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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cakes » Pumpkin Cake

    Pumpkin Cake

    Published: September 26, 2021 · Modified: Sep 26, 2021 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    Full of pumpkin flavor and warm spices, this Pumpkin Cake comes together so quickly and easily! The crumb is so tender and moist that the cake will melt in your mouth. It’s the ultimate fall dessert that is perfect for any upcoming holiday gathering. Even better, you can make this cake ahead of time for easy entertaining. Here’s to a stress-free holiday!

    A square slice of pumpkin cake on a plate with the rest of the cake in the background.
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    Pinterest graphic of a plate with a square slice of pumpkin cake with a fork in front, with a piece on it.
    Pinterest graphic a pumpkin cake, cut into squares, with cream cheese on top.
    Pinterest graphic of a plate with a square slice of pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting on top.
    Pinterest graphic of a square slice of pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting on top on a plate.
    Pinterest graphic of a square slice of pumpkin cake on a plate with the rest of the cake in the background.

    This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting takes little to no effort to make. It’s a super straightforward recipe that anyone can perfect. The ingredients are easy to find, and the frosting simply spreads on top. No layering or revolving cake stand is needed.

    Perfectly spiced, moist, and with a hint of sweetness, this pumpkin spiced cake will quickly be a party favorite. Even better, it’s super easy to transport so that you can steal the show with this cake. You won’t have any leftovers! Want more delicious pumpkin recipes? Try my Pumpkin Bars or Pumpkin Roll.

    WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

    Ingredients needed to make pumpkin cake.

    Spices — I use a combination of warm spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, to flavor my cake. Keep in mind that the longer spices sit in a cabinet, the less flavorful they are. Check every so often to make sure your spices are still fresh.

    Pumpkin purée — be sure to purchase 100% pure pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. While similar, pumpkin pie filling comes flavored and pre-sweetened, whereas pumpkin purée is pure pumpkin. I highly recommend using Libby’s.

    Oil — use a flavorless oil such as vegetable or canola oil for best results. The oil helps keep the pumpkin cake soft and moist.

    Butter — when selecting butter, be sure to use unsalted butter. A salty cream cheese frosting will be unpleasant. Make sure the butter is soft enough so when you press into it, your finger leaves a dent. It’ll be challenging to beat it into a smooth consistency for the frosting if it’s cold.

    Cream cheese — be sure to use full-fat cream cheese and not the spreadable type from a tub. The full-fat cream cheese will give the frosting a creamy consistency that’s slightly tangy. If the cream cheese is not at room temperature, you’ll end up with lumpy frosting.

    HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CAKE

    Set of two photos showing dry ingredients sifted and then sugar added to wet ingredients.

    1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

    2. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, oil, eggs, vanilla, and sugar.

    Set of two photos of the wet ingredients whisked before the dry ingredients are added.

    3. Whisk until smooth.

    4. Pour into the flour mixture and stir together just until combined.

    Set of two photos showing the batter poured into a prepared pan and cream cheese beaten.

    5. Pour into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

    6. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat at medium-low speed until the mixture is well combined. Beat in the vanilla and salt.

    Set of two photos showing powdered sugar added to the beaten cream cheese then the frosting scooped onto the cake.

    7. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

    8. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cooled pumpkin cake.

    A square slice of pumpkin cake with a piece on a fork.

    PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

    • If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can see my post here on how to make powdered sugar.
    • Not all canned pumpkin is the same. Libby’s is my preferred brand as it is thick with rich color and taste. Different brands may be lighter in color and more watery in their consistency. You might have to blot the pumpkin to absorb the extra liquid if you use another brand of pumpkin purée.
    • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will yield a dry and dense cake. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. If you scoop the flour straight from the bag, you overpack the measuring cup.
    • The egg should be at room temperature to ensure they incorporate into your batter evenly. If you forgot to take your egg out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring it to room temperature by placing it in a large bowl and covering it with warm tap water for 5 minutes.
    • An offset spatula is perfect for frosting the cake.
    • I use a cookie scoop to portion out the cream cheese frosting on the cake before spreading. Doing so helps with spreading the frosting evenly.
    • Avoid overmixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to a tough and dense cake.
    • You can use chocolate pumpkins, fall-themed sprinkles, or buy silicone pumpkin molds and make your own candy toppings to decorate. Or, you can keep it simple with a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

    A pumpkin cake with 3 square slices cut and set beside it.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    Can I use the batter for cupcakes?

    I recommend checking out my Pumpkin Cupcakes recipe if you’d like to make cupcakes instead. If you don’t have a 9×13-inch cake pan but have a bundt pan, you can try my Pumpkin Bundt Cake!

    Can I make this cake ahead of time?

    Yes, you can make this pumpkin cake ahead of time. You can store it, frosted, covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Allow the cake to come back to room temperature before serving. You must store the cake in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting.

    Is this freezer-friendly?

    This pumpkin spice cake is freezer-friendly! It’s best to skip frosting the cake if you plan on freezing it, as the cream cheese frosting might split. To freeze, allow the cake to cool to room temperature before wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and then tin foil. Store for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temperature, then frost before serving.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

    • A pumpkin pie next to lots of mini pumpkins and a bowl of whipped cream.

      Pumpkin Pie Recipe

    • A pumpkin cheesecake on a cake stand with a piece in the foreground.

      Pumpkin Cheesecake

    • Sliced pumpkin bread on a porcelain serving plate.

      Pumpkin Bread

    • A serving platter with sliced chocolate chip pumpkin bread.

      Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

    • A pumpkin muffin on a blue and white plate next to cinnamon sticks.

      Pumpkin Muffins

    If you’ve tried this Pumpkin Cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    A pumpkin cake with one square cut out and pulled forward.
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    5 from 10 votes

    Pumpkin Cake

    Soft, moist, and perfectly spiced, this Pumpkin Cake with cream cheese is going to disappear fast. Packed with flavor without being overly sweet, everyone will want a slice!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 25 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 653kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • Mixer
    • Offset spatula
    • 9x13-inch cake pan

    Ingredients

    For the Pumpkin Cake:

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
    • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
    • 1 cup vegetable oil (240mL)
    • 4 large eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature, (170g)
    • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature, (226g)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • pinch of salt
    • 3 cups powdered sugar sifted (360g)

    Instructions

    For the Pumpkin Cake:

    • Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan or spray with baking spray with flour.
    • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla, until smooth. Pour into the flour mixture and stir together just until combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan.
    • Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

    For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is well combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla and salt.
    • With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Spread over the top of the cooled cake.

    Notes

    • If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can see my post here on how to make powdered sugar.
    • Not all canned pumpkin is the same. Libby’s is my preferred brand as it is thick with rich color and taste. Different brands may be lighter in color and more watery in their consistency. You might have to blot the pumpkin to absorb the extra liquid if you use another brand of pumpkin purée.
    • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will yield a dry and dense cake. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. If you scoop the flour straight from the bag, you overpack the measuring cup.
    • The egg should be at room temperature to ensure they incorporate into your batter evenly. If you forgot to take your egg out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring it to room temperature by placing it in a large bowl and covering it with warm tap water for 5 minutes.
    • An offset spatula is perfect for frosting the cake.
    • I use a cookie scoop to portion out the cream cheese frosting on the cake before spreading. Doing so helps with spreading the frosting evenly.
    • Avoid overmixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to a tough and dense cake.
    • You can use chocolate pumpkins, fall-themed sprinkles, or buy silicone pumpkin molds and make your own candy toppings to decorate. Or, you can keep it simple with a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 6215IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
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    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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