Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake – Moist and flavorful pumpkin cake layers, filled with cream cheese frosting, gingersnap crumble and cinnamon chip ganache.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

As the leaves start to fall and the air gets crisp, there’s nothing better than diving into rich, spiced baked goods that capture the essence of autumn. One standout recipe that combines two of the season’s most iconic flavors—pumpkin and gingersnap—is my Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake. Courtney. It’s a layered beauty that marries the earthy sweetness of pumpkin with the warming spices of gingersnap cookies, all wrapped up in a luscious cream cheese frosting.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how to make this delightful Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake, breaking down each step and sharing some tips along the way. Whether you’re looking to impress at a fall gathering or simply treat yourself, this cake will become a go-to seasonal favorite!

What Makes Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake So Special?

My Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake is special for many reasons, but the combination of flavors is what truly sets it apart. The pumpkin adds natural moisture and sweetness, while the crushed gingersnap cookies deliver a bold punch of spice, creating a perfect harmony in each bite. This cake is not only flavorful but also beautifully textured—thanks to the balance of soft pumpkin cake and crunchy gingersnap bits. Topped off with a tangy cream cheese frosting, every bite is a fall-flavored dream!

Key Ingredients for Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

Here’s a quick look at the standout ingredients that make this cake irresistible:

1. Pumpkin Puree: This is the base of the cake, adding moisture, color, and flavor. Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices.
2. Gingersnap Cookies: The crushed cookies are folded into the batter, creating a lovely contrast of texture and adding those classic ginger, cinnamon, and molasses notes.
3. Warm Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves elevate the flavor of the pumpkin cake, making it taste like autumn in every bite.
4. Cream Cheese Frosting: The tangy sweetness of cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to the warm spices of the cake, balancing richness with a touch of acidity.

Tips for Success

1. Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature before you start baking. This ensures smoother mixing and better consistency.
2. Crush the Gingersnaps Well: You want fine crumbs rather than large chunks, so use a food processor or crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.
3. Chill the Cake Before Slicing: After assembling and frosting the cake, chill it for about 30 minutes before slicing. This helps set the frosting and makes for cleaner, more defined slices.
4. Don’t Overbake: Keep a close eye on the cake layers while baking. Overbaking can result in dry cake, so remove them from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.

My Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake is the perfect way to celebrate the flavors of fall. With its tender pumpkin cake, warm spices, and crunchy gingersnap bits, this cake is truly a showstopper for any autumn occasion. Plus, the cream cheese frosting ties everything together with a creamy, tangy finish that keeps you coming back for another slice.

Whether you’re baking for a special occasion, a family gathering, or just because you love fall flavors, this cake is sure to impress. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out! Happy baking!

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake

4.93 from 13 votes

Moist and flavorful pumpkin cake layers filled with cream cheese frosting, gingersnap crumble and cinnamon chip ganache.

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup  (165 g) light brown sugar packed
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6.3 g) vanilla
• 2 cups (450 g) pumpkin purée 
• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) baking powder
• 3 teaspoons (7.8 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (3.9 g) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon (2.64 g) nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g)salt

FOR THE CRUMBLE

• 1/2 cup (45 g) quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped gingersnap cookies about 2 cookies
• 1/2 cup finely ground gingersnap cookies about 8 cookies
• 3 tablespoons (65.6 g) molasses
• 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar packed
• 3 tablespoons (42.3 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.32 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.4 g) salt

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 7 cups (875 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup 3 sticks (339 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra ½ batch.

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1 cup (150 g) cinnamon chips
• 1/3 cup (77 g) heavy cream

Instructions

 

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Spray again and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.
• Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans, smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. (Mine took 23).
• Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, and then invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.

FOR THE CRUMBLE

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles clumps of sand. 
• Pour the mixture over the parchment paper and spread it out evenly. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring the mixture about halfway through.
• Let it cool completely and then crumble the mixture into smaller pieces. The mixture will still be soft when you take it out of the oven. It will harden as it cools.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add in the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat until very fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and beat for another 1-2 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to stir out the air bubbles.

FOR THE GANACHE

• Place the cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Alternately, you can heat the cream over the stove.
• Pour the warm cream over the cinnamon chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth and silky. Allow to cool, but not set, before using on your cake.

ASSEMBLY

• After leveling each cake layer, place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board. Apply ½ cup of the frosting over the cake layer, followed by ¼ of the crumble and a drizzle of the cinnamon chip drip.
• Repeat these steps for the next two cake layers. Finish by placing the final cake layer, top side down, on top of the last layer of filling. 
• Before frosting the entire cake, you will want to apply a thin coat of frosting around the cake and on top of the cake. This layer of frosting doesn’t need to look pretty, it’s simply functional. We want to lock in any crumbs. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes.
• After the crumb coat is set, apply the rest of the frosting and drip.

Author: Courtney Rich

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Cake