Name: Easy Pumpkin Baked Alaska
Prep time: 8 h
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 8 h 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 whole eggs; 2 egg yolks; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp salt; 3/4 cup all purpose flour; 2 cups heavy whipping cream; 1 - 14oz can sweetened condensed milk; 1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 4 egg whites; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 12 reviews

This easy pumpkin baked Alaska is a fun fall spin on the classic pound cake, ice cream and toasted meringue dessert. And with just a few store bought ingredients, this beauty comes together in no time!

The weather is getting cooler, the days are getting shorter and the leaves are officially starting to turn. And you guys, I AM HERE FOR IT.

Fall is my favorite time of year so I'm more than ready to break out the sweaters, the Halloween decor and all things pumpkin... which is why I'm so excited to share this toasty pumpkin treat with you.

This sweet pumpkin baked Alaska features a thick slice of pound cake, a small mountain of pumpkin ice cream and billowy toasted meringue as far as the eye can see.

Now who's ready for sweaters and fall cakes?

How to make pumpkin baked Alaska

First, make your pound cake.

Grease and line a 6" cake pan.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes).

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract and salt. With your mixer on low, slowly pour the egg mixture into the cake batter, beating until everything is just incorporated.

Add the flour ¼ cup at a time, mixing between each new addition.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Time saving tip: If you don't want to make your own pound cake from scratch, you can also buy one. You'll want to purchase either a 6" round cake or slice up a pound cake loaf so that it can be pieced together into a 6" round cake.

Second, make your pumpkin ice cream.

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form.

Add the remaining ingredients for the ice cream (sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and ginger) and continue whipping until the ice cream is light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

Time saving tip: If you don't want to make your own pumpkin ice cream, you can substitute with store bought. You'll need about 1 pint of ice cream and you'll want to soften it slightly so that you can press it into the bowl.

Line a bowl with a 6" opening with plastic wrap and pour the ice cream mixture in until it almost reaches the top. You want to leave just enough room so it doesn't overflow as it freezes and so that the cake can be tucked down below the sides.

Cover with the cooled pound cake, cover with another layer of plastic wrap and freeze until firm (about 6-8 hours).

Finally, make the meringue and finish assembling the cake.

To make the meringue, whisk together the egg whites and sugar over a boiling pot of water until the mixture is hot and the sugar has dissolved.

Add the vanilla extract and whip the meringue mixture on high until stiff peaks form.

Remove the ice cream and cake from the bowl, cover with the meringue and toast using a chef's torch or by baking in the oven at 500F for about 5 minutes (or until toasted on the outside). Serve immediately.

Troubleshooting meringues:

For many years I found meringues very intimidating, mainly because I struggled to get my meringue to reach those perfect fluffy peaks. Here are a couple of quick tips to help you avoid the issues I had:

Start with a perfectly clean bowl: This may seem like a no-brainer but even a little bit of grease can ruin your meringue. Whatever you use, making sure it's been thorough scrubbed with warm, soapy water.
Don't use plastics bowls: To the point above, it's very hard to completely remove fats from plastic bowls and kitchen utensils, which tend to develop a greasy coating over time. Instead, use a glass, metal or ceramic bowl.
Crack your eggs into a separate bowl: Egg yolks = fat and as we've established above, fats will keep your meringue from reaching it's full potential. To avoid having a single yolk ruin the whole batch, be sure to crack and separate your eggs over a small bowl before adding the white to the rest of the batch.

For more information, check out my comprehensive guide on making meringue.

Tips for making the perfect baked Alaska

Using store bought pound cake: If you're using store bought pound cake you'll want to purchase either a 6" round cake or slice up a pound cake loaf so that it can be pieced together into a 6" round cake.
Working ahead with pound cake: If you're making your own pound cake, you can make it and freeze it for up to two months.
Using store bought ice cream: If you're substituting store bought ice cream for homemade, you'll need about a pint of pumpkin ice cream. Let it soften slightly so you can press it into the bowl.
Removing the cake from the bowl: Sometimes moisture can get between the bowl, plastic wrap and cake making it hard to remove. If you run into this issue, simply run the bowl under warm water until you can pull the cake out.
Working ahead: If you want to have everything ready to go in advance, you can freeze the fully assembled cake (meringue and all) for one hour or up to overnight. To toast it, simply pop it in the oven 5-10 minutes before you're ready to serve it.

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #thesimplesweetlife. I love seeing your creations!

Recipe

Easy Pumpkin Baked Alaska

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 12 reviews

Author: The Simple, Sweet Life
Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours 35 minutes
Yield: 12 slices 1x
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Instructions

Grease and line a 6" cake pan.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth.
Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes).
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract and salt.
With your mixer on low, slowly pour the egg mixture into the cake batter.
Add the flour ¼ cup at a time, mixing between each new addition.
Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
To make the ice cream, whip the heavy whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form.
Add the remaining ingredients and continue whipping until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Line a bowl with a 6" opening with plastic wrap and pour the ice cream mixture in until it almost reaches the top.
Cover with the cooled pound cake, cover with another layer of plastic wrap and freeze until firm (about 6-8 hours).
To make the meringue, whisk together the egg whites and sugar over a boiling pot of water until hot and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the vanilla extract and whip the meringue mixture on high until stiff peaks form.
Remove the ice cream and cake from the bowl, cover with meringue and toast using a chef's torch or by baking in the oven at 500F for about 5 minutes (or until toasted on the outside). Serve immediately.

Notes

Using store bought pound cake: If you're using store bought pound cake you'll want to purchase either a 6" round cake or slice up a pound cake loaf so that it can be pieced together into a 6" round cake.
Working ahead with pound cake: If you're making your own pound cake, you can make it and freeze it for up to two months.
Using store bought ice cream: If you're substituting store bought ice cream for homemade, you'll need about a pint of pumpkin ice cream. Let it soften slightly so you can press it into the bowl.
Removing the cake from the bowl: Sometimes moisture can get between the bowl, plastic wrap and cake making it hard to remove. If you run into this issue, simply run the bowl under warm water until you can pull the cake out.
Start with a perfectly clean bowl for the meringue: This may seem like a no-brainer but even a little bit of grease can ruin your meringue.
Don't use plastics bowls when making meringue: To the point above, it's very hard to completely remove fats from plastic bowls and kitchen utensils, which tend to develop a greasy coating over time. Instead, use a glass, metal or ceramic bowl.
Crack your eggs into a separate bowl: Egg yolks = fat and as we've established above, fats will keep your meringue from reaching it's full potential. To avoid having a single yolk ruin the whole batch, be sure to crack and separate your eggs over a small bowl before adding the white to the rest of the batch.
Working ahead: If you want to have everything ready to go in advance, you can freeze the fully assembled cake (meringue and all) for one hour or up to overnight. To toast it, simply pop it in the oven 5-10 minutes before you're ready to serve it.

Pound cake recipe adapted from Sugar Spun Run

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 450
Sugar: 54.9g
Sodium: 204mg
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 12.2g
Carbohydrates: 63.7g
Fiber: 1.2g
Protein: 6.7g
Cholesterol: 132mg

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Easy Pumpkin Baked Alaska