This is my pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. It has a fluffy, moist and perfectly spiced sponge, and is topped with a thick tangy layer of cream cheese frosting.
Jump straight to the recipe!
If you want to make an easy-to-whip together pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting - this one is for you! Forget fiddling with a layer cake. This cake is simple, easy to make and is positively perfect!
For other holiday recipes, check out my cranberry pecan upside down cake, apple pear crisp, or pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls!
What ingredients are in a pumpkin cake?
- Flour - all-purpose flour is used here in this recipe. Cake flour is too light for this cake.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda - I use both to help the cake rise.
- Salt and Vanilla Extract - these build flavour
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - Use either a store bought pumpkin pie spice or make your own!
- Oil - this helps provide a moist crumb
- Eggs - for structure and moistness
- Sugar - I use both granulated sugar and brown sugar. Brown sugar has more flavour to it, so I add more of that.
- Pumpkin Puree - Make sure you buy the can that is pumpkin puree. We don't want to use pumpkin pie filling here.
How to make Pumpkin Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients together.
- Mix the wet ingredients together.
- Stir together the wet and dry ingredients.
- Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan and bake
- Make cream cheese frosting and spread over cooled cake.
What toppings should I use?
Pumpkin cake and cream cheese frosting were made to be together! This cream cheese frosting has a lot of cream cheese, a bit of unsalted butter, and only the right amount of confectioner's sugar to sweeten the icing without hiding the rich flavour of cream cheese.
Make ahead instructions
If you would like to freeze the pumpkin cake, bake the cake and then wrap it tightly. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bring it to room temperature, frost and then serve.
Leftovers are best kept covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Substitutions and add ins
- Add in an additional 1 cup of walnuts or chocolate chips.
- Try using ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce and ½ cup oil to replace the 1 cup of oil in the recipe.
- Homemade pumpkin puree can be replaced for the prepared pumpkin puree. Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as you can before using it in this recipe.
- Use store bought pumpkin pie spice or make your own!
Here are some more fall baking recipes:
- PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH CAJETA SAUCE
- PUMPKIN STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE
- PUMPKIN SPICE SCONES
- OLD FASHIONED APPLE PIE
- PUMPKIN PIE SPICE RECIPE
📋 Recipe
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- One 9x13" baking pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch pan; set aside.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice together in a medium bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk oil, eggs, both sugars, pumpkin puree and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add in confectioner's sugar and salt and beat slowly together until the sugar is incorporated. Beat on high for a few minutes more.
- Spread the icing over the cake. Leftovers can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Add in an additional 1 cup of walnuts or chocolate chips.
- Try using ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce and ½ cup oil to replace the 1 cup of oil in the recipe.
- Homemade pumpkin puree can be replaced for the prepared pumpkin puree. Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as you can before using it in this recipe.
- Use store bought pumpkin pie spice or make your own!
- If you would like to freeze the pumpkin cake, bake the cake and then wrap it tightly. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Bring it to room temperature, frost and then serve.
- Leftovers are best kept covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Did you try this recipe? Comment below to let me know ☺️