Layered Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Pie
- 19 hours ago
- 5 min read
Thin layers of pumpkin cake, a slightly tangy mascarpone-cream cheese frosting, and Mama Ram Pumpkin Spice.
When you think of pumpkin and pumpkin spice, tart might be the first thing that comes to mind. But it doesn't have to be.
This recipe layers soft cake bases made with pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and Mama Ram Pumpkin Spice, topped with a light frosting made with mascarpone, labneh, and cream.
The result is a cake that appears lighter than a classic pumpkin pie, with distinct layers when cut, a strong spice blend, and a moderate sweetness.
Preparation: 45 minutes Cooking: 25–30 minutes Resting: At least 4 hours Servings: 8–10 people Mold: 18 cm round
Pumpkin puree
You can use ready-made pumpkin puree; however, preparing it at home with pumpkins that are readily available in Türkiye will give better results.
Cut 300–350 g of raw pumpkin into large pieces. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a 190°C oven for 30–40 minutes , or until completely soft.
Once cooled, blend or process until smooth using a blender or food processor.
This recipe requires 200g of thick pumpkin puree .
If your puree is too watery, let it sit in a fine sieve for 15–20 minutes. This small step is important: too much water will cause the cake layers to be heavy and sticky.
For the cake
250 g flour
200 g thick pumpkin puree
130 g brown sugar
50 g powdered sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
100 ml neutral flavored liquid oil
80 ml whole milk
2 teaspoons Mama Ram Pumpkin Spice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For mascarpone-labneh cream
300 g mascarpone, chilled
250 g full-fat labneh, chilled
200 ml cream with at least 35% fat, very cold.
80 g powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
Optional: ¼–½ teaspoon Mama Ram Pumpkin Spice
Adding pumpkin spice to the cream isn't essential. In fact, we recommend leaving the cream plain if you want the spice to remain more distinct in the cake.
For the topping
40–50 g lightly roasted pecans or walnuts
Very little Mama Ram Pumpkin Spice
How to make it
1. Prepare the oven and the pan.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (top and bottom heat, no fan) .
Line the bottom of an 18 cm diameter cake tin with parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides.
2. Mix the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Mama Ram Pumpkin Spice using a wire whisk.
It's important to add the dry ingredients at this stage so that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
3. Prepare the wet mixture.
In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 1–2 minutes .
The mixture doesn't need to be frothy; it's enough for the sugar to be well combined with the eggs.
Add the vegetable oil, milk, vanilla, and 200g of pumpkin puree. Mix again until homogeneous.
4. Complete the dough.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two stages.
Using a spatula or wire whisk, mix only until the flour is no longer visible. Do not overmix; otherwise, the cake will be too dense.
The batter should be runny but slightly thicker than classic cake batter.
5. Cook
Transfer the dough to the prepared 18 cm pan and smooth the surface.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for approximately 25–30 minutes .
You can check the toothpick from that point on. The toothpick shouldn't come out completely wet; it's ideal if it still has a few damp crumbs on it.
Overbaking is a particularly important mistake with pumpkin cakes: the cake continues to bake as it cools, and if it stays in the oven too long, it loses its moisture.
Let the cake sit in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then remove it and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Definitely the floors
Once the cake has completely cooled, if there is any bulge on top, smooth it out very thinly.
Using a long, serrated bread knife, cut the cake horizontally into three equal layers .
If you want a thinner, multi-layered look like in the video, you can make the cake 4 layers; however, 3 layers are safer and give a more even result in a homemade cake.
7. Prepare the cream.
Combine mascarpone, labneh, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
On a low speed setting, mix briefly until homogeneous .
In a separate bowl, whip the very cold cream until smooth peaks form.
Gently incorporate the whipped cream into the mascarpone-labneh mixture in three stages using a spatula.
The result should be a silky cream that doesn't drip from the spatula but spreads smoothly.
Important: Do not whip the mascarpone and labneh at high speed for too long. Over-whipping can cause the cream to become soft.
8. Assemble the cake.
Place the first cake layer on the serving plate.
Place approximately 150–170 g of cream on top and spread it evenly with a spatula, reaching the edges.
Place the second cake layer and repeat the same process.
Place the last layer on top and gently press down to level the cake.
Cover the top of the cake with the remaining cream. You can completely cover the sides if you wish, or leave it for a more natural look where some of the cake layers are slightly visible.
9. Rest
Place the cake in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least 4 hours , preferably overnight.
This step shouldn't be skipped. During the resting period, the moisture balance of the cake layers is balanced, the cream thickens, and the Pumpkin Spice flavor integrates with the pumpkin.
10. Service
Remove the cake from the refrigerator approximately 15–20 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle with coarsely chopped, lightly roasted pecans or walnuts.
Finally, drizzle with a very small pinch of Mama Ram Pumpkin Spice .
Don't sprinkle the spices excessively here, like you would with cinnamon; the aim is not so much to enhance the flavor, but rather to let the aroma emanate before the first bite.
Little notes from Mama Ram
Bake the pumpkin instead of boiling it. Boiling the pumpkin absorbs much more water. Baking results in a more concentrated puree and a more pronounced pumpkin flavor.
Pureeing is really important. Drain off the excess water before measuring 200 grams. The water content of the pumpkin is the most important variable that will affect the consistency of the recipe.
Adding more spice isn't always better. Pumpkin spice releases itself while baking, and its flavor develops as the cake rests. A mild spice blend might be more pronounced the next day.
If you don't have pecans, use walnuts. Lightly roasting the walnuts in a 160°C oven for 7-8 minutes is sufficient.
The cake tastes better when eaten the next day. In fact, that's one of the advantages of this recipe. Preparing it the evening before and serving it the next day gives the best results in terms of both taste and slicing.
Storage
The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container or under a cake dome.
Because of the mascarpone and labneh cream content, do not leave it at room temperature for too long. Taking it out 15-20 minutes before serving is sufficient.
Pumpkin spice isn't just for lattes.
The familiar combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and warm spices finds its way not into a cup, but between three layers of cake .
And frankly, it looks pretty good there too.
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