Pumpkin Raisin Spice cake is perfect for fall, but the fact that it’s just a few simple ingredients makes it one of my personal favorites!
In the autumn, pumpkin is a staple item that we can’t wait to delve into, but not everyone wants to make pumpkin cake entirely from scratch. This is by far, the best pumpkin cake recipe because it’s moist, each bite is loaded with raisins and walnuts, or if you prefer chocolate chips!
If you’re the type of person who prefers to make everything from scratch, this recipe also works well with homemade cake mixes too, we prefer the homemade spice cake mix recipe from here. However, if you opt to use a homemade cake mix, add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the recipe as well.
How to Make Pumpkin Raisin Spice Cake
There are three entirely optional ingredients in this recipe, raisins, walnuts and pineapple. For this particular cake, I added the pineapple because I had some leftover in the fridge and didn’t want it to spoil. If you’re not a fan of walnuts, use chopped pecans, or omit the nuts altogether. If you want a more dense cake, add 1 mashed banana and cook an extra 5 minutes.
While we opted to add a decadent cream cheese frosting to this, the cake itself is wonderful without any frosting of any kind or adorned with a pat of cinnamon honey butter.
Pumpkin Raisin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
You’ll Need:
1 Spice Cake Mix (Any Brand, or Homemade)
2 eggs
1 can of Pumpkin
1/3-1/2 c. Raisins
1/3 c.- 1/2 c. Walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
1 c. crushed pineapple (optional)
Preheat Oven to 350F
In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, and cake mix until a batter is formed, add (optional) pineapple, walnuts, raisins (sorry, I don’t measure either of them, I just dump a couple palm-fulls of each of them into the batter).
Divide the batter into two 8″ round pans that have been sprayed liberally with non-stick cooking spray. I recommend using a Misto sprayer, just add olive oil (no other additives!), give it a couple pumps and mist away.
Bake at 350 For about 30-35 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
You’ll Need:
3/4 c. Butter
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
4-5 c. Powdered Confectioners Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth, add the vanilla extract, beating well to combine. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, whipping until light & fluffy.
Frost Cool Cake.
Pumpkin Raisin Spice Cake Variation Options:
Variation #1
This is really so simple and you can alter it in a number of ways- for example- you can use and a can of sweet potatoes to make sweet potato spice bread, simply drain the can and then mash the sweet potatoes thoroughly and use in place of the pumpkin.
Variation #2
Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips (or mini- chocolate chips)
Variation #3
Omit the pineapple. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped apple pieces and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon for apple-pumpkin spice bread.
Variation #4
Use a white or yellow cake mix (if you don’t happen to have a Spice cake mix on hand) and 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning
Over in England and France we don’t use cake mixes! To make it from scratch we start with flour, have you got a recipe that starts without a cake mix?
I made this cake. First, it doesn’t specify what size can of pumpkin to use. Second, the cake didn’t rise much at all.
Just a note with a suggestion if anyone may be interested. When I make the cream cheese frosting, I always add some freshly squeezed lemon juice and people seem to love it. Takes away from all of the sweetness.