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Decadent Pumpkin Magic Cake (3-Layer Magic Dessert)

Pumpkin magic cake bakes into three distinct layers with a golden top and soft, custardy center. Chill it before cutting into squares for clean slices of this pumpkin-spiced dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 eggs large, separated
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup butter unsalted, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree canned, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.25 tsp salt kosher
  • 0.75 cup flour all-purpose
  • 1.5 cup milk whole

Equipment

  • 1 8-inch square baking pan
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 325°F.
  2. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the melted butter, pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
  5. Whisk in the flour just until smooth.
  6. Warm the milk until lukewarm, about 100°F.
  7. Gradually whisk the milk into the pumpkin mixture until combined.
  8. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  9. Fold the egg whites into the pumpkin mixture in three additions, stopping when no large clumps remain; small flecks of egg white are fine.
  10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  11. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is set with a slight wobble; an instant-read thermometer in the center should register at least 160°F.
  12. Cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares.

Notes

For the lightest cake, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold gently, stopping when no large clumps remain. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze individual squares for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free variation, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.