled

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon cloves

• 1 teaspoon ginger

• 4 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)

• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed (200 g)

• 1 cup canola oil (240 mL)

• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

• For the salted caramel sauce

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (84 g)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• For the cream cheese frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

• 4 cups powdered sugar (480 g)

• Tiny pinch of fine sea salt

• 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

• 3 graham cracker sheets, crumbled

Directions

• Prep the pans: Heat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Grease four 6-inch pans and line them with parchment, so the layers slide out clean.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger in a medium bowl. Whisking spreads the spices evenly, so no bite is bitter.
• Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, the oil and the pumpkin puree for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture should look smooth and uniform.
• Combine: Add the dry mixture to the wet one. Stir just until no flour streaks remain and the batter is smooth.
• Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the four pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the centers spring back when you press them.
• Cool: Flip the cakes onto a clean tea towel and let them cool completely. Warm layers would melt the frosting later.
• Dissolve the sugar: Put 1 cup granulated sugar and the water in a saucepan and swirl to wet all the sugar. Heat on medium until the sugar dissolves.
• Simmer: Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the syrup turns light amber. Lift the lid and check the color every minute, and do not stir. Brush any sugar crystals off the sides with a wet pastry brush.
• Add butter and cream: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream while stirring. It will bubble up, so keep your hand back.
• Season and cool: Pour the caramel into a jar and stir in the salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Let it cool completely before you use it.
• Beat the butter: Whisk 1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature unsalted butter for 1 to 2 minutes, until it turns pale yellow.
• Add the cream cheese: Beat in the cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute, just until combined. Beating longer makes the frosting loose.
• Add the sugar: Add the powdered sugar and the tiny pinch of fine sea salt. Mix on low first so the sugar doesn’t fly out, then beat on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth.
• Finish: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons room temperature heavy cream and the vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Beat on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until the frosting is fluffy.
• Frost the first layer: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the first cake. Pipe a frosting border around the edge.
• Fill: Sprinkle graham crumbs inside the border, then drizzle caramel over them. Stay inside the border so the caramel can’t leak.
• Stack: Repeat with the next layers. If the stack starts to slide, freeze it for 15 to 30 minutes between layers.
• Firm up: Chill or freeze the whole cake until firm. A cold cake is much easier to frost.
• Frost the outside: Cover the outside with frosting. Smooth it with a cake scraper and make a raised border around the top.
• Decorate: Fill the top border with caramel and sprinkle with graham crumbs.