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This Chai Pumpkin Cake with Maple Browned Butter Frosting is the cake to make this Thanksgiving! Three soft, perfectly sweet, extra pumpkiny, chai spiced pumpkin cake layers. Each generously frosted with the most delicious maple browned butter frosting. Decorate with mini pumpkin cakes and you’ll have a deliciously festive pumpkin cake that beats out any ordinary pumpkin pie.
And just like that November is here. It’s time to talk Thanksgiving recipes…are you ready?
As you can guess, I am so very excited. There is A LOT happening this month and things are definitely busy. But I’m trying to take it one day at time and really enjoy my favorite time of year. Which is also my favorite time to create recipes! The one thing I’ve found so hard the last few months is that I really just want to do it all. I love what I do, I love working, and I love creating incredible content for you guys. It makes me so happy. The issue is that there are only so many hours in a day. It’s a bit of a balancing act. But again, one day at a time, enjoy the season, and try not to over think it all too much…over thinking can be a major pitfall of mine.
In the theme of November, I’m feeling very grateful for the small team we have here at HBH. My mom especially, who’s been putting in a lot of hours working behind the scenes on blog updates, hour-long meetings, finishing up the studio barn, and so much more. I’d be lost without her!
I’m also very thankful for you guys, and beyond thrilled that we have so many long time readers. I love that SO many of you are not only making HBH recipes, but you seem to be loving them too. Makes me happier than you know!
Which brings me to this chai pumpkin cake…
I’ve made a lot of cakes over the years, I kind of love them, especially layer cakes. This cake however? I really do think it might just be my favorite to date. It. Is. So. GOOD.
And cute, which you know is a big thing for me. Recipes need to look just as delicious as they taste.
This cake has been a long time coming. You guys have been asking for the recipe for a couple of weeks now. I teased it on my Instagram stories, and in this blog post. But I had to wait until November was here to share the recipe.
Three chai spiced pumpkin layers with maple browned butter frosting. And yes, I do think it’s actually better than pumpkin pie. I know that’s saying a lot, but it’s the truth. This cake is honestly that good.
For the cake base, I knew I really wanted the pumpkin flavor to shine. To achieve this, I used a whole lot of pumpkin, and a whole lot of chai spice. The chai spice highlights the sweet flavor of the pumpkin, while also adding that extra special touch that makes this pumpkin cake better than any other.
I baked my cake up in three (6-inch) layer cakes. I wanted my cake to be tall and skinny, as I was looking to do something a little different. That said, if you don’t own a 6-inch cake pan, you can also bake the cake in two (8-inch) cake layers. This works just as well, but you’ll have a more traditional looking cake. Still just a delicious!
Each cake layer is incredibly moist, so soft, and perfectly sweetened. The secret is truly in all that pumpkin. It makes for the best cakes.
So that’s all about the cake, now we need to talk about the frosting. This cake is good, but it’s nothing without the maple browned butter frosting.
Hands down one of my favorite frosting recipes. There’s so much flavor from the maple and browned butter, but the cream cheese keeps it incredibly light. Honestly? It’s addicting, and you should slather on more than you think your cake will actually need. Because people lick the frosting off the plate. It’s true, and I do believe that it’s all because of the browned butter, it’s the best.
The frosting pairs so perfectly with the pumpkin flavors and balances out the sweetness. Beyond perfect.
To decorate the cake, I made mini pumpkins simply by using a mini bundt pan (that’s the exact one I used), some cinnamon sticks and a little melted chocolate. They certainly aren’t perfect, but I kind of love that about them.
Each little cake is unique and so cute.
And delicious. Obviously.
I know it’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is a little under three weeks ways. So very, very close.
I’ll be sharing my full menu and tablescape this Sunday. And yes, this cake is part of my dessert line-up. I decided to save the chocolate for the pies, and serve up my new favorite cake instead.
My recommendation? Plan on making this cake for Thanksgiving, but give it a test run this weekend. Because if there’s one rule you should follow, it’s to always test out new recipes before entertaining with them. I mean, I’m fully confident this will turn out great (because I’ve now made it 4 times). But come on, don’t you really need a double dose of pumpkin this month anyway.
So make this cake this weekend, enjoy, and then make it again for Thanksgiving. You’ll be sure to impress all.
If you make this chai pumpkin cake please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chai Pumpkin Cake with Maple Browned Butter Frosting
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 2244 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon all-spice
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can (15 ounce) pumpkin puree
Maple Browned Butter Frosting
- 3 sticks (1 ½ cups) salted butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 (6-inch) round cake pans or 2 (8 inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, all-spice, nutmeg, and pepper. 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the canola oil, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients until smooth and no lumps remain in the batter.4. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 35-40 minutes, until the tops are just set, and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before assembling.5. To make the buttercream frosting. Add 2 sticks butter to a skillet, set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, let cool until it's room temp. 6. Add the remaining stick of room temperature butter and the cream cheese to the bowl. Then add the powdered sugar and maple syrup. Beat together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. If the frosting feels too loose, add powdered sugar to thicken. 7. To assemble. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream over the cake. Repeat with the remaining 2 cake layers. Be careful not to overfill your layers or the cake will be hard to slice. Frost the outside of the cake. Chill 30 minutes. Serve, or store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Decorate, as desired with mini pumpkins and melted chocolate.
Mini Pumpkin Cakes
Servings: 12 mini cakes
Calories Per Serving: 1081 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon all-spice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
Maple Glaze
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cinnamon sticks, melted chocolate, coarse sugar, for decorating
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini bundt pan with butter.2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, all-spice, nutmeg, and pepper.3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the canola oil, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients until smooth and no lumps remain in the batter.4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pan, filling it 2/3 the way full. Transfer to the oven and bake 12-15 minutes, until the tops are just set, and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then invert the cakes onto a cooling rack. Let cool. 5. To make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, powdered sugar, and vanilla. If needed, add water to thin the glaze, 1 tablespoon at a time. 6. Dip each cake in glaze and insert a cinnamon stick in the center. Drizzle chocolate around the cinnamon stick to look like stems. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Let dry for 30 minutes. Use to decorate the cake.
is the calorie count for the whole cake?
Hey Kim,
Yes, looks like it! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Just a friendly word here that you may want to switch out your canola oil for coconut oil. Seed oils, or “vegetable” oils are highly problematic – inflammatory, genetically modified, pesticide soaked, and to put it mildly, not at all nutritious! Coconut oil or avocado oil is the way to go. 😉
Thanks so much for sharing:)
I made this today and it was delicious but wow the amount of icing was way more than I needed. If I make it again I will halve the amount of icing, and add a lot more powdered sugar– it was very runny. I made cupcakes so I didn’t need any for between layers. I saved 2 cups of icing, frosted all the cupcakes and still had some that needed to be tossed out. The cake was very good but the spice level was mild; I’ll probably add more spice next time.
Hi Laura,
Happy Monday!! I truly appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed! xx
The cake itself was very moist and delicious. I was not a fan of the frosting. Mine turned out yellow and too buttery. Also, the recipe measurements for the mini Bundt frosting are way off. 2 cups of powder sugar with 1/4 cup of maple syrup? It was hard as a rock.
Hi Petra,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? You can always add less powdered sugar than what the recipe calls for. Let me know how I can help! xx
I haven’t actually made this yet but am wondering, does the calorie information have a typo? I’m not a calorie counter but yikes.
Hey Tracey,
I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. It’s not something we’d prefer to be using. We are required to. I’m sorry for the trouble, we do our best! Hope you enjoy the recipe! xT
Hello! This cake is delicious. I halved the recipe because my husband does Keto and won’t eat it, my son is away at college and my daughter eats like a bird. I baked it in a half sheet cake, because I just wanted a little square in the mornings with my coffee. I baked it at 350° for 15 mins and it came out perfect. I used all purpose einkorn flour for a healthier alternative to regular flour and added 1 Tbsp of golden flaxseed meal mixed with 1 Tbsp of water, as I do with a lot of my baked goods to get the fiber and nutrition from the flaxseed. I think I could have used the entire measurements of the chai spices, because I like a stronger spice taste to my pumpkin desserts.
Also, I wanted a little more cream cheese taste to my icing, so I used one stick of butter and 1 block of cream cheese. I also use Boca Sweet granulated sugar and powdered sugar, in place of regular sugar, so I’m not putting all the regular sugar in my body.
Hey Tammy,
I am so glad to hear that this recipe was tasty for you and appreciate you giving it a try! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xxT
OMG ?!! never made pumpkin cake before made it today and never looking back; absolutely delicious, and I used one and a quarter cup of sugar for the cake and had some frozen pumpkin flesh that I had , ;this will be my go to thanksgiving cake for sure , thank you for sharing , blessings will surely follow you ?
Hi Nancy,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for sharing your review and making the recipe!! xTieghan
Delicious! My go to cake. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Hey there,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
5 out of 5! Amazing and delicious recipe.
I didn’t have pan for that moment so used cupcake pan. And these small cute are the best.
Thank you 🙂
Hey Margo,
Fantastic! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
The cakes are in the oven as I write this- making the entire house smell amazing! I don’t have 6” pans so I’m working with the 8” pans, but every time I’ve checked them they’ve come out with so much gooey batter on the knife (even after 10 extra min). ? I’m really hoping I’m not over baking them with all of this added time. The upside is that I have time to remake before tomorrow’s party if they’re dry.
Hey Jamie,
Thanks for trying the recipe, I hope they turn out amazing! xTieghan
Hi! Excited to make this cake for Thanksgiving!!! I feel fairly confident with the different aspects of this recipe but I do plan to use 2 8 inch pans rather than the 3 6 inch that were used. Does the bake time need to be adjusted?
Hey Kate! I would still cook for 25-30 mins and just keep an eye on them! Best of luck! xTieghan
Giving this 4 stars instead of 5, because my spectacular failures with this cake were my own doing. I WILL TRY AGAIN! Used the 8″ pans (first problem), baked for 40 mins and pulled when the testers came out clean. I left to run errands while the layers cooled, and when I returned, they had fallen dramatically. Middles were raw. I searched the webz for a solution and ended up re-baking the foil-covered layers another 20 minutes, which yielded still raw centers and cardboard outsides. Ugh. I’ll cut into mini cakes! Nope. Too unstable to frost, so I’ll warm the frosting and drizzle it over! Nope. The mini cakes tumbled. I’ll make cake pops! Nope. The pops were greasy little balls because I probably messed up the frosting.
Super bummed because the cake was tasty! The frosting was oh so sweet, but I loved the maple flavor. Next time, and there WILL be a next time, I will add more cream cheese. Reeeaaally wish I had followed Ashley’s plan and made cupcakes!!!
Oh no! I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you! Thanks for letting me know, is there anything I can do to help? xTieghan
I made this recipe into cupcakes for my mom’s birthday and they were INCREDIBLE! The frosting is the best I have ever had. It’s not too rich and the browned butter is absolute must. Thanks for another great recipe!
i made just the cake for my daughter’s first birthday on october 12th (which is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada) and it was incredible! turned out so cute, moist and delicious! she and everyone else loved it! 🙂
Hi Kat! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
I’m putting together a birthday cake this weekend, and looking forward to giving this a go! It looks amazing. A couple questions though. 1. do you think this would work with a canned sweet potato puree instead? I’m assuming yes, moisture content is about the same, but just wanted to double check. 🙂 and 2. I saw you had an older recipe of hot buttered rum apple pie stuffed pretzels. How do you think that filling would do here between the cake layers (in addition to the frosting). I want to make a complete autumnal showstopper and I’m trying to find a trust worthy recipe for a sort of firm apple pie filling of sorts… Thanks Tieghan! Your recipe are hands down the best!
Hi Sheena! Thanks so much for your comment! So, as far as the sweet potato goes I would assume that would work fine, I would just sweeten it up maybe with some brown sugar and cinnamon! The apple pie filling from the stuffed pretzels is definitely delicious and could definitely work in this cake! I hope it turns out to be an autumn show stopper! 🙂 xTieghan