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a stack of pumpkin gingerbread cake on a plate
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Pumpkin Gingerbread Sheet Cake (Tree Trimming Cake)

A soft, spiced molasses-pumpkin cake you can hold in your hand - easy and cozy enough for Thanksgiving weekend, festive enough for trimming the tree.
Prep Time20 minutes
25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 40 squares
Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

  • 2 cups (scant) all-purpose flour 245g
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoons fine salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons gingerbread spice or pumpkin-pie spice
  • ½ teaspoons 1 g ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoons nutmeg or allspice optional

Wet ingredients

  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces
  • ½ cup + 2 tbsp sweet molasses
  • ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup pure pumpkin purée
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk + 1 tablespoon more if needed

Add-ins

  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • lemon vanilla glaze (recipe follows) and a small handful of blanched sliced almonds for topping optional

Instructions

  • Prep:

    Heat oven to 350 °F. Line a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for lifting. Get your ingredients ready.
    groceries for gingerbread pumpkin cake
  • Warm the butter mixture:
    
In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the molasses and brown sugar over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the pumpkin purée. Set aside to cool slightly.
    7 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup + 2 tbsp sweet molasses, ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar, ¾ cup pure pumpkin purée
    melting butter and molasses with brown sugar
  • Mix dry ingredients:
    
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all spices.
    2 cups (scant) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoons fine salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons gingerbread spice, ½ teaspoons 1 g ground ginger, ¼ teaspoons nutmeg or allspice
    mixing the dry ingredients for cake
  • Combine:

    Pour the warmed mixture into the dry ingredients, stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined - do not overmix. Add the beaten egg and stir it in until combined.
    1 large egg
    mixing batter for gingerbread cake
  • Finish the batter:

    Stir the milk into the batter a little at a time, until the batter is thick but pourable (like thick heavy cream). If it feels stiff, add an extra tablespoon of milk.

    Fold in the chopped pecans.
    ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk, 1 cup chopped pecans
    finished batter for gingerbread cake
  • Bake:

    Spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan. Bake 18-25 minutes (depending on your exact pan and oven), until deep golden, springy, and a toothpick comes out clean.

    Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift onto a cooling rack.
    baked gingerbread sheet cake
  • Glaze & decorate:
    While still slightly warm, brush on the glaze (it’s supposed to mostly add sheen and a light layer of white glaze, with a little more glaze pooling in the small creases of the cake). Gently press on blanched almond slices - you can also sprinkle with a little finely chopped pecans.
    lemon vanilla glaze (recipe follows) and a small handful of blanched sliced almonds for topping
    glazed gingerbread sheet cake
  • Serve:
    Let the glaze set before cutting the cake into small squares or diamonds for a snacking cake, or into regular cake slices for serving with plates.
    gingerbread pumpkin snack cake cut into diamonds

Notes

Lemon–vanilla glaze
  • ¾ cup powdered / icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk until smooth and just pourable; adjust with a few drops of water or extra sugar.