Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Serves 12

30 mins prep

45 mins cook

75 mins total

This pumpkin gooey butter cake has a soft brown butter pumpkin cake crust with a gooey filling packed full of spiced pumpkin flavor. It’s like a cross between pumpkin cake and pumpkin pie - but even better! It’s topped with dollops of fluffy whipped cream which goes so well with pumpkin. It’s pretty easy to make and the gooey pumpkin cream cheese topping makes it that much more delicious. The perfect pumpkin cake to make for fall and Thanksgiving.

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Pumpkin Cake

Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C). Grease a 9” round springform pan with a small piece of butter. If using a regular (non-springform) round pan, line the bottom and sides with parchment paper to be able to lift it out easily.

Add the butter in a saucepan. Heat on stovetop on medium-low heat until it melts. Continue cooking it, stirring frequently while it foams and then when the foam subsides. Take it off the heat as soon as you see brown specks and pour into a heat-safe container or bowl to cool down and stop cooking. Make sure to add all of the brown bits in.

⅕ ¾ butter

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and salt just until foamy. Add the browned butter in and whisk.

⅕ 2 large eggs

⅕ ½ brown sugar

⅕ ¼ sea salt

Add pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine.

⅕ 1 pumpkin puree

⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract

⅕ 1 pumpkin pie spice

Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder right into the wet ingredients. Fold the mixture with a whisk or spatula until a thick, smooth batter forms. Don’t overmix!

⅕ 1 all-purpose flour

⅕ ¼ baking soda

⅕ 1 baking powder

Scoop the batter into the baking pan and smooth the top. Set aside while working on the gooey topping.

Gooey topping

In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together the softened cream cheese and half of the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix again.

⅕ 8 cream cheese softened

⅕ 2 powdered sugar

Add salt, egg yolks, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Mix together until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the bowl so that everything gets mixed together.

⅕ ⅛ sea salt

⅕ 2 large egg yolks

⅕ ¼ pumpkin puree

⅕ 1 pumpkin pie spice

⅕ 1 pure vanilla extract

Pour the filling in top of the cake batter. Tap the cake pan a few times on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place the cake pan on top of another flat baking pan to collect any butter that may leak out.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the middle is puffed and jiggly if you shake the pan. The top should be bubbling. If you see it browning too quickly, tent the top with a piece of aluminum foil.

Let it cool completely to room temperature for the gooey topping to set - or chill in the fridge for a few hours for an even firmer topping.

Whipped Cream Topping

Pro Tip: Pop your bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer 5 minutes before getting started for a very thick whipped cream.

Add the cold cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar into a large bowl or stand mixer. Whip the mixture with a wire whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. It’s ready when it’s thick, creamy, and holds its shape. Transfer into a piping bag with a star tip (I used a Wilton 1M).

⅕ ½ heavy whipping cream

⅕ 2 powdered sugar

⅕ ¼ pure vanilla extract

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the gooey butter cake. Pipe eight dollops of whipped cream on top of the cake right before serving! Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix on top for a finishing touch.

⅕ 4 powdered sugar