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Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Pumpkin Layer Cake

A pumpkin layer cake with cinnamon sugar swirled through each of the three cake layers. It’s covered in a cinnamon cream cheese frosting and decorated with a cinnamon icing drip.

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Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:

  • 1/4 cup Domino® Golden Sugar

  • 5 TBSP Domino® Light Brown Sugar
  • 4 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups Domino® Golden Sugar

  • 1 cup Vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 4 Eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Cloves
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 cups Canned pumpkin puree

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 cups Cream cheese, room temperature

  • 10 cups Domino® Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 5 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup Butter, room temperature

Cinnamon Drizzle (optional):

  • 1 TBSP Salted butter

  • 2 TBSP Domino® Golden Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract

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Instructions
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Prep Time: 1hours 45 minutes / Cook Time: 25-30 minutes / Yields: 12-14 slices

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and prepare three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom.

Step 2

Combine Domino® Golden Sugar, Domino® Light Brown Sugar, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Prepare the cake:

Step 3

To make the cake layers, add the Domino® Golden Sugar, oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a mixer bowl and mix until smooth. 

Step 4

In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.

Step 5

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth.

Step 6

Add the pumpkin puree and mix until well combined.

Step 7

Add about 1 cup of cake batter to each of the three prepared pans and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture over the cake batter, adding about a third of the mixture to each pan (about 5 tablespoons). Leave a little space around the outer edge of the cake so that the swirl doesn't quite go all the way to the edge. Use a small knife, toothpick, or offset spatula to gently swirl the batter with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Step 8

Divide the remaining cake batter between the three pans, about 1 cup per pan. It's easiest to drop spoonfuls of the batter over the cinnamon sugar mixture, then spread evenly.

Step 9

Bake the cake layers for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 10

Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove and place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Prepare the frosting:

Step 12

 First, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the tops of the cakes so they are flat.

Step 13

Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or on a cardboard cake circle.

Step 14

Spread about 1 cup of frosting on top of the cake layer. Add the second layer of cake and another cup of frosting. Top the cake with the third layer and frost the top and outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. Set the cake in the fridge and make the cinnamon drizzle, if using.

Prepare the cinnamon drizzle:

Step 15

Combine butter, Domino® Golden Sugar, cream, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon in a small saucepan. Heat on low until sugar is melted, then turn heat to medium to bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring, then remove from heat and immediately pour into a heat-proof glass bowl.

Step 16

Whisk in Domino® Powdered Sugar and allow to cool just slightly and thicken. If your icing is too thin, add additional Domino® Powdered Sugar until it’s the right consistency to drizzle it. If you find your icing to be too thick, just add a touch more water to thin it back out. It will be a little sticky/stringy, so it’s easier to work with in a squeeze bottle, but a spoon will work for dripping as well. If you'd like to test it before adding it to the cake, turn a glass cup upside down and drizzle some on bottom/side of the cup. If it drips how you'd like it to, it's ready. Keep in mind that the more it cools, the firmer it will get. You want it to be warm, but not too hot.

Step 17

Drizzle the cinnamon mixture around the outside of the cake. You can also fill in the center, if you like.

Step 18

Pipe swirls of the remaining cream cheese frosting around the outer top edge of the cake and dust with ground cinnamon.

Step 19

Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Cake is best served cool and closer to room temperature, but not cold. Best if eaten within 3-4 days.

Additional Tip:
  • For help with frosting your cake, head to my blog and check out my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake with buttercream.
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@lifeloveandsugar

Meet the Chef:

Lindsay Conchar

@lifeloveandsugar

Lindsay is the recipe developer and blogger behind www.lifeloveandsugar.com. She loves desserts of all kinds, but has a soft spot for cake and cheesecake. On her site, she shares recipes of all kinds with a focus on desserts that are fun and impressive, but still approachable. Be sure to check out her ever-growing list of recipes and tutorials.