Description
A moist Pumpkin Spice Gooey Cake with a tender crumb and tangy cream cheese frosting, studded with chocolate chips and cherries for a delightful fall treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 – 3.5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice (optional)
- Optional Substitutions:
- Dairy-free: use vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips.
- Heartier crumb: replace 25–30% of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for nuttiness and fiber.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- Cream the softened butter and both granulated and brown sugars until very light and fluffy. This step incorporates air for a tender structure in your Pumpkin Spice Gooey Cake.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is incorporated before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients gradually, mixing only until just combined to avoid developing too much gluten, which can lead to a tough texture.
- Gently fold in the drained and chopped maraschino cherries and semisweet chocolate chips. Ensure cherries are patted dry to prevent excess moisture.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared 9×13 pan.
- Bake for 25–32 minutes. The edges should be set, and the center should spring back softly when lightly touched, indicating the perfect gooey texture for your Pumpkin Spice Gooey Cake.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack until it is just warm before frosting.
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the softened butter and beat until creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. If desired, whisk in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice to complement the cake’s flavor.
- Frost the slightly cooled Pumpkin Spice Gooey Cake. For clean slices, chill the frosted cake for 20–30 minutes before cutting with a warm knife, wiping between cuts.
Notes
- Pat maraschino cherries thoroughly dry before folding them into the batter. This prevents excess moisture which can disrupt the gooey set of the cake and the adhesion of the frosting.
- Cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy. This process incorporates air, contributing to the cake’s lift and tender, gooey crumb structure.
- When adding the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing after the flour is added can develop gluten, resulting in a chewy rather than gooey texture.
- For the cleanest slices, chill the frosted Pumpkin Spice Gooey Cake for 20–30 minutes. Use a warm knife to cut, wiping the blade between each cut for neat edges and to preserve the crumb.
- Adding 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice to the cream cheese frosting helps balance the flavors and creates aromatic cohesion with the cake.
- Bake your Pumpkin Spice Gooey Cake until the edges are set and the center springs back softly. This indicates a moist, gooey texture rather than a dry bake.
- Refrigerate the frosted cake for food safety due to the cream cheese frosting. Bring it to room temperature for 30–45 minutes before serving to allow the crumb to soften and the frosting to become plush.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25–32 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: ~420
- Sugar: ~36 g
- Sodium: ~190 mg
- Fat: ~22 g
- Saturated Fat: ~13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~52 g
- Fiber: ~2 g
- Protein: ~5 g
- Cholesterol: ~70 mg