Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
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This Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake is flavored with olive oil and covered in a delicious brown butter cream cheese frosting. It’s perfect for fall!
This Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake is so soft, fluffy and super moist thanks to the olive oil and pumpkin puree! It’s easy to make and topped with a delicious brown butter cream cheese frosting. It’s perfect for fall and could even be a great alternative to pie for Thanksgiving!
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Try my Pumpkin Pie Thumbprint Cookies, Jumbo Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread!
Ingredient Breakdown
All-purpose flour – this gives the pumpkin cake structure.
Baking soda & baking powder – both leaveners are needed to help the pumpkin cake rise.
Cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger – needed to help give the cake it’s pumpkin spice flavor.
Pumpkin puree – adds flavor and moisture. Make sure to use pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree has 100% pumpkin while pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sugar added to it.
Extra virgin olive oil – adds flavor, moisture and makes the cake soft! I recommend using extra virgin olive oil for best flavor.
Granulated & brown sugar – sweetens and tenderizes the cake. The brown sugar makes it extra moist! Either light or dark brown sugar will work.
Eggs – helps bind the ingredients.
Vanilla extract and salt – enhances flavor.
How To Make Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
1. Make the Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake: in a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and ginger. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, extra virgin olive oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
4. Pour the pumpkin cake batter into a parchment lined 8×8 inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
5. Make the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: cut the butter into cubes and place into a small pot. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally. The butter will bubble and foam until it reaches a light brown color, has little browned bits on the bottom and smells nutty and delicious. This happens quickly so don’t walk away from it! Pour browned butter into a heat proof bowl then set aside to cool to room temperature.
6. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer cream the softened brown butter and cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Add salt to taste. Decorate cooled cake as desired. Store Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Pro Tips For Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate; baking is a science after all!
- Don’t over mix your batter! This will cause too much gluten development which will make the texture of the bread rubbery and gross.
- Make sure your parchment paper hangs over the sides of the pan for easy removal after baking!
- Wait until the cake is COMPLETELY COOLED before decorating with the frosting otherwise it will melt.
What Is Brown Butter?
Brown butter is just regular butter that has been cooked until the water evaporates which allows the milk solids to become toasted. This process gives the butter a delicious nutty flavor (and smell) that makes any dessert extra delicious.
What To Do With Leftover Pumpkin Puree?
Make one of my other pumpkin recipes! Some of my favorites are:
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Pumpkin Bread
- Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
- Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Icing
Did you know that you can also freeze leftover pumpkin puree? Simply transfer it to an airtight container or a zip-top bag and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to use it!
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
Equipment
- 1 8×8 inch pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
- 180 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ginger
- 240 g (1 cup) pumpkin puree
- 120 g (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 100 g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 56 g (4 tbsp) brown butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 120 g (1 cup) confectioners' sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and ginger. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, extra virgin olive oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Pour the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cut the butter into cubes and place into a small pot. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally. The butter will bubble and foam until it reaches a light brown color, has little browned bits on the bottom and smells nutty and delicious. This happens quickly so don't walk away from it! Pour browned butter into a heat proof bowl then set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer cream the softened brown butter and cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Add salt to taste. Decorate cooled cake as desired.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Store Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
