This pumpkin cake is soft, extra moist, and full of pumpkin and a generous dose of spice flavor. Smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch. Bake the batter as an easy 9×13-inch sheet cake or divide it among round pans for a pumpkin layer cake.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since updated it with new photos and additional success tips.
This is the pumpkin cake I come back to every fall. The batter is easy to mix, the cake stays wonderfully moist, and you can dress it up or keep it simple depending on the occasion. For an easy dessert to transport and serve, bake it in a 9×13-inch pan and spread the frosting right on top. For a birthday or holiday celebration, use the same batter to make a towering layer cake.
Always love options!
Either way, you get plenty of pumpkin, cinnamon, and brown sugar flavor in every bite. And while the cake is delicious on its own, I always look forward to the cream cheese frosting.
Pumpkin Cake Details
Here’s what to expect from today’s recipe.
- Flavor: Pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice give this cake its familiar fall flavor. The cream cheese frosting balances the sweetness and complements the spices.
- Texture: This cake is soft and “stick-to-your-fork moist,” thanks to the pumpkin and oil in the batter. If you’ve made these pumpkin cupcakes, you can expect a similar texture… they’re essentially the same recipe with a smaller yield!
- Ease: You need just 2 mixing bowls to prepare the batter, and no mixer until it’s time to make the frosting. The sheet cake is especially simple because there’s no stacking or assembly. The layer cake takes a little more time to frost, but starts with the very same batter.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives this moist cake enough structure without making the crumb heavy. Stick with all-purpose flour rather than swapping in cake flour; cake flour is simply too light to support the pumpkin and oil.
- Pumpkin: You’ll use an entire 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, so there’s no partial can left over. Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices. You can use homemade puree, but I prefer the consistent flavor and texture of canned pumpkin in this cake.
- Cinnamon + pumpkin pie spice: A combination of both gives the cake plenty of spice flavor. Use store-bought or a homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, or substitute the individual spices listed in the recipe notes below.
- Oil + eggs: Oil keeps the crumb soft and moist, while eggs help give the cake structure. I use both in these pumpkin bars, too, but with fewer eggs for a less cakey texture.
- Brown sugar + granulated sugar: Both sweeten the cake, but most of the sugar is brown sugar for its light molasses flavor.
You’ll also need to grab baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
Prep Your Cake Pans
For the quarter sheet cake, grease a 9×13-inch metal or glass baking pan. For the layer cake, grease three 8-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment. You could also make this a 2-layer 9-inch cake. Lots of options for this versatile batter!
Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Combine the two, mixing just until the batter comes together. Spread it into the 9×13-inch pan or divide it evenly among the round pans, then bake as directed below.
Here is the 3-layer cake version:
Let the cake cool completely before frosting. This is especially important with cream cheese frosting, which softens quickly on a warm cake. After frosting, a little time in the refrigerator helps the cake slice neatly.
Same Pumpkin Cake Batter, 2 Ways
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you can choose the cake’s shape without changing the batter.
9×13-inch sheet cake: Bake the batter in one pan, let the cake cool, and spread the frosting on top. This is my go-to option for an easy fall dessert, potluck, or Thanksgiving gathering.
Layer cake: Divide the batter among three 8-inch round cake pans or two 9-inch round cake pans. Once the layers have cooled, stack them with cream cheese frosting between each layer, then frost the top and sides of the cake. If you need help with this part, see my post (with video tutorial!) on How to Assemble a Layer Cake.
A 2-layer and 3-layer cake require different frosting amounts, so see the recipe Notes below for details.
Cream Cheese Frosting & Decorating Options
Cream cheese frosting is my first choice for this cake, just as it is for carrot cake, hummingbird cake, and banana cake. It’s smooth and creamy, with just enough tang to balance the sweet, spiced cake.
If you’d like to try a different topping, here are a few options:
- Brown butter cream cheese frosting from spice cake
- Chocolate cream cheese frosting from zebra cake
- Classic vanilla buttercream or chocolate buttercream
- Brown sugar cinnamon buttercream from snickerdoodle cake
You can leave the frosted cake as is, or add little candy pumpkins or fall sprinkles before serving. I got the pictured candy pumpkins from Etsy, and on the layer cake, I added some Biscoff cookie crumbs around the base and on top.
Pumpkin Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This pumpkin cake is soft, extra moist, and full of pumpkin and a generous dose of spice flavor. Smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch. Bake the batter as an easy 9×13-inch sheet cake or divide it among round pans for a pumpkin layer cake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 cup (226g/240ml) vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can pumpkin puree*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup if needed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a metal or glass 9×13-inch baking pan. (For a layer cake, see instructions below.)
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. The batter will be thick.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-36 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the cake is/are browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set the entire pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to help set the frosting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare cake through step 5. After the cake cools, cover it tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost, and serve. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Cupcakes: This batter yields about 24-28 cupcakes. Same oven temperature, fill the cupcake wrappers 2/3 full, and bake 18-21 minutes or until baked through. For 1 dozen cupcakes, use my pumpkin cupcakes recipe.
- Bundt Cake: This batter will fit into a 9.5- or 10-inch Bundt pan. Same oven temperature. But for ease, I suggest using my pumpkin Bundt cake recipe. Same great flavor and texture as this cake!
- Layer Cake: You can make this as either a 2-layer or 3-layer cake. For a 2-layer cake, divide the batter evenly between two greased and lined 9-inch round pans and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 26–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a 3-layer cake, divide the batter evenly among three 8-inch round pans and bake for 22–26 minutes. To make enough frosting for a 3-layer cake, scale the frosting above by 1.5x. So you’ll need 12 oz (340g) cream cheese, 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) butter, 4 and 1/2 cups (540g) confectioners’ sugar, 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla, and a scant 1/4 tsp salt. Before assembling the layer cake, refrigerate the prepared frosting for at least 30 minutes so it’s sturdier and can hold up the layers. I decorated the pictured layer cake with icing pumpkins and Biscoff cookie crumbs.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. This is in addition to the 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon—you will still add that to the batter.
- Oil: Instead of 1 cup of oil, try 1/2 cup (90g) unsweetened applesauce and 1/2 cup (113g/120ml) oil. The cake is just as moist.
- Pumpkin: I strongly recommend using canned pumpkin puree over homemade in this recipe, though 2 cups of homemade would work just fine in a pinch. If using fresh, blot out as much excess moisture as you can using a clean towel. Overall, I found the flavor better with canned. I prefer Libby’s brand for this cake.
Reader Comments and Reviews
The cake was yummy! I’m wanting a bar cookie. Can I just leave out the baking soda and powder?
P.S. All the bakers in my family LOVE your recipes. We have a vanilla business so we are pretty picky! 🙂
I’m so happy your family enjoys my recipes, Nancy! I would use one of my pumpkin cookie recipes and bake as bars instead of individual cookies. This one would work well: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies/
The cake is yummy- made it for guests. Had to freeze leftovers as it’s dangerously delish. Love the no mixer needed! Is the cake sturdy enough to stack if I double the recipe? I’m planning on making a pirate ship and pumpkin cake was the request.
Hi! Yes, you can stack this pumpkin cake. Very sturdy!
Can you substitute coconut, olive or avo oil instead? Or melted butter? Canola and vegetable should not be part of anyone’s ingredients. TY.
Hi Kate, Melted coconut oil should work just fine!
Is this cake sturdy enough to use for cutting away parts for a 3D shaped cake? Thank you!
I haven’t tried it but I do think it would work! Let me know if you do!
The cake was delicious, thanks for all the recipes! I baked two different versions as a cake and cupcakes! Both with excellent!
Hi Sally,
Curious if I could use this cake recipe to combine with the cream cheese frosting for pumpkin cake pops? I’ve made your vanilla and chocolate cake pops several times (and they are everyone’s favorites) but I want to try pumpkin for Halloween.
That would be so delicious, Christy! If you have made the chocolate and vanilla cake pops before you should be a pro at adding the correct amount of frosting to get the right consistency to form the cake balls. Just remember that if you use cream cheese frosting they should be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
This was THE BEST cake I’ve ever made. I too had to bake it a little longer after the toothpick test, but yes, everyone’s oven is different. Delicious and generous amount of frosting…I was able to pipe slice lines and even a border with more to spare. Purchased the little pumpkins which made the cake so cute. Only lasted a few days and tasted even better after being kept in the fridge. Thank you.
I was never a fan of pumpkin pie so I thought I will try a pumpkin cake instead for Thanksgiving. Saw this recipe and did a taste test. Well, I did the baking and the boyfriend did the actual taste test and oh boy was he happy! He ate half of it and if I wasnt giving him the look, he would probably have eaten the whole thing! He reminded me to thaw the leftover in the freezer for us to have this weekend . Anyways, that’s how happy we are! 🙂 thanks Sally!
Thank you so so much for sharing this recipe. It is indeed the best pumpkin cake I’ve ever had! So delicious and rich in flavor. This made my husband very happy for his birthday. Great post!
Sally, Can this recipe be used for cake pops ?
Definitely! You’ll need to significantly reduce the frosting though. I recommend halving the frosting.
This looks delicious! I have a question. I want to make 2 of these. One of the cakes would be eaten on Thanksgiving day and the next would be eaten 2 days later (Saturday). We would be traveling Wednesday night to the first location and again Friday night to the second location.
Do you think I can just make both cakes ahead of time, freeze them, and then transport them in a cooler to the first location, put them both in the fridge, and then transport in a cooler to the second location?
Should I wait to ice them until I get there? It doesn’t need to look fancy; just to taste good. I have a container that will protect the cakes in the cooler while traveling, so that’s not an issue.
If I do wait to ice them until I get there, how far ahead of time can I make the frosting? Can it just be refrigerated the whole time?
Thanks :)!!
Hi Sera! Freezing would be best. Here’s a tutorial on how to freeze cakes. You can just bake this sheet cake in a disposable/freezer friendly container and freeze it right in there. For best taste, I recommend frosting the cake before serving. You can prepare the frosting a few days ahead of time and refrigerate it. Let it soften to room temperature, then beat it again for 1-2 minutes before using because it will still be quite solid after refrigeration.
I wanted a recipe to use for a Farmers Market. If I switched the cream cheese frosting for something that doesn’t require refrigeration do you you think the cake could be left out? (Meaning no refrigeration)
Depending on the frosting, yes!
I made this cake for a Labor Day weekend BBQ and it IS the best pumpkin cake I’ve ever had! I used Kerry Gold butter in the frosting and it was the best cream cheese frosting I’ve ever made!
This cake was delicious and really easy to make. Mine took 40 minutes to bake. I used the cinnamon in the icing and it really complimented the flavors in the cake. I had one piece after it was cool and it was good. Several hours later I had another piece after setting in the refrigerator for awhile. It was even better. I imagine tomorrow that it will be even more terrific. So, I will make this a day before Thanksgiving to let the flavors marry. Thank you for the recipe.
Delicious
No pumpkin pie spice in Australia but I used cinnamon, mixed spice and ginger along with cooled mashed pumpkin. So good. Quick to make and cook.
Great recipe! I had a similar favorite years ago and remember it to contain an entire cup of oil. So when I saw yours I knew the end result would be as moist as my previous experience. I thought I would leave my subs here in the comments in case someone was wondering if they could do the same. I used coconut oil for the entire measure of oil. I used coconut palm crystal sugar for the entire measure of sugar. (it also has a brown sugar like flavor). I added about 1/4 cup of additional oil to compensate for my experience of Coco sugar absorption of moisture. I used a gluten free flour mixture/same measure. Your four eggs had me EGGY worried, but surprisingly it was not! I feel they contributed to the moisture. My result is not a strong pumpkin just a great moist spice cake. I always buy organic pumpkin, I find the color and flavor more superior than that of Libby’s. : ) There is a great icing recipe that can top this fabulously if you are low on the other kitchen staples discussed afore. It is called burnt sugar frosting. Butter, brown sugar and heat. It will harden a wee bit to a great crumble. Thanks for this recipe Sally! I needed a great go to for my pantry staple of canned punkin’ and girl, yours is! Forgive me for messing with your ingredient list.
Just made it and even halved the oil as you suggested. I did half oil and half applesauce. It still tasted wonderful. I used fresh pumpkin because that is what I had on hand. I defrosted my pumpkin purée, so I looked for a pumpkin cake recipe. I squeezed as much water out as I could and had it over a sieve. I think it still tastes great.
I was wondering if I refrigerate this, even with a tight lid, will the cake dry out? I have left other cakes out for a few days with cream cheese frosting and it was totally fine. Is that why you recommend refrigeration? I was going to put it out in room temp. I hate dried out cakes.
So glad you enjoy this cake, thank you so much! I recommend refrigerating the cake if it’s already frosted and you are serving it at a later time. Simply because the cream cheese frosting shouldn’t sit out for an extended amount of time.
Rated
Thanks Sally, I’ve been baking for 50 yrs and I’m saving your recipe!
I made pumpkin muffins yesterday and they weren’t what I was looking for. This is what I was looking for! I halfed the recipe. I used thawed (fresh) pumpkin from garden. I put pumpkin in coffee filter in sieve to extract extra liquid. Everyone loved it and I shared recipe.
So glad you enjoy this recipe! I actually LOVE using it for pumpkin muffins too.
I have made this cake five times within the past two months! Everyone keeps asking me to bake it again and again. Twice I made it to use for cake pops and it was divine! Can’t say enough good things about this recipe.
Just tried this recipe, you were not lying. It really is amazing. My husband who doesn’t like sweets had two slices! Couldn’t believe it. Thanks
I made this today and everyone raved! I made a cinnamon cream cheese for the frosting.
I do a lot of baking and this is seriously THE BEST pumpkin cake I have ever tasted!
This cake was absolutely delicious! I made it with fresh pumpkin puree and I thought it tasted divine. I don’t liked canned pumpkin in general, and this recipe doesn’t need it – despite what you say in your tips, the fresh pumpkin works great. Thanks for the great recipe!
This cake was super frustrating–I am a very experienced baker and things usually turn out with the time specified in the recipe. However, this cake took MUCH longer to be done than 36 minutes. The center was still very wet at even 40 minutes. I did cover with foil at the end, but this was very annoying to keep checking on the cake. It was still a little too brown for my liking by the time the center was not wet.
Made my cake as written with slightly less sugar, and it turned out DELICIOUS, but I had to bake it much longer, at least 45-50 minutes (didn’t keep track, just kept checking and adding more time). It was a very moist, bouncy cake, and I served it with barely sweetened bourbon vanilla whipped cream instead of the cream cheese icing, which was just perfect with black coffee. Thanks for the great recipe!