With layers of moist pumpkin cake, pecan praline crunch, and a rich caramel buttercream, this pecan praline pumpkin cake is both impressive and incredibly delicious. It’s one of those cakes that everyone comments on, both because it’s so pretty and because it tastes so good! The best part is that it’s pretty straight-forward to make, with no complicated techniques.

Close up of a slice of pecan praline pumpkin cake on a white palte

This pecan praline pumpkin cake is the latest in my love of recipes that use pecan pralines. Previously I’ve made pecan praline cheesecake, pecan praline brownies, pecan praline fudge and even pecan praline pumpkin bread (so good!). Today, we are taking it into cake mode and combining pralines with pumpkin cake. It may seem like an unexpected combination but the flavors and textures are so good all together.

The pumpkin cake layers are super moist and full of flavor, the pecans have a lovely crunch to them that stays crunchy and the caramel buttercream perfectly complements the flavors of both. It’s a dangerous cake to have around because you won’t want to stop eating it. After testing it, I couldn’t wait to make it again just so that I could eat it again.

Lindsay, author of Life Love and Sugar, holding a plate of cupcakes and smiling.

Why This Pecan Praline Pumpkin Cake Is Just So Good

Moist pumpkin cake. I’ve made several pumpkin layer cakes over the years, like pumpkin tiramisu cake and pumpkin cheesecake cake. My base pumpkin cake has been refined over time to make it so moist and perfectly spiced!
The caramel sauce! The caramel sauce in the frosting isn’t my typical homemade caramel sauce. It’s made with brown sugar, rather than white. This gives it a flavor more similar to pecan pralines, so that it complements the pecans really well. It’s the same caramel as in my caramel apple cake, which I love too.
Pecans in every bite. Between each layer of this cake is some homemade pecan praline crunch. It’s full of amazing flavor that goes so well with the buttercream and pumpkin cake, and it stays crunchy! While I don’t always love crunch in my cake, it works perfectly here!

Ingredient Notes

Here’s a look at what’s needed to make this cake and some important notes and substitution options. Keep in mind that some ingredients appear in multiple parts of the recipe. Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact measurements.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make pecan praline pumpkin cake

Brown sugar – You need dark brown sugar for the caramel sauce to get a deep enough caramel sauce. For the pecans, you could use dark or light brown sugar. As for the cake, I really prefer light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar starts to overpower the pumpkin a bit. That said, if you really want to stick to one type of sugar, you can use dark brown sugar in the cake. It’ll turn out, but just change the flavor a bit.
Sweetened condensed milk & heavy whipping cream – Equal amounts of both create the base of the caramel sauce. You don’t want to make substitutions here or it will change the flavor and texture of the caramel. All heavy cream creates a too-thin sauce while all sweetened condensed milk makes it too thick and changes the flavor.
Corn syrup – Helps keep the caramel sauce smooth and prevents it from becoming grainy as it cools.
Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
Pumpkin puree – It’s important to use canned pumpkin here. Homemade pumpkin puree can often have too much moisture in it, which will throw off the cake layers.
All-purpose flour – Use a food scale or the spoon and level technique (outlined in my post How to Properly Measure Flour) to avoid over-measuring the flour. Nobody wants a dry cake!
Butter – I opt to use unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt for my buttercream, as the amount of salt in salted butter varies. It should be at room temperature but not overly softened or melted.
Powdered sugar – Adds volume and stabilizes the buttercream. Feel free to reduce the amount, just keep in mind that you’ll have less buttercream to work with and it may not be and stiff.

How To Make Pecan Praline Pumpkin Cake

The caramel sauce, pecans, and cake layers all need time to cool before assembling, so be sure to plan accordingly. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Make the caramel sauce

To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and corn syrup. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

Whisking dark brown sugar caramel in a pan

Increase the heat to medium high, bring to a full boil and boil until it reaches 215°F, whisking constantly. Remove from heat.

Transfer the caramel sauce to a bowl. Refrigerate until room temperature or completely cooled.

Make the pecans

While the caramel sauce cools, make the pecans.

Combine the ingredients for the pecan praline in a bowl.

Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until its bubbling all the way into the center.

Pecan praline crunch in a baking sheet some broken into pieces

Let it cool fully and harden. Crumble into pieces.

Make the pumpkin cake layers

While the caramel and pecans cool, make the cake layers. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Whisking wet pumpkin cake ingredients in a bowl

In another bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin puree until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Divide the batter into 3 pans. Bake for 18-23 minutes.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Make the buttercream and build the cake

Beat the butter until smooth. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix until combined.

Mix in a cup of caramel sauce. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and the salt.

Round pumpkin cakes with the dome removed

Use a serrated knife to remove the domes from the cake layers.

A pumpkin cake topped with buttercream and praline crunch

Place a cake layer on a cake round, top with a cup of buttercream and 3/4 cup of pecans.

Press the pecans gently into the buttercream and then top with a very thin layer of buttercream. Add the second cake layer and repeat. Finish with the final cake layer on top.

A crumb layer being frosted on the outside of a pumpkin layer cake

Use an offset spatula to spread the buttercream in and around any gaps between cake layers.

Set aside 1/4 cup of pecans, chop the remaining ones, and mix them into the frosting.

Side view of a frosted pecan praline pumpkin cake

Frost the outside of the cake. Warm the remaining caramel sauce and spread it on top of the cake. Finish with the pecans.

Tips for the Best Cake

Use the exact amount of pumpkin. The cake layers do use a little more than one can of pumpkin puree. It’s not ideal to have all that leftover pumpkin, but it does add flavor that I wouldn’t want to leave out. Without it, the cake ends up a touch more dry and you notice the spices more, rather than the pumpkin being more forward. Use the leftover pumpkin to make pumpkin pancakes!
Use both types of sugar. This recipe uses both light and dark brown sugar. You do want to stick with dark brown sugar where called for, so if you don’t want to have two different kinds of sugar, swap out the light brown sugar for dark brown. If you can though, stick with both types of sugar. Each one gives the best flavor for it’s part.
Whisk the caramel constantly. The caramel can scorch, so it’s important to whisk constantly as the mixture heats and also after it’s removed from heat, until it stops boiling.
Use a rimmed baking sheet. The pecan praline mixture will bubble up and spread out in the oven, so it’s very important to use a baking sheet with a rim. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a mess in the oven!
Make the things ahead. Each part of this cake need to cool completely before assembling the cake, so feel free to make them a day in advance and then put it all together the next day.
Decorating with buttercream. I left a little rustic feel to this pecan praline pumpkin cake so the frosting isn’t as perfectly smooth as I usually like my cakes. But if you want a smoother finish, check out my post How to Frost a Cake with Buttercream for all of my best tips.

A pecan praline pumpkin cake on a cake stand with a slice missing

Proper Storage

Storage: This pecan praline pumpkin cake can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to about 24 hours, then should be refrigerated. It is best served at room temperature though. I recommend removing it from the fridge 20 minutes or so before serving.
Freezer: Flash freeze either the entire cake or cake slices in the freezer until the frosting is solid. Then, wrap tightly in two layers of plastic wrap or one layer of plastic wrap and then place slices in a freezer-safe container. It’s best enjoyed within 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

Pecan Praline Pumpkin Cake

Why This Pecan Praline Pumpkin Cake Is Just So Good

Ingredient Notes