My family can't get enough of this easy pumpkin cake. Moist, warmly spiced, and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, it's a delicious fall dessert!
This pumpkin cake recipe is my family’s new favorite fall dessert. I made it for my mom and my sister’s family when we all got together a few weeks ago, and it disappeared within minutes of me setting it on the table. The adults kept raving about the moist texture and rich, spiced pumpkin flavor, and the kids couldn’t get enough of the tangy cream cheese frosting on top. I’ve already posted a few pumpkin baked goods this fall, but this one was such a hit that I had to share it too. đŸ™‚
This pumpkin cake recipe is easy to make, so it’s a great everyday treat. But with the cream cheese frosting, it’s also special enough for other fall occasions. It would be perfect for Halloween or even as an alternative to pie at Thanksgiving.
As written, it makes a thick, fluffy square cake, but I’ve included instructions in the recipe notes for turning it into a sheet cake for a crowd. Whichever version you try, I hope you love it as much as we do!
Pumpkin Cake Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this pumpkin spice cake:
- Pumpkin, of course! I tested this recipe with a few different amounts of pumpkin puree. I wanted to maximize moisture without weighing the cake down. I found that 1 1/4 cups yielded the best moist, yet fluffy, cake. Stir any leftover pumpkin into overnight oats, or use it to make pumpkin pancakes!
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
- Baking powder, baking soda, and eggs – They help the cake puff up as it bakes.
- Brown sugar and cane sugar – For sweetness.
- Vegetable oil – For moisture and richness.
- Milk – Any kind you like! Regular milk, almond milk, and oat milk would all work well here.
- Pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract – For warm, spiced depth of flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can substitute a mix of warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Pumpkin Cake
You can find the complete recipe with measurements below, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
Start by making the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter will be thick.
Transfer the batter to a greased 9×9-inch baking dish. I also like to line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal!
Bake at 350°F until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let the cake cool completely in the baking pan before slicing or frosting.
Variation:Â Add chocolate chips! Fold 1/2 cup into the batter after you combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Frosting Options for Pumpkin Cake
To be honest, this pumpkin cake doesn’t actually need frosting. My son Ollie loves it plain, which is pretty unusual for a frosting-obsessed kiddo.
That said, it’s totally delicious with cream cheese frosting on top. For a square cake, you’ll just need 1/2 of my cream cheese frosting recipe. Make the full recipe if you’re making the pumpkin sheet cake option in the recipe notes below.
For a simpler topping, drizzle the cake with the vanilla glaze from my pumpkin baked oatmeal.
How to Store
Cover any leftover cake with foil, or transfer it to an airtight container. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
If you love this pumpkin spice cake, try one of these delicious pumpkin recipes next:
Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Cream cheese frosting, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish*. Line the bottom and two of the sides with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang over the sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, cane sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
- Once cool, top with cream cheese frosting, if desired. Slice and serve.
