Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe (VIDEO)
This Easy Pumpkin Cake is our favorite, fluffy, moist and absolutely delicious pumpkin cake. It has a tender, moist and delicate crumb. The marshmallow-like whipped cream cheese frosting takes it over the top.
I invited my sisters and their families over for dinner this week and everyone really enjoyed it, especially the kids. I asked if they would be more likely to re-make this as a double decker fancy cake or an easy peasy sheet cake and the consensus was: EASY. Like 4 steps easy, including frosting!
Pumpkin Cake Recipe
If you aren’t a major pumpkin fan yet, you will be after trying this! We are quite smitten with this cake. It is on the regular rotation at our house in Autumn. Plus, it’s not overly sweet so there’s no avoiding that second helping ;).
This pumpkin sheet cake recipe was shared by one of my readers, Yulia. Thank you so much for sharing this treasure of a recipe with us! Some of our favorite recipes have been shared by our readers, like this persimmon bread. I love it when you all write in sharing your favorite recipes and tips. Those are my favorite kinds of emails! Thanks for thinking of me :).
Ingredients for Easy Pumpkin Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour *measured correctly
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda (sifted to get rid of lumps)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cup oil (extra light olive oil, vegetable or corn oil will work)
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (or make your own!)
*Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly
Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (8oz) Cream Cheese, room temp, cut into quarters
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter butter, room temp
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp real vanilla extract
Pecans to decorate, optional
How to Make Easy Pumpkin Cake:
Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Using cooking spray or oil, grease a 9×13 non-stick baking pan (like this one) or a Glass pyrex dish. Tip: If you’re serving it out of a metal pan, line it with parchment paper so you don’t scratch up your pan.
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon.
2. In a second medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: 3 large eggs, 1 cup oil and 1 can pumpkin, until well combined.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake at 350˚F for 35-40 min (my oven took 35 mins), or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely in pan then spread the top with frosting (see below) and decorate with pecans or sprinkles.
How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. Combine all of your frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (here’s the mixer I use) and using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until combined, then beat on high speed 2-3 min or until fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
More Dreamy Pumpkin Recipes:
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with the same dreamy frosting
- Pull-Apart Pumpkin Bread just melts in your mouth
- Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel
- Pumpkin Flax Granola – we keep a steady batch on hand
Watch Natasha Make Pumpkin Cake:
You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make this pumpkin cake!
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Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour *see note on measuring
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda sifted to get rid of lumps
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 large eggs room temp
- 1 cup oil extra light olive oil, vegetable or corn oil will work
- 1 can 15 oz pumpkin puree
Ingredients for Frosting:
- 1 package 8oz Cream Cheese, room temp, cut into quarters
- 1 stick 8 Tbsp unsalted butter butter, room temp
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp real vanilla extract
- Pecans to decorate optional
Instructions
How to Make Pumpkin Cake:
-
Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9x13 non-stick baking pan or a Glass pyrex dish.** In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon.
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In a second medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: 3 large eggs, 1 cup oil and 1 can pumpkin, until well combined.
-
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake at 350˚F for 35-40 min (my oven took 35 min), or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely in pan then spread the top with frosting (see below) and decorate with whole or chopped pecans. I sprinkled pecans over individual slices since my son doesn't eat them.
How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
-
Combine all of your frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until combined, then beat on high speed 2-3 min or until fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Recipe Notes
*To measure flour, spoon it into a measuring cup and scrape off the top.
**If you're serving it out of a metal pan, line it with parchment paper so you don't scratch up your pan.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Now the question is when are you going to be making this? At the very least, pin it for later. This one’s a keeper!
natashaskitchen
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Love this recipe! I specifically searched for one that didn’t need a lot butter because I only had 1/2 a stick. I made cupcakes instead because I needed individual servings for an event. This recipe made 30 cupcakes filled 1/2 full.
I only had 4oz of butter and 4oz of cream cheese for the frosting. So I used that with the rest of the frosting ingredients then added a small tub of cool whip. Turned out great!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
If I could give this recipe more than 5 stars, I would! I’ve made this 4 times now – twice in the 9×13 pan and twice in a bundt pan. Both turned out so moist and delicious and everyone loved it. (When made in the bundt pan it needs to bake about 50 min.) And this is SO very easy to make. Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
HI! I do love your recipies ! If I only used Pumpkin spice, how would I measure that? Also how long would I bake for 2- 8inch round cake pans please?
Without trying that on my own it is hard for me to give a suggestion but I think that should work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I’m eager to try it.
Quick question, I noticed a lot of bakers call for a pinch of salt in their recipes, is there a reason why yours does not?
Hi Jasmin, I’ve never noticed or had any reports that it was lacking in flavor, but you are welcome to add it if you like! I do agree with adding salt to very sweet desserts like cookies and some very sweet frostings – it helps to cut the sweetness but this is not an overly sweet cake. 🙂
I made this cake and added 1 c chopped walnuts and 1 c white raisins. Amazing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I make this cake and add 1 cup walnuts and a cup of white raisins. Super good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for the great review, Nancy!
Add
1/2 TSP Cloves
1 TSP Nutmeg
1 TSP Allspice
Add to the dry ingrediants.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Question, I want to add some cheery pie filling to this recipe. Would I just make the cake and before putting in oven, would I then swirl in the pie filling?
Hi there Tim, I honestly have not tried this with a pie filling. But I imagine swirling it in would be best. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that.
Hi! Sorry if this is a stupid question. I am making this cake in advance. Does it need to be refrigerated since the frosting has cream cheese and butter? Or can I leave it out at room temp? Thanks!
Hi Teri, Yes, we do refrigerate it because it has cream cheese. You can serve the pumpkin cake right out of the fridge or let it soften for an hour before serving.
It does not say how big the Pan is for the pumpkin cake,9 inch pan or a 13×9 pan ?
Hi Charlotte. We have it posted in the recipe 🙂 “grease a 9×13 non-stick baking pan (like this one) or a Glass pyrex dish. Tip: If you’re serving it out of a metal pan, line it with parchment paper so you don’t scratch up your pan.” I hope this helps!
Would I be able to make this in a circular pan instead of the large rectangle?
I don’t see why not! You may have to split it between otherwise it will be a tall cake
My wife asked me to put this together for her. It was great! We enjoyed desert. Next time I plan to try walnuts. I’m thinking 1 cup. Thoughts?
I think that will work great Vic! I’ve read through the comments and it sounds like a few of our readers have used up to one cup of walnuts also!
Can I use a store bought disposable aluminum pan to bake this cake?
I haven’t tried that Amy but it may work! I would love to know how you like it that way!
I used a disposable pan. Be careful removing the pan and transporting it because the cake will crack.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha 🙂 I used this cream cheese frosting in cream cheese rolls I made yesterday. Turned out very good. 👍 I made 1 batch of basic yeast dough (such as the one for cinnamon rolls), rolled it out, spread 1 batch of frosting, and then formed little buns like one would for cinnamon rolls. Just an idea 🙂
Thanks for sharing that Alena!!
Hello,
Can I use whole wheat flour? =) thank you
Hi Sara! I haven’t tried that but here is what one of our readers did: “Absolutely delicious! I did some changes to make it healthier. I replaced the all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and added 1/4 cup milk. I also cut the sugar to 1/2 cup. It was very delicious! I would add pumpkin spices next time!” I hope this helps!
Does this cream cheese frosting recipe hold up well for piping?
HI Lauren. I’m not sure this will work perfectly for piping. This frosting does get soft at room temperature and holds up best and is more firm when refrigerated.
Could I use almond flour in this recipe?
Hi Shannon! I haven’t tried it with almond flour. But one of our readers did mention making this gluten and dairy free and loved it!
I made power sugar out of real sugar Its Halloweeen and raining big time . I google how make power sugar blende to power with tiny pit salt pinch turn out great! Serving Halloween night 👩🏽
U
I’m happy to hear that worked for you!
This cake came out nice and moist. Just one question what is the calorie count?
Hi Michey! We are working on adding that to all of our recipes thank you for your patience! Until then you can plug the recipe into this site and it will give you nutritional facts.:)
Hi Natasha, I found your site and spent days of going over your recipes. Everything looks so good and delicious. Thank you. My question is do I need to refrigerate this cake before serving because of the frosting. I plan to bake it tonight and put frosting the next morning. We will have guests over tomorrow night.
Hi Julia, if you do not add frosting right away, you can let the cake cool to room temp then cover and leave at room temperature overnight.
Absolutely delicious! I did some changes to make it healthier. I replaced the all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and added 1/4 cup milk. I also cut the sugar to 1/2 cup. It was very delicious! I would add pumpkin spices next time!
I’m so happy you liked that Reem! Thank you for sharing that with us!
This was a very simple and easy cake to make and it was simply delicious. I shared this with several friends and got rave reviews. Thanks so much.
You’re so welcome! I’m happy to hear you all enjoyed this dish Diana!!
Can you use a bundt cake pan for this recipe ?
Hi Nicole! I haven’t tried in a bundt pan so I can’t provide advice on that, but I think it’s worth and experiment! If you test it out, let me know how you liked it.
I don’t have electric mixer will I be able to muscle through frosting?
Hi TJ, I think you could probably “muscle” through it, but it would take significantly longer and you will likely have a sore arm 🙂
Will canola oil work?
Hi there! That should work just fine!
Turned out wonderful, I baked it in a 8 by 10 glass Pyrex dish, (took a little longer) also added 1 cup of walnuts on top and skipped the frosting. Very very good.
That’s so great!! Thank you for sharing this with us!
100% recommend! Definitely gets me in the fall mood. Also, you should make Brigadieros (I didn’t see it in your channel yet!) They’re Brazilian fudge balls and were a party-stopper for every potluck I went to!
I’d love to know more! They sounds amazing!
Made it and it was delicious! Would like to make it for my workers. Do you think it will be better to make it in the morning and bring it in the afternoon or better make it the day before and keep it in the fridge?
Hi Elena! You can always make it the night before and store it. You can cover and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days. It does keep very well in the fridge
Thank you so much, Natasha! Trying beef chili recipe tomorrow, that you posted recently!!! Can’t wait!
I look forward to hearing how you like it!
Made this cake on weekend. Delicious 😊 Now I know what I am going to make for desert on Thanksgiving 😉
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you Natasha for sharing all your wonderful recipes! I absolutely LOVE all your videos! <3
My pleasure Andrea!
Is solid pack pumpkin in the can the same as pumpkin purée?
Hi Sharon, yes, that is correct 🙂
My sister and I made this pumpkin cake last night, with your recipe. It turned out amazing! I’m so happy with the taste, its perfect, our frosting wasn’t as fluffy as yours looked in the video but it still tastes great. I love how simple and easy this recipe is too. Perfect way to enjoy this beautiful fall season is this cake:))
Thank you so much for sharing this awesome review with me, Esther!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Just tried this recipe, though I added a lot more spice to it, I love the pumpkin pie spices (ginger and cloves) so added generously. I made the frosting as per the recipe, but thought it had too much butter flavor, I think half the butter would be tastier, but haven’t tried that version yet. Will definitely try again. Thank you.
You’re so welcome Liz! Thank you for your feedback!
Where did you buy that can opener? Its awsome!!
Hi Connie! It is so awesome! Here is the link to the can opener.
Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it. You mentioned in video you would provide link for can opener I could not find. Would you please provide? Looks like a great tool for people with arthritis! Love your site and all the recipes you share.
Hi Joanne, we have the link to the can opener in the youtube link description. You can find the can opener here.
Absolutely wonderful cake ! Family loved it !
Hi Sherry! I’m so happy your family enjoyed this!
This is amazing ! Made it this morning , so moist & light at the same time ! Thank you so much for the recipe !
You’re welcome, Sherry! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
One word: DELICIOUS!! Light, fluffy and moist and I cant wait to make massive amounts for the holidays. Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe!
This would be perfect for the holidays! Thank you for this wonderful review!
This looks absolutely delicious and easy!!! I am going to make it for a fundraiser this week! 😉
That’s so great, Tanya! I’m so happy you liked it!
This cake taste Delicious! Thank you Natasha for a wonderful recipe.
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I’ve been making this cake for years. My mother-in-law always made it, only she put a cup of chocolate chips and one of chopped walnuts in it and omitted the frosting. Very good snack cake. I will try it with your frosting, looks amazing. And you are adorable! Love your site and have made quite a few of your recipes. Always delicious!
You’re so nice! Thank you for this feedback Karen!
All of the tasty choices You are the best you bring to view
I uses these all the time I am making your Pumpkin Cake for a party
I am A forever follower
I’m so glad you enjoy our recipes and I hope you love the pumpkin cake!
Awesome recipe! Thanks so much!
You’re so welcome Tammy!
Can i use grapeseed oil instead of olive oil?
Hi Dana! Although I haven’t tried grape-seed oil in this recipe I think it will hold up well if you used it.
I regularly replace olive with grapeseed oil in baking and it ALWAYS works very well…I even prefer it over olive oil. 🙂
Hi Natasha! I am so happy to follow your recipes thank you so so much! I read you can use three ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. I wonder if I can do this recipe using sweet potatoes? thank in advanced!
Hi there! That is a great question but I honestly have never tried that so I can’t say. I think mashed sweet potato may work! If you experiment I would love to hear how you like it!
thank you Natasha! I will try and keep you posted! xoxo
How do you think this would work as cupcakes?!
Hi Katie! It sure does. One of our readers let us know this worked great for cupcakes. She did cut the bake time to 20 minutes however.
My eldest grandson hates veg.. when I made carrot his reply was who puts carrots in a cake lol .. so I sent him to work with a large piece of pumpkin cake and was shocked to hear he wanted more lol so your cakes a winner all round
That’s so awesome! I love that! Thank you for sharing that with me, Toni!
I made this cake for a fundraising dinner, and it blew everyone’s mind! They even took home leftovers. To be completely honest, I didn’t use the frosting from this recipe, I made my own tried and tested version, but the cake itself was phenomenal, light and full of flavour. I used home made pumpkin puree from organic pumpkins I had at home, which is a bit more work but worth it for the quality
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Silvia! 🙂
My fiancé, soon to be husband, loves all things pumpkin 🎃 I would try a pumpkin cake. I was intrigued by the recipe but fearful of making a homemade cake. I thought I would give it try since it was his birthday. The batter appeared not to be as smooth as your batter in the picture so I add three tablespoons of milk, of course it made it thinner. I made your frosting. The results were amazing! We loved it. So moist and tasty. I believe this will be the recipe that stays in this family! Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe Karla! Thank you for sharing this with all of us!
Can you by any chance substitute for the sugar?
Hi Sandy! I haven’t tried that yet but one of my readers has and here is what they wrote “I baked this cake for my husband who is watching his sugar levels. I used stevia instead of the sugar and of course skipped the frosting. It turned out perfect! Tastes great! He loved it!” I hope this helps.
Wow. I was blown away by how easy and yummy this was. Even though I hate the word – really “moist”. Even loved by some very skeptical children.
That’s so amazing! Thank you for sharing that with us, Zara!
This recipe is such a winner! I had organic pumpkins, so I just steamed half a chopped up pumpkin over boiling water till it was very soft, then blended it up with electric beaters along with the eggs and oil. Easy as! I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve made a pumpkin cake. It’s just come out of the oven and the smell is UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS!!
Thank you for the amazing review, Amy! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Just made your pumpkin cake and wow it’s lush ty
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Can we use plain flour?
Hi Ella, all purpose flour in this recipe is the basic flour used in most recipes. Are you referring to something else?
Hi Ella. Plain flour is all purpose flour. Hope that helps. I grow my own pumpkins, then cook and mash them too. Beautiful recipe that I continue to use again and again.
Thank you for the wonderful compliment, Leonie!
Thank You for this recipe
I just baked yet another one
I have stuck pineapple chunks into the top before baking
Very good
You’re welcome! That sounds interesting, I’m glad to hear the recipe was a success. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
This is an amazing cake! Definitely a keeper. It’s so good, I can’t stop eating it! I used a little lesser oil and added half tsp of nutmeg and it still turned out moist and delicious. Next time, I’ll reduce the sugar a bit. Any suggestions for substituting the pumpkin with another fruit and still getting this awesome taste and texture?
Thank you for the nice review 😀. Three ripe bananas can be used instead of pumpkin puree.
ohhhh I might try that! thank you!!
You’re welcome!
Hi Natasha! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. The cake is so moist, yet light. This is the first time making a homemade cake and it came out perfectly! I look forward to trying some of your other recipes. Kara
You’re welcome Kara! I’m glad to hear the recipe is such a success. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
We have a problem! This cake is sooooo delicious, that I have made 3 in 3 weeks time.It’s one of those cakes that just get better as the days go by. Not that too many days go by before it’s gone. Thanks so much for sharing. This is a fall favorite now!!!!!
LOL!! You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Make this cake! I just made this cake and it’s so delicious. The frosting is perfect and the cake is outstanding. I made it as a 2 layer cake with the Carmel sauce and frosting in the middle and I drizzled the Carmel on top. A new favorite cake!
I’m happy to hear how much you love the recipe Beth! Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!
I just made the Easy Pumpkin Cake, but I made it into muffins. Got rave reviews on it and will make it again soon. There is a lot of dough for 12 regular muffins. Next time I will make 18 muffins.
I also love! the Cream Cheese Frosting. It is so much better than the too sweet frosting that calls for more powdered sugar!
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Maureen! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
I made this over the weekend and WOW!! This cake is soooooo moist and tons of pumpkin flavor!! I can’t believe how easy it was to make. It really is one of the tastiest pumpkin cakes I have ever made. The cream cheese frosting amount was just perfect too. I can’t wait to make this again! KUDOS!!!
I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Connie!
I used whole wheat flour and on cup of applesauce instead of the oil and reduced the sugar to 1 cup. I also added 1 tsp of nutmeg and 1 tsp of vanilla. With the cream cheese frosting it is plenty sweet enough.
Thanks for sharing your tips with other readers Lori!
This cake is SO GOOD! I love the clear and easy to follow instructions. This recipe is fool-proof even for absolute beginners 🤣
I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy the recipe Lesya! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
I make this cake alot but add one cup of white raisins and one cup of chopped walnuts. Rave reviews.
Yum, what great additions! Thanks for sharing Linda!
The 1 cup powered sugar has me wondering? My recipes for cream cheese icing call for 4 or 5 cups..and have discovered less than stick of butter works better too.
Hi Pat, yes, it really is only 1 cup. It whips really well and if you want the frosting firmer, frost the cake and refrigerate until it stiffens a bit. The cake will be super soft chilled or at room temperature and the frosting is just wonderful. If you like REALLY sweet frostings, you can add more powdered sugar but we love it the way it is.
I made this cake twice and both times it was dense and not fluffy as described. The flavor was delicious but really wanted a fluffy texture. I checked my ingredients and none were expired.
Hi Amarie, I haven’t had that experience so I suspect possibly your leavening is no longer active? This cake is normally super soft and fluffy and rises really well. I would suggest trying again with some fresh baking soda. It can expire sooner than the package date depending on how it is stored (i.e if it is left open, or left open and refrigerated), or maybe baking powder was used by mistake?
Had something similar, but they had added some orange zest to batter. Sort of refreshed the taste.
That’s a great suggestions Jo Dee! Thanks for sharing!
Can you make this in a bundt cake pan??
Hi Toni, I haven’t tried in a bundt pan so I can’t provide advice on that, but I think it’s worth and experiment! If you test it out, let me know how you liked it.
Hey Natasha this is kristina I am 12 years old I made this cake 2 times (this is a really good cake by the way)😍
Hello Kristina! I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks so much for following and sharing your wonderful review! 🙂
This was delicious!
I’m glad you love it Sara! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I am not usually good at baking, but to my surprise this came out perfect! So delicious 🙂 Thank you for this recipe Natasha!
My pleasure Victoria! I’m glad to hear the recipe was a success! Thanks for sharing your great review! 🙂
I made this cake this afternoon, I can’t even get icing on it! It’s so moist and delicious, iced or not, definately a must bake for anyone.
I’m glad you love the recipe Kara! Thanks so much for sharing!!
This is an AMAZING cake! SO SO good! PS- Don’t let the cost estimate turn you off — it has never cost me anywhere close to that to make this cake. It uses staples I almost always have on hand, which I love!
Awesome! I’m happy to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Kristin!
Thank you so much for sharing the pumpkin cake recipe. I made it and it was superb.
God bless you.
Diana
You’re welcome Diana! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing and God Bless!
I made this for my coworker’s birthday because she loves anything pumpkin. It was a hit! I love that it’s not overly sweet and I love that it makes just enough frosting. Love this recipe and will make it again for sure!!!
Awesome! I’m glad to hear that Erin! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha! I made this easy and delicious cake yesterday for my Uncle who loves chocolate…so, following your comment on a review, I substituted 1/2 cup of Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder for a 1/2 cup of the flour. It came out fantastic!! Moist and tender. I frosted with chocolate buttercream and it was a big hit with Uncle. A true Keeper Recipe!!
Hello Annette! I’m glad to hear how much you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hi! I have tried so many pumpkin cake recipes all so dense!! I was about to give in my search for a good recipe until I found this one! thank you so much for sharing!! I am making it right now and I know it probably wont come out like it is supposed to be. I realized my baking powde and baking soda were expired (ouch lol), and I did not measure the flour properly (ouuuch), so I know it will be another dense cake for these reasons lol. On top of all I did not have enough pumpkin puree ( maybe a little over 1/2 of the can. However, I will give it another try with the right amounts, measurements and expiration dates ingredients and will keep you posted. I tried the batter and it was already delish!!!
I’m glad to hear you’re giving this recipe a shot! I hope you enjoy it even more the second time around! 🙂
Really good and easy recipe, turned out quite tasty. However, it was quite dense, not light and fluffy. Any clue on what I must have done wrong?
Hi Ann, that is definitely unusual. It is supposed to be very soft and fluffy. I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Be sure you are measuring flour correctly and not substituting any of the ingredients. Also, be sure your baking soda and baking powder are still working and not expired. Those sound like the most likely culprits if it did not rise. I hope that helps for next time!
Hie!! Is the cake airy? Or is it dense? It loook sooo niceee!! Thank you advanced
Hi Wann, the cake is very soft and fluffy and not dense. I hope you love it! 🙂
Just so you all know, don’t use apple sauce in place of oil!
I will start by saying I wanted to give this recipe a try…with a twist. Only because after reading many reviews I knew it would be wonderful as is, but I wanted to see what would happen if I subbed apple sauce for oil, and cut the sugar down to one cup. It made the cake very spongy, and took away from the pumpkin flavor. It was still plenty of sweet, but I can’t handle sweet too much. But that’s me. I am looking forward to making this again. However, following the recipe. Five stars for the ease of the recipe, and the clear directions.
Thanks for sharing your helpful tip with other readers Liz!
I did this as pumpkin pie spice latte cupcakes. I only baked for 20 minutes at 350. 30 minutes seems very long for cupcakes!
I also used Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of cinnamon. Great recipe – very moist and light. Lots of pumpkin flavour.
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Natasha, this pumpkin cake is absolutely delicious! My 4 1/2 year old son loves chocolate cake, do you know how I can make it chocolate? How much cocoa powder should I use?
Hi Vanya, I haven’t tried this with chocolate so it is really difficult to guess and give advice on that. If I were to experiment, I would probably sub some of the flour out for cocoa. Maybe 1 1/2 cups flour with 1/2 cup cocoa. That is just a guess though. If you test this cake with cocoa, let me know how it goes! I’m so curious now 🙂
Has anyone tried this in rounds and if so does the recipe need to be increased for a 2-3 layer round cake?
Hi Sara, I have not tried this as a layer cake so I can’t say for certain. I think you could make it work for a 2-layer 8 or 9″ cake and you may need to make some adjustments to the bake time since it will be 2 thinner layers.
Thank you so much! I will have to let you know how it turns out.
My pleasure Sara! Please do!
I ended up making a double layered 9×13 and it turned out wonderfully perfect. I kept everything in the fridge to keep it cool and firm while frosting it. This is a perfect cake. I am even going to make one for a fund raising dessert auction in a couple of weeks it was so amazing.
Awesome! I’m glad to hear that Sara! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Natasha, this looks sooo good! On thanksgiving we are going to my daughter’s in laws, I have to bring the ham, “and I am going to make this cake”, I am sure is delicious, all your recipes are a success in my family. I shared with my daughter and other family members your website, now they also became your fans!!
It really is so easy AND delicious! Please let me know what everyone thinks! Thanks for following and sharing the love Cristina! 🙂
Absolutely love this recepie, this is going to be my birthday cake!
Awesome! I’m glad to hear you enjoy it so much! Thanks for sharing April!
Just made this recipe as cupcakes. They’re perfect! Flavor, consistency, the whole shebang. Made 24 cupcakes. I haven’t made the icing yet. I’ll eat a few more ‘plain’ cupcakes just to make sure they’re all OK. Thanks!
I’m so excited to hear it works well for cupcakes!! Can you share the modifications for baking temp or time? Thank you so much!!
No real modifications: Baked at 350 for 30 minutes.
I’ve since made the icing, too. Love it! It’s like a REAL butter cream frosting. But the next time I use this recipe, I’ll cut the icing recipe in half.
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Made this cake yesterday for my pumpkin loving husband and it was delicious! I don’t even like pumpkin desserts but I thought this was great! Natasha – your recipes have never failed me! I’m wondering if I could use a bundt cake pan to make it look prettier. Anyway, thank you for another great recipe!
I’m so glad to hear you and your husband loved it! I haven’t tried in a bundt pan but I think it’s worth and experiment! If you test it out, let me know how you liked it. Maybe someone else has tried? Thanks in advance!! 🙂
I baked this cake for my husband who is watching his sugar levels. I used stevia instead of the sugar and of course skipped the frosting. It turned out perfect! Tastes great! He loved it!
Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
My pleasure Susan! I’m glad your husband enjoys the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Amazing recipe!!!! I used coconut oil and added some ginger powder, nutmeg powder and a bit of clove powder and it resulted in the most tasteful pumpkin recipe I’ve ever made! Thanks for sharing it!!!
My pleasure Marilia! I’m so glad you love it! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Hi Marilia! I am about to make this cake for my team at work and I’m inspired by your comment to add some more spices to it. But I was wondering how much ginger and clove powder you used, do you remember? I’d very much appreciate your resonse. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this perfect article. It was too simple!!!!!!! It gives super delicious cake.
I saw such beautiful cakes on the sites CakenGifts.in
My pleasure! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Is there a sub for oil?
I haven’t experimented with anything else so I’m not sure…
Tried this without the frosting, came out lovely. Will be making this again. Thanks..
You’re welcome! Thank you for sharing your review 😀
is there a substitute for cream cheese?
Hi Milli, this frosting works best with cream cheese. You may just need to try a different frosting. I have a similar one on my berry tiramisu cake but I honestly like this one better 🙂
Thank you, my cake was delicious and fluffy, I added coconut and pineapple to the batter.
You’re welcome Maria! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Happened upon your blog looking for an “easy pumpkin cake” recipe. Wow! It was so easy! And absolutely delicious. I used 1 cup organic cane sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar, and used unrefined coconut oil. Turned out fantastic! Thank you for an easy recipe.
You’re welcome Nichole! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Where is the salt? I know many people say use less salt, but recipes without it are missing something.
Hi Regina, have you tried this recipe? I’ve never noticed or had any reports that it was lacking in flavor, but you are welcome to add it if you like! I do agree about adding salt to very sweet desserts like cookies and some very sweet frostings – it helps to cut the sweetness but this is not an overly sweet cake. 🙂
I would have to disagree. I just baked the cake and tried it. It is overly sweet even for a cake. I was tempted to stop at 1 cup sugar but ended up going all the way. I did not put any frosting on top for that reason. I ended up sprinkling it with some sea salt and it helped cut the sweetness a lot. Everything else though as far as pumpkin, cinnamon flavor and moistness was spot on. Thanks so much!
I’m happy to hear the whole family loves the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and I will keep your suggestion in mind!
Absolutely delicious, my son’s eyes lit up on his first bite. The sweetness is just right too. I made them into muffins instead and had them with vanilla ice cream. Thank you for the recipe.
This makes me smile! Thank you for sharing your review Miriam!
Is it ok to skip baking soda..?
I haven’t tried it without baking soda and but I don’t think it would rise properly without it. You might try adding more baking powder but without testing that myself, I can’t really recommend it. If you try it, keep in mind, baking soda is 3 to 4 times stronger than baking powder.
I have made this today for our bible study and everyone enjoyed it! I have sprinkled a bunch of walnut bits and pumpkin seeds on top. Just to make it a little more presentable. The only thing that was disappointed was that the cake was a bit bitter ( no one noticed) but i was wondering why that happened. I made my own pumpkin puree (yours). Do you think i should use canned puree instead?
I have never tried to make keks with pumpkin so that was good to find out i dont have to toss the cute little thing after fall since i am not a big fan of pumpkin foods. It didn’t taste pumpkiny at all 🙂 was quite a nice fluffy easy thing to make on a cold winter busy day.
Thank you
Hi Ksusha, it should not have been bitter but I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you change anything about the recipe? Using homemade puree is definitely ok and should not have caused the cake to be bitter. Did you make sure to include cinnamon in the cake? It helps to activate the baking soda – do you think that is what you were tasting? I’m not sure what else it could be.
Yes that is it! I don’t have/like cinnamon so i skipped it! Thank you for a quick response. that was very helpful!
I want to make for Christmas, most cakes call for sifting dry ingredients. Should I sift dry ingredients.
This recipe is pretty forgiving. It isn’t necessary to sift dry ingredients and whisking is sufficient. Enjoy!
May I ask why the eggs need to be room temp?
In most baking recipes, eggs should be at room temperature. The ingredients come together more readily and you will have more consistent results in baking.
Thank you 🙂 Do you have a secret of how to bring eggs to room temperature more quickly?
Yes! I put them in warm water (just warm, not hot), for 10-15 minutes and that does the trick. I lightly towel dry them before using 🙂
Turned out delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
LOVE your recipes……….CANNOT get them to print :(:( does not stay in view long enough to print them…Anita
Hi Anita, can you tell me which print button are you pushing (the one towards at the top of the post or at the bottom of the post in the print friendly section?) Also, what browser are you using and what device (desktop, laptop, phone)? Thanks!
Take a picture
Delicious!!!! Second time making it in three weeks😉 First time made with your cream cheese frosting and we love the fluffy consistency and taste. I forgot to buy cream cheese this week so I’m going use a brown butter frosting. Fingers crossed that it turns out as good as the first time. Thank you Natasha for such a wonderful, easy, crowd pleasing cake.
That’s so great! I’m so happy you’re enjoying it so much 🙂
I made this in October for Canada’s Thanksgiving Day and it was a huge success, no left over! Thanks for sharing and posting all your fun :). The only modification is reducing the sugar both in the cake and frosting. We all “licked” our dessert plates:)
Nikky, thank you for such a nice review, I’m so glad you liked it 😬.
I made this last night & loved it! How long will it stay good for??
Hi Julia, you can cover and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days. It does keep very well in the fridge 🙂
I made this cake last week for Halloween.
I slightly adjusted the list of ingredients and added some carrots with “spice mix” spice (it mainly consists of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon). It was a hit! We had guests over for that day and they went for the second round not even finishing the first!
I definitely will make this cake again – it is a very hearty and warm cake – that is what we miss here in London on a regular basis.
Thank you Natasha!
Thank you for your wonderful review! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
So easy and quick to make! And in our opinion – better than a pumpkin pie! Thank you so much for this recipe!
You are very welcome Vesi and thank you for such a nice review 😁.
Mine is in the oven now, I added streusel topping & going to skip the frosting because my family wants it for breakfast…. so I figured I’d make a coffee cake by adding streusel. Can’t wait to try. As far as the prep, it was super easy & fast, so far 5 stars…
I hope you love it! I’m curious to know how it works out with the streusel 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My grandson asked me today to make him a “pumpkin pie” cake for his birthday tomorrow! I have everything set out to make it first thing in the morning. I’m sure it will be a hit. I’ll be back to rate this and let you know what he says.
Your cake was a great success, my grandson said I must have magic because I turned a pumpkin pie into a cake! This is definitely a 5 star recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for the wonderful review 🙂
I look forward to hearing from you!! 🙂 I hope you both love it!
Made if for the second time tonight!! First was the sheet cake and this time I made cupcakes for my baby shower tomorrow! Love how it’s not too sweet and the whipped cream cheese just adds the perfect flavor & sweetness! My in laws were fighting over the last piece!! Also, I subbed the olive oil for coconut oil (I saw someone’s comment above) and it turned out great! Super moist and fluffy 🙂
Hi Christina! How many cupcakes did the recipe make? Can you tell I want to try that next?! 🙂
this cake is super easy to make , it turned out so good, specially on a second day and cold …yummy , my daughter and husband were kind of fighting about last piece ( who was going to eat it for breakfast) what I like about this cake: its tasty, but doesn’t have very strong taste of pumpkin, it tastes like a good carrot cake. the cream goes very well with the cake, cake is so moist and soft. just perfect !!! going to make it more often now , thanks for the good recipe Natasha !
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for the wonderful review! 🙂
This recipe is to die for! First time making it andit came out to be super good!!! I am definitely doing it again!!!! Thank you Natasha!!!
I forgot to give this recipie a 5 star! So im doing it now!!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Oh awesome!! I’m so happy you loved it! 🙂
This cake looks delicious. I would like to add some walnuts and raisins. Also I will try doing cupcakes. And I love pumpkin seeds. Maybe stick some on top of the cake or muffins.
I think I will skip the frosting…less sugar .
And see the end results.
I hope it all sounds ok . …
Hi Farida, I hope you love it. I haven’t tested those modifications so I’d be curious to know how it turns out for you 🙂
Could I substitute coconut oil (non-flavored) for the regular oil in this recipe? I do not consume any of the processed, refined oils on the market, and my olive oil is way to expensive to put a cup of it in this cake. Coconut oil would be ideal. Thanks!
Hi Denise, to be honest, I haven’t tested it with unflavored coconut oil so I can’t say for sure how it would affect the recipe. I imagine it would work and if you test it out, please let me know how it works out. Others may have the same question. Thank you so much and I hope you love it!
Thank you!!! I am pregnant and was craving something, this was it! I might have it for breakfast😀
Let me know how it turns out 😀.
Hi, Natasha)
this past week my girl went to pumpkin patch with her class, where she got a cute little pumpkin. i promised that i will help her make your version of pumpkin cake. So, we made pumpkin puree following your instructions. Ended up having two 15 oz zip bags of puree. My daughter, who is 5, made it with my help. she decorated it with walnut pieces on top of cream) yum!yum!
mois, fluffy and just the right amount of pumpkin in the cake)
thanks for another no-fail recipe)
be blessed!
Awww!! That is the sweetest thing ever! 🙂
Natasha, I saw in another comment you made this cake into a roll. Do you some quick instructions on how to do that to share with me?? 🙂 I made this and brought half to work and it was an enormous hit! I’d like to try a fancier look. Thank you! You and your husband have a gift and we have always enjoyed every recipe we’ve tried- and we’ve tried a lot 🙂
Hi Marta! I’m so happy you liked it! It’s been awhile since I tried it that way and I even forgot that I had made it into a roll! I really need to do it again! It would be perfect timing. Thanks for the reminder! 🙂
I’m wondering why there is no salt in this recipe? I also would add more spices, clove and ginger…
Hi Ann, it isn’t necessary in this recipe but you are welcome to add salt or whatever spices you like 🙂
Hello,Natasha. Thank you for this recipe, I made it couple days ago and we liked it. God bless you Natasha. 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 I’m so happy you liked it 🙂
Just wondering if this cake will freeze well? Thank-you!!
Hi Mary-Kate! I haven’t tried freezing it so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work to freeze it.
I froze the cakes I made and they thawed beautifully and tasted wonderful! I made homemade purée which kept the cake so light! The only critique I got from my husband and a few others was that the icing kind of undermined the deliciousness of the cake which they said was so good it didn’t need icing! I ended up using my extra icing on some drier/ denser zucchini bread. Anyway, thanks for an amazing recipe. I will definitely be using this one again!
I have a question about the order of mixing ingredients. When I make pumpkin bread, I usually mix the sugar and the oil first, then add the eggs, and then the pumpkin puree, and use that as the wet mixture. The thing is that I’m trying to make more of a cake this time as opposed to a bread, so I’m wondering if this is the step that makes a difference in the texture? Would you suggest cake flour as a possible alternative?
Jessica, without trying the recipe you are talking about its really hard to guess. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Absolutely amazing! Actually pumpkin taste and super easy. I wil make this again and again. Perhaps today as last nights is gone already!
That’s so great Stephanie! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Every time I make this cake I’m in trouble! I end up eating 99% of it! 🙈
Ha ha! I have the answer! Invite me over next time and I’ll help lol. I’m so happy you like it!
OMG. Moist and delicious! My family loves this cake! We didn’t even use frosting. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Erica, thank you for such a nice review, I’m so glad everyone loves the recipe 😀.
This is fantastic, moist and flavorful and easy. I added half a tsp. of ginger and half a tsp. of ground cardamom.
I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I was looking for ways to use up my pumpkins .. as I don’t like pumpkin in general .. and although I already have pumpkin cake recipes this was by far the best recipe.I made a double mixture of this recipe and divided it between 2 8 inch square cake pans. So easy to make and the flavour and texture was worthy of a show cake .. and, yes, I did use to do show cooking. Thankyou for sharing.
Leonie, I’m so happy to hear that 😀! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Delicious cake!
Thank you so much Natasha!:):)
Thank you so much for the awesome review! I’m so happy you liked it. Also, your etsy shop with crochet toys – wow! Those are darling!
I loved it! It’s so good! Perfect texture, sweetness and super easy to make!
I’m so happy you loved it! I actually made this again for Thanksgiving and turned it into a roll. 🙂 Thank you for the awesome review!
I made cupcakes out of this batter. Everyone loved it. Especially my kids. Thank you for this easy recipe and taste delicious!
Natasha, what a great idea, I should try that 😀 . How many cupcakes did the recipe yield and did you make any changes to the recipe?
Would I be able to use neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese?
Hi Selena, neufchâtel cheese is pretty much the same as cream cheese so yes 🙂
Delicious cake ! I adabted this recipe to gluten and dairy free. I used gluten free plain flour and wiped coconut cream for the topping.
Wow that sounds pretty amazing with whipped coconut cream!! What else did you put into the cream?
Hi in some recipes sugar must be mixed with butter and sugar.how would it change the texture?
I haven’t tried this cake that way so I’m not sure how it will affect the texture of the cake if at all. I do know that it isn’t necessary in this cake. It’s the perfect combination of moist and fluffy 🙂
I made this cake couple days ago and it got a 5 star review! My coworkers and sisters loved it also. Usually I’m not a fan of pumkin anything, but this was definitely a recipe to keep. In fact, I’m planning to make it again today. Will take to church tomorrow :).
Larisa, thank you for such a great review 😃. I will be making it again for our Thanksgiving dinner.
Made this today. One of the best out of all the pumpkin recipes I’ve tried. Thanks for the amazing recipe!!!
Music to my ears :). Thanks for the awesome review!
In such a short time, such a yummy cake! I really enjoyed it and so did my family! Thank you Natasha!
Im new to cream cheese frosting, how long can it last outside the fridge? And I was also wondering if fat free cream cheese would change the taste of the frosting?
Everything was delicious and I look forward to try more of your recipes!
I haven’t tried fat free cream cheese so I’m not sure if that would work as well. I have kept it at room temperature for 5-6 hours and it was still good. You don’t want it to be at room temperature too long though since it is a dairy based frosting.
ANOTHER DO OVER!!!! My first home made from scratch cake EVER! Yummy. Posting a photo on facebook via hashtag. Thanks for another great recipe.
Lorraine, thank you for such a nice review and you are welcome 😀 .
This turned out so so so good! And so incredibly easy to make! I only wish my frosting turned out as fluffy as yours. Mine was more crumbly but it didn’t matter cause it was finger licking good! Thanks for the great and easy to follow recipes :))
Hi Svetlana :). Thanks for the wonderful review! By crumbly, do you mean chunky? Could it be that your butter and cream cheese were not at room temperature? those are usually the main culprits. Hope that helps for next time! 🙂
This cake is amazing!
Isn’t it? We’re crazy about it. 🙂 Thanks so much for the awesome review!
My pumpkin is in the oven, for homemade puree (thank you for this recipe!) Now I’m thinking of making this cake, but without frosting. I think to add some craisins and nuts and make it in the english cake pans, like banana bread. Did you ever try this? We just don’t like frosting, because of too many calories into it…
I have not tried baking it that way but it sure sounds delicious the way you are describing it. If you do test it that way, do let me know how it works out. I’d love to try it too!
Can not WAIT to make this! I am just about to make my own pumpkin puree too, which I have done the last three years and was inspired by you. It’s so great to have it on hand, whether it’s for one of your delicious recipes or a soup! Thanks for all your hard work xx
Thank you for the encouraging words Lisa and I would love to hear your feedback on the cake once you make it 😀 .
Wow. This is SO good. Like you said so easy and so moist and not over the top sweet. PERFECT. My husband loves pumpkin and I think this is a new favorite! Will be making this again and again!
Valentiina, thank you for such a nice review, after reading your comment I wish we had some leftovers right now 😀 .