Pumpkin Pound Cake With Maple Pecan Glaze

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 06/27/19
Pumpkin Pound Cake With Maple Pecan Glaze on white plate

Diana Rattray
  • Total: 75 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 60 mins
  • Servings: 16 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
307 Calories
18g Fat
36g Carbs
3g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 307
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 256mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Protein 3g
Calcium 82mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Serve this great-tasting pumpkin pound cake with the included maple pecan glaze or simply dust it with powdered sugar. Also included at the bottom are instructions for an uncooked maple glaze. It's a great cake for Halloween or any other fall or winter holiday gathering. Also, feel free to leave the pecans out; it's delicious with or without the nuts.

This is a popular cake, and a Bundt cake pan makes it an easy cake to mix and bake. It's very moist and the maple glaze adds amazing flavor.

Ingredients

  • For the Cake:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon (ground)
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger (ground)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves (ground, or allspice)
  • 8 ounces butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 can pumpkin (15 ounces, solid pack)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • For the Maple-Pecan Glaze:
  • 4 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • Optional: 3 tablespoons pecans (pieces, or finely chopped pecans)

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices; set aside.

  3. In mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla.

  4. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the batter. Continue beating on medium speed until the batter is smooth and well blended. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the center.

  5. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a rack; invert onto a serving plate to cool completely. Glaze with the Maple Pecan Glaze or dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Maple-Pecan Glaze

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, maple syrup, and cream; bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 minute.

  2. Remove from heat and sift the confectioners' sugar into the hot mixture. Whisk until smooth. Let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened.

  3. Stir in the finely chopped pecans, if using. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Tip

  • For a tall cake like this, it's a good idea to have longer wooden picks on hand. Consider buying some wooden skewers to test deep Bundt or tube cakes.

Recipe Variation

  • Uncooked Maple Glaze: Combine 1 cup of confectioners' sugar with 1 tablespoon of soft butter, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup. Blend well and add more confectioners' sugar, if necessary. If desired, add a dash of cinnamon to the glaze. Drizzle over the cooled cake.