PUMPKIN APPLE CAKE WITH NUTMEG FROSTING
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This Pumpkin Apple Cake with Nutmeg Frosting is one of my all time favorites.
This great fall dessert made with apples and pumpkin and topped with nutmeg and bourbon frosting will surely impress your guests.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 3/4 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon ginger 2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix just straight pumpkin) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring 3 eggs 1 cup oil (I use Canola) 1 1/2 cups fresh apples, peeled and grated or shredded 3/4 cup raisins 3/4 cup walnut pieces (Optional) In a large bowl combine oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin and mix well using electric mixer. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and apples and continue mixing. Fold in nuts and raisins and pour batter into a sprayed or greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes.
This cake is good with or without frosting. Nutmeg Frosting (The frosting is the same as cream cheese frosting but you add bourbon and nutmeg. 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 stick butter or margarine, softened 1 (1 lb.) box confectioners sugar 4 teaspoons bourbon 2 teaspoons nutmeg Mix all ingredients with mixer until you get the spreading consistency you want. Spread on cooled cake. This is wonderful as a dessert with coffee, with milk as a bedtime snack, or just anytime you want a sweet treat. I promise this cake won’t last long! Enjoy! 
Pumpkin Apple Cake with Nutmeg Frosting
This Pumpkin Apple Cake with Nutmeg Frosting is a recipe you'll want to keep.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time55 mins
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 2 cups canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix just straight pumpkin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup oil I use Canola
- 1 1/2 cups fresh apples peeled and grated or shredded
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup walnut pieces Optional
Nutmeg Frosting
- 1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick butter or margarine softened
- 1 1 lb. box confectioners sugar
- 4 teaspoons bourbon
- 2 teaspoons nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin and mix well using electric mixer. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and apples and continue mixing.
- Fold in nuts and raisins and pour batter into a sprayed or greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes.
Nutmeg Frosting
- Mix all ingredients with mixer until you get the spreading consistency you want. Spread on cooled cake.
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I made this cake as directed. I was so excited. It looked so good. But I was very disappointed in the result. It was way too dense. I thought it had too much pumpkin in it. Soooooo. I made another cake without the pumpkin, crumbled up the original cake and mixed it into the batter with about 1/2 cup of leftover milk. Baked it in a jelly roll pan for about 45 mins and it is MUCH better now.!
We’ve never had an issue with this cake and it has great reviews. Glad you were able to make it to your liking. Not every recipe is for everyone.
I’ve made this cake 3 times. Everyone loves it. Thank you soooo much. Best wishes, Joann
I’m so glad this recipe is such a hit!
Made it yesterday for get-together! Everyone loved it! I made it in a sheet pan. So moist and yummy❤️
Wonderful! So glad it was a hit!
Im excited to make this today, (went apple picking and have 11 pounds of apples to use up♀️) I have most all ingredients on hand and hoping to not go to the store, could I leave the rum out of the frosting? I saw your suggestion about rum extract, Ive not got any liquor or alcohol. what could you recommend for a frosting?
Would this taste good with chocolate chips, I dont have raisins
You could just make a cream cheese frosting: https://thesouthernladycooks.com/cream-cheese-frosting/
I’ve never made it with chocolate chips, but if you think that would taste good with apples and pumpkin then you can add it. You can leave the raisins out.
Can you just use 1 can of canned pumpkin without it having much effect on the outcome. Hate to waste a portion of a second can.
I’ve only made the recipe as written. Thanks!
Looks delicious. What size cans of pumpkin?
The recipe calls for 2 cups of canned pumpkin. A can of pumpkin is 15 ounces.
This cake looks absolutely delicious! Can a gluten-free flour or gluten-free flour blend be substituted for the all-purpose flour? If so, would other changes be needed to be made to the recipe? This would be a perfect autumn cake. Thanks.
Sorry, Sharon, I have not tried this cake with gluten free flour and cannot advise you. If you make it using gluten free and it works for you, would you please leave us a comment. Thank you so much.
I’ve made pumpkin recipes before with gluten free flour (not this one in particular, but pumpkin bread), I ended up adding an extra egg and that made a ton of difference and helped a lot!
Please excuse my earlier comment.
I plan on making this cake what I would like to know is can I freeze the cake and icing? Thank you!
I’ve never tried it, but I googled freezing a cake with frosting and it seems to be a very common thing.
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I want to use fresh pumpkin rather than canned, how much would I need?
I would just use the same amount the recipe calls for Peggy.
Would you recommend something else instead of bourbon?
There is no bourbon in this cake, but you can always leave it out, or replace it with rum extract.
Does this have to be refrigerated if not using immediately?
It should be fine for a couple days if put in a cool place but you could refrigerate if you want, Joan.
Your instructions mention eggs but not the ingredient list. So I’m going to add 2 and hope it works. Maybe that’s why one person said it was dense?
It plainly says 3 eggs in the list of ingredients, Nisa.
Must be my tired eyes. Sorry I read it three times. I used three eggs so that’s good. Feel free to delete my comments.
No problem, Nisa. Happy you used the right amount and happy to have you on the site. Have a wonderful holiday season.
What kind of apples do you use?
I have used all kinds of apples in this recipe. Red delicious, granny smith, gala just whatever you have on hand.
Made this week and used the other nutmeg frosting recipe of yours – DELICIOUS! Thank you!
Can you use2 loaf pans instead of 9×13 pan?
I think that would work for you Debbie.
Made this today, just had a taste:) It’s a dense cake but I like that – and I used Myer’s Rum instead of bourbon in the frosting but it was very, very good! Thanks for the recipe:)
Wouldn’t this be yummy served in wine or cocktail glass with a custard sauce? Either way, I’m going toi try it!!!