Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

This easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe is a delicious seasonal cake to make for a crowd.

With a simple cream cheese frosting, this sheet cake is full of warm fall spices and can be made ahead of whenever you want to serve it.

This is one of my favorite easy dessert recipes for fall. And you’ll love it too.

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A sheet cake is easy and delicious

If you were to ask me if I was a big fan of pumpkin recipes, I would say no.

But the more I browse my own blog, I realize that maybe I really do like them.

Especially desserts. This pumpkin sheet cake is moist and flavorful and just the sweet treat that I want when the weather starts to cool off.

Perfectly paired with a cream cheese frosting, this spice cake is fuss free and ready to share with others.

Using a 9 x 13 baking dish keeps things simple for non-skilled bakers (hello, me!).

Layering on the frosting means that no artistic, cake-decorating skill is required. Which is great, because I don’t have that skill. Like, at all.

How to make a Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake

If you’ve ever made a cake from scratch before, you know it’s pretty easy.

Typically I prefer to make desserts with cake mix, but it’s really not too hard to start from scratch.

With the addition of spices and canned pumpkin puree it takes a basic vanilla cake and makes it seasonal and great for any fall holiday gathering.

Scroll down to the end of the post for a printable recipe card with full measurements and more detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For Pumpkin Sheet Cake

• flour
• baking powder
• sugar
• salt
• pumpkin pie spice mix
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• oil
• eggs
• pumpkin puree
• vanilla extract
• cream cheese frosting

For Cream Cheese Frosting

• cream cheese
• butter
• confectioners sugar
• milk
• vanilla extract
• Pinch of cinnamon

Make sure you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has spices included and we want to add them ourselves for a better flavor.

You can make your own pumpkin puree. But that is a whole process that would take a really long time. And since this recipe is so easy, I’d keep it as easy as possible with canned pumpkin.

Pumpkin pie spice is a really great way to get a delicious mix of flavors without having to have all the individual spices on hand.

Adding extra cinnamon and nutmeg makes it even more flavorful. It allows us to amp up those flavors that instantly give the cake eater a warm and cozy fall feeling.

The pinch of cinnamon in the cream cheese frosting is the perfect touch. Do not skip it!

I know cream cheese isn’t for everyone. If you would rather use a basic vanilla buttercream, you absolutely can.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a baking pan and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine the flour with the baking powder, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice mix, cinnamon and nutmeg and set a side.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.
5. Pour half the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until incorporated.
6. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and put in the oven.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool down completely before frosting.

Making the cream cheese frosting is crazy simple. So easy you can make it all the time and put it on everything. Because it’s that good.

1. In large bowl beat all the ingredients together on medium speed until light and creamy.

That’s it. Easy.

Use an offset spatula to slather on the cream cheese goodness.

Hot tip: If you don’t love how the frosting looks, you can always sprinkle something on top to distract. Use sprinkles, extra cinnamon, etc.

Can you freeze the cake

This pumpkin cake is totally freezer friendly! I love to freeze it unfrosted, wrapped in plastic wrap.

When you’re ready to serve, just thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator. Take the cake out of the plastic wrap and move it to an airtight container before putting it in the fridge.

Then frost and serve. It tastes just like it’s been freshly baked!

You know how busy the holiday season can be. Being able to make this cake ahead makes it a dream dessert.

This delicious cake makes 12 really nice Sharon-sized servings. I like dessert, what can I say. This little cake server makes it so easy.

You could get even more servings if you cut them smaller.

Because of the sweet cream cheese frosting on top, you don’t need any other toppings.

Serve it with sparkling wine or a cup of coffee and enjoy a sweet treat at home with your friends and family.

This would be a great Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving dessert idea, especially if you are attending a potluck style event.

Supplies to make this recipe

More pumpkin recipes to check out

Even if, like me, you don’t consider yourself a huge pumpkin fan, these easy recipes have plenty of other decadent flavors that you’ll LOVE.

• Fireball Pumpkin Pie Recipe: You know I love my easy cocktails, and this update on the classic pumpkin pie recipe adds a boozy touch with cinnamon whiskey.
• Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Milkshake: If you live on the west coast where fall is typically warm, this Pumpkin Pie Milkshake is for you! It has that seasonal flavor but will cool you down.
• Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe: This Pumpkin Dump Cake is so quick and easy and is a traditional dump cake with no mixing required. So tasty!

Printable recipe card

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An easy Pumpkin Cake with cream cheese frosting is a great fall dessert recipe to have in your recipe book. Because, yum.

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