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Perfectly spiced, moist pumpkin cake is topped with tangy cream cheese frosting for an easy and delicious dessert that’s as perfect for a weeknight as it is for your Thanksgiving table.
I love a dessert recipe that can pull double duty. Like, an easy recipe that you can throw together on a weeknight that’s also delicious enough to serve to company or for your Thanksgiving dessert.
My pumpkin pecan pie bars, puff pastry apple tart, and apple butter cake are all examples of these kinds of recipes.
This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting also fits that bill.
Simple pumpkin sheet cake with cream cheese frosting
You don’t need to have been around here long to know that I am all about pumpkin recipes from September through Thanksgiving.
And over the years, I’ve posted a handful of pumpkin cake recipes. We’ve got my nana’s pumpkin crunch cake (and her famous pumpkin roll), pumpkin coffee cake, and even a pumpkin gooey butter cake.
But I realized this year that I have never shared a classic pumpkin sheet cake recipe. Obviously that had to change right away.
I tweaked my pumpkin bundt cake for this recipe. Since it’s made in a 9×13-inch pan, you don’t need any special pans or equipment – you don’t even need an electric mixer for the cake batter.
But just because it’s easy to make, don’t think it isn’t delicious. This cake is full of our favorite warm, fall spices and plenty of pumpkin flavor. The crumb is tender and the cake stays moist for days, even after refrigerating.
Add the tangy cream cheese frosting and you’ve got a dessert that is incredible enough to serve at Thanksgiving but simple enough to make on any ol’ weekday.
How to make this pumpkin cake
To make my pumpkin cake, you will need:
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
One of the things that keeps this pumpkin cake so perfectly moist is the combination of pumpkin puree and vegetable oil in the batter. Oil-based cakes (like carrot cake and zucchini cake) are not just easy to make – the oil keeps the cake from drying out!
Before you start baking, make sure you know how to measure flour correctly. This will help your cake turn out perfect every time.
Recipe Tip
When you’re at the store, make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has additional ingredients that will mess up the cake batter – we want that pure pumpkin goodness for this recipe!
For the cream cheese frosting, you will need:
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
Both the cream cheese and the butter need to be softened before making the frosting, otherwise it is likely to split.
The butter should soften quickly since we’re just using a small amount. If you forget to set the cream cheese out ahead of time, check out my tips for softening cream cheese quickly.
Out of powdered sugar? Don’t panic. Learn how to make powdered sugar and use that instead!
Making the cake
When making the batter for this pumpkin cake, feel free to use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, but you can also mix it together by hand.
In a large bowl, mix the sugar and oil until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the pumpkin to the wet ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients, then all of the pumpkin, then the second half of the dry ingredients. Make sure you mix well after each addition.
Spread the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, making sure to rotate the pan just past the halfway point for even baking.
The cake is done with a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before making the cream cheese frosting.
For the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together for about 2 minutes. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, then add in the vanilla and mix for another 2 minutes.
If you want the frosting to be thinner, add in the milk until it reaches your desired consistency. For a bit of a spiced flavor, add in the optional pumpkin pie spice and mix until well combined.
Spread the frosting over the cake. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Storage and freezing tips
Since this pumpkin cake is topped with a cream cheese frosting, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I think the flavor only gets better with time, so it’s a perfect cake to make the day before you plan to serve it. Let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour before serving.
You can also freeze this cake for longer-term storage:
- Freeze the unfrosted cake by wrapping in plastic wrap, then heavy-duty foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- If the pumpkin cake is already frosted, place it in the freezer until firm. Wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month.
- For individual slices, place on a sheet pan and freeze until firm. Store in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
For additional details, check out my post on how to freeze cake.
FAQs
If you have homemade pumpkin puree, you will need about 2 cups to equal a 15-ounce can.
Remember that since canned pumpkin is usually a combination of squashes, the color will be more vibrant than homemade pumpkin puree. Your cake might not be as orange as mine, but it will still be just as delicious.
If you want to make this pumpkin cake into a layer cake, divide the batter between 2 or 3 greased and floured 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the pans and if you are using 2 or 3.
Start checking the cakes around 20 minutes, and add on time as needed from there.
I also recommend doubling the frosting if you are making a layer cake, since you will need enough to go between the layers and on the outside of the cake.
If you don’t like using vegetable or canola oil, that’s fine! Feel free to swap it out with your preferred neutral-flavored oil, such as avocado oil.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 can pure pumpkin puree 15 ounces
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk optional
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray (1) 9×13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine sugar and oil until thoroughly blended.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
- Add flour mixture to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan just past the halfway point, or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before preparing the cream cheese frosting.
- For the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter; mixing until well-combined and fluffy – about 2 minutes. Gradually add in confectioners’ sugar. Once the confectioners’ sugar is completely incorporated, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla. If frosting appears to be too thick, slowly add in a little milk until you reach the desired consistency. If desired, add pumpkin pie spice and mix until well-combined. Spread over cooled cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
