Time to welcome fall into the house with this delicious cake made using pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and topped with cream cheese frosting!
Recipe Origins
This Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is everything your fall dreams are made of! Whether you’re a fan of pumpkin recipes like this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danish or apple recipes like these stuffed apples in the fall, it’s so much fun to celebrate by making some festive food.
I am a massive lover of pumpkin cake and an even bigger lover of cream cheese frosting, so I figured it was time to put a combination on the blog.
This recipe is a rendition of the Banana Cake recipe I have on my blog. It’s dense and moist, and almost like a mix between a Pumpkin Bread recipe and a cake! It has so much fall flavor and I know you’re going to love it as much as I do.
Why Make this Recipe
- Simple: There’s nothing better than a nice, easy recipe that can be thrown together in a couple of minutes. And while it does take about 30 minutes for this cake to bake, the active work should take you all of 15-20 minutes.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: I mean… need I say more? Cream cheese frosting adds a level of yum to this dish that I just can’t get over!
- Fall Flavors: There is no better way to celebrate fall flavors than with pumpkin desserts. Bring this to Thanksgiving for a unique and fun dessert to pass!
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Cream Cheese: I use full fat cream cheese, but you can use low fat if you want. Make sure to soften it to room temperature.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I love The Spice Hunter brand!
- Cinnamon: I love The Spice Hunter brand!
- Pumpkin Puree: Make sure that you are using canned pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling!
How to Make this Recipe
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Step 1: Make the Cake Batter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Use an electric hand mixer to mix melted butter, eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and buttermilk together until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add dry mixture into the wet mixture, and mix with an electric hand mixer until combined and then for another 10 seconds.
Step 2: Bake
Grease a 9×13 nonstick pan and pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 3: Make the Frosting
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter and cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Add in 3 cups powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine, then switch to high speed and beat for two minutes.
Step 4: Assemble
Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting on the cake. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- If you like chocolate chips, you can add chocolate chips to the base cake recipe as a last step before baking!
- If you want to experiment with a different cream cheese topping, try this Honey Cream Cheese Frosting.
- For the most beautiful looking frosting, use an offset spatula. A rubber spatula will also work, though it may not be as easy to maneuver.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! While I do believe that a sheet cake is the best form for this cake, you can also use 2 round, 9” cake pans instead.
Your cakes will need to bake for less time than the sheet cake, so I’d start checking them after 25 minutes or so.
Because of the cream cheese frosting on this cake, you’ll need to store it in the refrigerator. The easiest method would be to keep it in the 9×13 pan you baked it in and throw some aluminum foil over the top.
It should last in the fridge for about 5 days.
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make a homemade version using all The Spice Hunter brand!
Simply measure out 1½ tsp of your newly created spice blend and add it into your cake.
Did you enjoy this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Oven Mitt
- Mixing Bowl(s)
- Toothpicks
- 9×13″ Nonstick Pan
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, unsalted and melted
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp The Spice Hunter ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp The Spice Hunter pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup butter, unsalted, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Use an electric hand mixer to mix ½ cup melted butter, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 1 ½ cups buttermilk together until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and ⅛ tsp salt.
- Add dry mixture into the wet mixture, and mix with an electric hand mixer until combined and then for another 10 seconds.
- Grease a 9×13 nonstick pan and pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Frosting Instructions
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together ½ cup butter and 8 oz cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add in 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and ⅛ tsp salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine, then switch to high speed and beat for two minutes.
- Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting on the cake and enjoy!
Notes
- Cream Cheese: I use full fat cream cheese, but you can use low fat if you want. Make sure to soften it to room temperature.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I love The Spice Hunter brand!
- Cinnamon: I love The Spice Hunter brand!
- Pumpkin Puree: Make sure that you are using canned pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling!
- If you like chocolate chips, you can add chocolate chips to the base cake recipe as a last step before baking!
- If you want to experiment with a different cream cheese topping, try this Honey Cream Cheese Frosting.
- For the most beautiful looking frosting, use an offset spatula. A rubber spatula will also work, though it may not be as easy to maneuver.
Marsha B Elliott says
This is absolutely the most delicious pumpkin cake I’ve ever made or tasted, hands down! YUM!
I added more of the spices because I love those flavors. The texture is perfect and I will be making and sharing this recipe over and over. Thank you very much!
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Hi Marsha,
I’m so glad you love the recipe, thank you for such a nice compliment! Have a great day 🙂