Butternut Squash Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Butternut Squash Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Cuisine: American Comfort Baking

History & Significance

The butternut squash itself was developed in 1944 by Charles Leggett of Stow, Massachusetts, who crossed pumpkin and gooseneck squash varieties. However, the butternut squash is a type of Cucurbita moschata, a species domesticated in Mexico more than 6,000 years ago. As for butternut squash cakes specifically, they are a mid-to-late 20th century development that emerged after the butternut squash variety itself became widely available.

Butternut squash cakes emerged in mid-20th century American home baking, following the 1944 development of butternut squash itself by Massachusetts farmer Charles Leggett. This dessert represents post-war resourcefulness—transforming harvest vegetables into celebration, a practice rooted in colonial traditions of baking stuffed, spiced pumpkins that sustained communities through lean times.

Yield & Time

16 large slices | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 40 min | Total: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1⅓ cup olive oil

• 1½ cup pure maple syrup (local or real—no imitation syrup)

• 6 eggs

• 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 1½ teaspoons baking soda

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

• 1½ tablespoons nutmeg

• 2 cups butternut squash, cooked and mashed (or pumpkin puree)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Preparing the Squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F

2. Wash squash exterior, halve lengthwise, place cut-side down in 13×9 baking pan

3. Add ½ cup water, cover with foil, bake 45-60 minutes until fork-tender

4. Remove, uncover, cool completely

5. Scoop out 2 cups of flesh and mash

Making the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. Butter and flour a 9-inch baking pan

3. In stand mixer bowl, combine 2 cups mashed squash, maple syrup, oil, and yogurt on speed 2

4. Add eggs one at a time, continuing on speed 2

5. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt on lowest speed until just combined

6. Transfer batter to prepared pan

7. Bake 30-40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

8. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes

9. Remove from pan, cool completely on rack

Making the Frosting:

1. Beat softened cream cheese and butter until fluffy

2. Add vanilla, maple syrup (or honey), and salt

3. Beat until smooth and creamy

4. Frost cooled cake generously

Nutrition (per slice)

Calories: 380 | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1950IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg

Pro Variation Tips

Spice Adjustments: Add ½ teaspoon ground ginger or cardamom for warming depth

Texture Enhancement: Fold in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch

Fruit Addition: Stir in 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins before baking

Alternative Sweeteners: Substitute honey for maple syrup in equal measurements

Make-Ahead: Cake layers freeze beautifully for up to 3 months (unfrosted)

Dairy-Free Option: Replace Greek yogurt with coconut yogurt; use vegan cream cheese for frosting.

From Crisis to Kitchen

In the refugee camps and disaster zones where I served, I watched mothers create feasts from rations, turning scarcity into celebration. They taught me that cooking is prayer made tangible, an act of defiance against despair. This cake emerged during my healing season, when kneading and stirring became meditation, when measuring spices grounded me back into my body. The butternut squash, with its tough exterior protecting tender sweetness within, mirrors our own resilience. Each slice shared becomes communion, reminding us that brokenness can nourish, that from earth's simplest gifts, we craft moments of grace. This isn't just cake, it's testimony that sweetness survives, that we rise, that love transforms even the humblest ingredients into something worth celebrating.

"He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." — Psalm 23:3

Crumbs-n-Wonders | Sharing the Master's love, one recipe at a time

Adios Amigos

Till we bake again!!

Feliz cozimento!