My household cannot get sufficient of this simple pumpkin cake. Moist, warmly spiced, and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, it is a scrumptious fall dessert!
This pumpkin cake recipe is my household’s new favourite fall dessert. I made it for my mother and my sister’s household after we all bought collectively a couple of weeks in the past, and it disappeared inside minutes of me setting it on the desk. The adults saved raving in regards to the moist texture and wealthy, spiced pumpkin taste, and the children couldn’t get sufficient of the tangy cream cheese frosting on high. I’ve already posted a couple of pumpkin baked items this fall, however this one was such successful that I needed to share it too. 🙂
This pumpkin cake recipe is straightforward to make, so it’s an incredible on a regular basis deal with. However with the cream cheese frosting, it’s additionally particular sufficient for different fall events. It might be excellent for Halloween and even as an alternative choice to pie at Thanksgiving.
As written, it makes a thick, fluffy sq. cake, however I’ve included directions within the recipe notes for turning it right into a sheet cake for a crowd. Whichever model you strive, I hope you adore it as a lot as we do!
Pumpkin Cake Substances
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this pumpkin spice cake:
- Pumpkin, after all! I examined this recipe with a couple of completely different quantities of pumpkin puree. I needed to maximise moisture with out weighing the cake down. I discovered that 1 1/4 cups yielded one of the best moist, but fluffy, cake. Stir any leftover pumpkin into in a single day oats, or use it to make pumpkin pancakes!
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and stage it to keep away from packing an excessive amount of into your measuring cup.
- Baking powder, baking soda, and eggs – They assist the cake puff up because it bakes.
- Brown sugar and cane sugar – For sweetness.
- Vegetable oil – For moisture and richness.
- Milk – Any form you want! Common milk, almond milk, and oat milk would all work effectively right here.
- Pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract – For heat, spiced depth of taste. In case you don’t have pumpkin pie spice readily available, you possibly can substitute a mixture of heat spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- And sea salt – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the entire recipe with measurements under.
Make Pumpkin Cake
You could find the entire recipe with measurements under, however for now, right here’s a fast overview of the way it goes:
Begin by making the batter. Whisk collectively the dry elements in a single bowl and the moist elements in one other. Add the dry elements to the moist elements and blend till simply mixed. The batter can be thick.
Switch the batter to a greased 9×9-inch baking dish. I additionally prefer to line the pan with parchment paper for simple elimination!
Bake at 350°F till the highest springs again to the contact and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let the cake cool fully within the baking pan earlier than slicing or frosting.
Variation: Add chocolate chips! Fold 1/2 cup into the batter after you mix the moist and dry elements.
Frosting Choices for Pumpkin Cake
To be trustworthy, this pumpkin cake doesn’t really want frosting. My son Ollie loves it plain, which is fairly uncommon for a frosting-obsessed kiddo.
That mentioned, it’s completely scrumptious with cream cheese frosting on high. For a sq. cake, you’ll simply want 1/2 of my cream cheese frosting recipe. Make the complete recipe in case you’re making the pumpkin sheet cake possibility within the recipe notes under.
For an easier topping, drizzle the cake with the vanilla glaze from my pumpkin baked oatmeal.
Retailer
Cowl any leftover cake with foil, or switch it to an hermetic container. It retains effectively within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Extra Pumpkin Recipes to Attempt
In case you love this pumpkin spice cake, strive one in all these scrumptious pumpkin recipes subsequent:

Pumpkin Cake
Serves 9
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch baking dish*. Line the underside and two of the perimeters with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang over the perimeters.
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively the pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, cane sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
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In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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Add the dry elements to the moist elements and blend till simply mixed. Switch the batter to the ready pan and easy the highest.
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Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or till the highest springs again to the contact and a toothpick inserted comes out clear. Place the pan on a wire rack to chill to room temperature.
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As soon as cool, high with cream cheese frosting, if desired. Slice and serve.
*You’ll be able to simply adapt this recipe to make a pumpkin sheet cake in a 9×13-inch pan. Use a full (15-ounce) can of pumpkin and bake for 33 to 37 minutes. The cake can be thinner, however nonetheless scrumptious!