Description
This Slow Cooker Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake is a moist and flavorful dessert perfect for fall. Made with pumpkin puree and warm spices, the cake is cooked effortlessly in a slow cooker and topped with rich caramel sauce for a sticky, indulgent finish. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe that requires minimal hands-on time and yields a tender, spiced cake with a luscious caramel drizzle.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 15 oz solid packed pumpkin (1 can)
Topping
- 16 oz caramel sauce (1 jar)
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Lightly coat a 4 1/2 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray and turn it on to the ‘high’ setting to preheat while you prepare the batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon. Whisk together to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl for about 3 minutes or until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which will help create a tender cake texture.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate them into the batter and maintain volume.
- Incorporate Pumpkin: Blend in the solid packed pumpkin until well mixed, ensuring the pumpkin puree is evenly distributed throughout the batter for moistness and flavor.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat at low speed for about one minute or until the batter is smooth and homogeneous, avoiding overmixing.
- Cook the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the preheated slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on the high setting for approximately 2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is done.
- Cool and Invert: Once cooked, let the cake stand uncovered for 10 minutes to slightly cool and set. Invert the cake onto a wire rack to release it from the slow cooker, then invert again onto a serving plate for presentation.
- Add Caramel Sauce and Serve: Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the warm cake. Serve the cake warm, offering the remaining caramel sauce on the side for extra indulgence.
Notes
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature for better batter incorporation and a fluffier cake.
- You can use pumpkin pie spice or substitute with ground cinnamon for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Check the cake at around 1 hour 45 minutes as slow cooker heat levels vary; cooking times may need slight adjustment.
- For a firmer cake, you can cook for an additional 10-15 minutes but avoid overcooking to keep the cake moist.
- Leftover cake keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently before serving to restore softness and caramel drizzle warmth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
