This Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cake will quickly become your new favorite fall dessert. The moist cake is topped with a crunchy Butterfinger and brown sugar topping, creating a delicious autumn treat.
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Pumpkin Butterfinger Cake
It may still be warm here in Florida, but I'm ready to wear jeans and sweatshirts. I want to enjoy fall flavors in pumpkin and apple desserts.
You are going to fall head over heels for this pumpkin Butterfinger cake. I took this banana toffee cake from a couple of years ago and gave it a fall facelift. Can we say whoa!
The banana cake is delicious, but the pumpkin cake with a crunchy peanut butter topping is even better! This might be my new favorite pumpkin recipe.
What You'll Need
- Cream Cheese: Gives the cake a moist texture.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter in our recipes to control the amount of salt.
- Sugar: A mixture of granulated sugar and brown sugar makes this homemade cake sweet.
- Eggs: Add liquid and bind the ingredients together.
- Pumpkin Puree: Use pure pumpkin as pumpkin pie filling has added sugars and spices that can affect your dough. I prefer Libby's canned pumpkin.
- Flour: Adds structure to baked goods. Learn how to measure flour correctly using the spoon and sweep method.
- Leaveners: This cake uses baking powder and baking soda to get a good rise.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg provide a slightly warm flavor that does not overpower the peanut butter topping. You can also use pumpkin pie spice.
- Crumble Topping: When you combine Butterfinger candy bars, brown sugar, and cinnamon, you get a deliciously crunchy topping.
Pumpkin and Peanut Butter
I recently found bags of Butterfinger bits in the baking aisle at Walmart. Yes, I know they are just crushed candy bars, but I still bought four bags. Hey, every little time saver helps.
I mixed the crushed candy bits with brown sugar and cinnamon. Then swirled half of that into the batter, and topped the cake with the rest before baking.
The peanut butter candy bars and sugar melt into a gooey frosting-like topping that keeps the pumpkin cake so soft and delicious!
Just trust me and make it. You can thank me later!
Storage Recommendations
Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
If you prefer to freeze it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
FAQs
Yes, buy full-size bars and crush them into bits.
Yes. This recipe would be great for chopped nuts, toffee bits, mini chocolate chips, or any other candy bar.
Grease your pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick spray. Then line it with parchment paper to ensure the cake releases easily after baking.
More Pumpkin Desserts
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cake
- Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Bars
- Pumpkin Fluff
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Chocolate Pumpkin Lasagna
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cake
A Butterfinger and brown sugar topping make this soft peanut butter pumpkin cake a delicious way to start the fall season.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
For the Topping
- 1 ½ cups Butterfinger baking bits
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla and beat again.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Slowly stir into the butter mixture until combined.
- Mix the topping ingredients. Stir half the mixture into the cake batter.
- Spread the cake batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the rest of the topping over the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool. Cut into 24 squares. Store in a tightly sealed container on the counter.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 216Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 181mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
This post was first published in September 2015, then updated in September 2024.
Katie
This sounds so good!! But am I missing the part where there’s peanut butter in this recipe??
Jocelyn
The peanut butter comes from the crushed up Butterfinger candy bars.
Jackie H
I'm new to your site and all I can say is OMG! is this ever good! I couldn't find butterfinger baking bites nor could I find butterfinger candy bars at my grocery store (seriously!) so I made them with the Skor/chocolate baking pieces. Cream cheese, pumpkin and candy? I literally could not stop eating it last night when it came out of the oven. Thanks so much for this great dessert!
Jocelyn
That's awesome! I am so glad you found my site, and that you loved this cake. Good job substituting the Skor bits for the Butterfinger bits!!!
Jenn@eatcakefordinner
I can imagine that this combo of flavors is amazing. Yummy 🙂
Serene @ House of Yumm
Ok. Yep. This is awesome! I love all things Fall, and I think this cake may just have to make an appearance! I'm doing my Fall baking too in our high 90 degree weather. But it's so worth it. Now I'm off to find some Butterfinger baking bits..
Jocelyn
Fall is my absolute favorite season, so I am so excited that it is almost here. Of course with our crazy hot weather, I have to run the air conditioning non stop while I'm baking my fall goodies!!! Totally worth it though!!!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan
Oh my gosh!! Butterfinger + Pumpkin?? This is insane!! I love it. And I'm sooo ready for jeans and sweaters...so that I can eat this entire cake.
Jocelyn
Yes!!! The sweaters and jeans hide more of the rolls I get from eating all the fun fall treats. LOL!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
I had to buy a size up in jeans because of my job and the requirements we have... sigh. But that's okay because now there's more room to make for this pumpkin cake!
Jocelyn
After all the "little" slivers of this cake, I bet I need a new pair of bigger jeans...it was worth it though!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
Bring on fall baking! Love the butterfinger topping!
Jocelyn
Yay for fall baking being here!!!
Maggie Unzueta
OH EM GEE! That looks incredible. I look forward to the fall each year just for the pumpkin recipes. Why is that? Why can't we eat pumpkin all year long? I bet my son and my family would love this cake in June... with a scoop of ice cream. Yum!
Jocelyn
I don't know why we don't eat pumpkin year round. It's pretty amazing stuff! I'm with you on looking forward to this time of year for all the fun pumpkin treats! And I totally could see this cake with ice cream on it!
Trish - Mom On Timeout
I had to do a double take at the title of the recipe but you have me convinced - I need this cake in my life! It's gorgeous!
Jocelyn
Girl, I wasn't sure how it was going to be either...but holy cow! It totally worked and was delicious! I think I ate most to it!!!
Ines
Hi Jocelyn if I cannot find butterfinger baking bits Do you think this might work by breaking up some butterfinger bars?
Jocelyn
Yes, the Butterfinger baking bits are just crushed candy bars. It's just a convenience thing 🙂 I hope you enjoy the cake!
Beth
It's so tall, fluffy and dreamy!!! I'd rather have this cake than candy for halloween!
Jocelyn
I'm thinking it will be the perfect cake for everyone to make after raiding their kids Halloween buckets. LOL!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
Yay for pumpkin season 🙂
Jocelyn
I know, right??? 🙂
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
This is seriously GENIUS!! I am so happy you're already pumpkin all the things, and DOUBLE happy that you added butterfinger. That sounds like the most magical combo EVER. Pinned!
Jocelyn
I'm usually into the pumpkin earlier than this, but for some reason this year I waited until Sept. But now it's on!!!!
Marye
This looks dangerously delicious! I doubt I could stop at one!
Jocelyn
Oh, my word! It is seriously dangerous! I couldn't stop taking slivers of this one!
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu
Wow this looks magical! Who would have thought of such a unique combo? Amazing!
Jocelyn
I'm not sure how I got the idea, but I'm so glad it work! Of course Butterfingers pretty much go with anything!
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel
Butterfinger Baking bits?! I"m not sure those would make it into anything I actually baked before they disappeared into my mouth! Loving the banana cake revamp!
Jocelyn
LOL! I totally thought about just pouring the bits straight into my mouth from the bag!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
This looks delicious! Pumpkin and PB for the win 🙂
Jocelyn
I wasn't sure how pumpkin and peanut butter was going to be...but this cake converted me for sure!
altamama
Oh mama - you had me at Butterfinger....or was it cream cheese. Nothing better than cream cheese in a cake batter and you don't see it all that often.
It would make kickass cupcakes too I bet.
I don't know where you get all that inspiration but all the better for us.
Jocelyn
Hahaha! I don't know where these crazy ideas come from either...but I keep trying them out. Not everything works, but if it shows up here on the blog, you can bet I loved it! I agree with you on the cream cheese in cake...makes them so much better!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
The hot weather needs to go - it's still 90s here!! I want boots and jeans and sweaters...except my jeans don't fit. Probably because I'd eat this WHOLE CAKE!
Jocelyn
Yes, all the boots, sweaters, and jeans...although I'm thinking my jeans are going to be snug too. I just can't stop the snacking on sweets! It's bad!
Mir
Oh NO. Now that they're making crushed Butterfinger bits, I'm a total goner. I'm never gonna be able to resist those! And you used it for a topping and a swirl. I am not worthy, Jocelyn!
Jocelyn
I know, right? I picked up one bag...and then grabbed a few more because let's be serious...one was not enough!