This Easy Pumpkin Cake is our favorite, fluffy, moist, and absolutely delicious. It’s perfectly spiced with a tender, moist, and delicate crumb. The marshmallow-like whipped cream cheese frosting takes this pumpkin cake recipe over the top.
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Helpful Reader Review
“Very easy to make, cake was moist and delicious. I loved the cream cheese frosting because it wasn’t so sweet. Was loved by all the ladies at the luncheon.” – Mandy ★★★★★
Pumpkin Cake Video Tutorial
I’ll show you how easy it is to make the pumpkin cake and cream cheese frosting. 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 the Autumn. Plus, it’s not overly sweet, so there’s no avoiding that second helping ;).
Pumpkin Cake Recipe
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! I now use the same base for my Pumpkin Bread Recipe, and some of our favorite recipes have been shared by our readers. I love it when you all write in and share your favorite recipes and tips. Those are my favorite kinds of emails! Thanks for thinking of me :).
The first time I made this, I invited all 4 of my sisters and their families over for dinner, and everyone really enjoyed it, especially the kids. I polled my sisters about whether they would be more likely to remake this as a fancy double-decker cake or this easy-peasy sheet cake, and the consensus was: keep it EASY. Like 4 steps easy, including frosting!
Ingredients for Easy Pumpkin Cake
- Pantry Staples – All-purpose flour (measured correctly), baking powder, baking soda (sifted to get rid of lumps), cinnamon and salt. You can add 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and 1/4 tsp cloves for a more spiced flavor in the cake.
- Granulated sugar – Many of you have asked if it works to reduce the sugar, so I tested reducing it from 1 1/2 to 1 cup, and it still works, although it will be less sweet.
- Eggs – you can quickly bring these to room temperature by placing them in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Oil – use a neutral oil like extra light olive oil, vegetable or corn oil
- Pumpkin puree – use one 15 oz can homemade pumpkin puree.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
My homemade cream cheese frosting is so versatile. It has a deeper flavor than buttercream and complements the pumpkin beautifully.
- Cream Cheese – 1, 8 oz package, at room temp, cut into quarters
- Unsalted butter – at room temperature. If you dice it up, it will soften faster.
- Powdered sugar – sweetens the frosting without being gritty.
- Real vanilla extract – I use homemade but storebought is fine
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 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 when serving.
- 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 and 1/2 tsp salt.
- 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 mins), or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
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.
- Once the pumpkin cake has cooled to room temperature, spread the frosting over the top.
To make the cake more festive and fun for special occasions, I like to decorate with chopped nuts or sprinkles.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Make-Ahead Cake: You can pre-bake the cake the day before, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and store at room temperature overnight, or refrigerate up to 2 days. You can also tightly wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Make-Ahead Frosting: Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. To use, let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour or just until spreadable or pipeable.
- Storing the Assembled Cake: Once the cake is frosted, it will keep well, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
For the past 10 years, this is the cake I make most often for Fall family gatherings because it’s so well-loved and comes together fast. This one’s a keeper and is a perfect go-to for Thanksgiving and the holidays.
Easy Pumpkin Cake
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, *
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup oil, extra light olive oil, vegetable or corn oil will work
- 15 oz pumpkin puree, can
Ingredients for Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temp, cut into quarters
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter butter, room temp
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pecans to decorate, optional
Instructions
How to Make Pumpkin Cake:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9×13 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 and 1/2 tsp salt.
- 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).
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.
- Once the pumpkin cake has cooled to room temperature, spread the frosting over the top, then decorate with chopped nuts or sprinkles if desired.
Notes
*If you prefer a less sweet cake, you can use 1 cup of sugar, and the recipe will still work.
*Several of you have reported great results adding 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and 1/4 tsp cloves for a more spiced flavor in the cake.
**If you’re serving it out of a metal pan, line it with parchment paper so you don’t scratch up your pan.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Dreamy Pumpkin Recipes
If you love cozy pumpkin recipes, you will find some new favorites in this list:
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pull-Apart Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Flax Granola
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Creamy Pumpkin Soup
- Pumpkin Cake Roll
- Pumpkin Pie
- Fluffy Pumpkin Waffles
Love your recipes BUT I’m on a Keto diet and cannot use regular flour. Can I make this with Almond flour – would it take less of that to compensate??
Thanks
Hi Carolee, I haven’t tried it with almond flour. But one of our readers did mention making this gluten and dairy-free and loved it! Unfortunately, they did not specify the exact type of flour used.
I can’t find where you let us know how to buy the can opener. Love the cake!!
Hu Judy, here is the can opener we use and enjoy. It opens the lid without creating a sharp edge.
Delicious cake! Thanks Natasha. I didn’t have pumpkin, so I cooked 2 shredded carrots with a teaspoon of sugar and added it to the dough instead of the pumpkin. It was great.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This looks delicious! I want to make this cake for a fall party at work.
How much ingredients would I use for a 11×15 pan?
Hi Jeanne, I’m so glad you enjoyed that. I have not tested that to advise but here is what one of our readers wrote “I ended up cooking it in a 9×13 Corningware ceramic dish at 325 degrees for 38 minutes and it turned out perfectly” I hope that helps.
i am 75 yrs old and –
you just make my day but i do just what you do and it never turns out like yours
Hi Patrick, I’d be more than happy to troubleshoot. Are you altering or changing anything in the recipe?
i may have not beaten it enough and used a diferent vannella
can you tell me where you get all your cooking gadgetts
Hi Patrick, we link most of our gadgets in our recipes or you can find them in our Shop here.
can you tell me what kind of vanilla you use and where can i buy it
Hi Patrick, we used this vanilla recipe here.
Does this have to be kept refrigerated after? Like if I bake it the night before I need them?
You can cover and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days. It does keep very well in the fridge
Hi,
Can we replace the pumpkin can by homemade pumpkin puree? If yes, shall we add any specific ingredients to the puree, like cloves, nutmeg, and ginger?
Thank you!
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Carla, I always steam my pumpkin for my cakes and then leave them a while to “drip dry” else it’s a bit
wet. You probably don’t have to add extra flavourings.
Looks delicious. Can I use an 8×8 square pan if I don’t have a 9×13 cake pan? How long would I cook it for in an 8×8? Also, could I cook it in a 9×13 Corningware glass pan, and if so, how would I adjust cooking time and temp? Thank you.
I haven’t tested that in a 8×8 Paige, it will be taller and pay take long to cook.
I ended up cooking it in a 9×13 Corningware ceramic dish at 325 degrees for 38 minutes and it turned out perfectly.
Thank you so much for sharing!
So delicious made this morning do you have to refrigerate because of cream cheese
Hi Denise, yes and, 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
This is the best BEST pumpkin cake I ever had! thank you for the recipe.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Fantastic cake. Easy, moist, tasty. I added 1/2t cloves, 1/4t nutmeg, and 1/2t ginger. I like it spicy. I also decorated it with salted Pepitas (Pumpkin seeds) which I thought was the best part of the cake.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Can the batter be used in 2 cake pans for a two layer cake?
Hi Van, 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.
Best cake I ever had. Used a dollop of Cool Whip instead of the frosting, just perfect!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I am trying to figure out how to make this gluten and dairy free. A coconut whip creme and gluten free flour might work!!! Thanks for the idea!
Hi Wendy, one of our readers reported the following: “Delicious cake ! I adapted this recipe to gluten and dairy free. I used gluten free plain flour and wiped coconut cream for the topping.”
Hi, can you tell me the name of and where to purchase the can opener you used in this video please and thank you
Hi Sue, here is the can opener we use and enjoy. It opens the lid without creating a sharp edge.
Wendy, you can make this dairy and gluten free. I use brown rice flour and dairy free cream cheeses. The brand I use is Tuttifruti. I follow the recipe exactly and you can’t even tell it’s dairy or gluten free. Enjoy!
Amazing! Nice and moist…I used gluten free flour and it came out perfect.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Angela!
I loved this cake. I did use fresh pumpkin and substituted 1/2 of the flour with cake flour. This was very easy to make and absolutely delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Roberta! Thank you for that awesome review!
Have been making this recipe for years, but sometimes have trouble with the oil sinking to the bottom of the cake, and so I cut back a bit on it, but does anyone else find this to be an issue? I think stirring the ingredients more thoroughly might help, but just wondering what others do to prevent the sinking oil.
Hi Patricia, I haven’t seen that same issue. Are you possibly substituting with a different kind of oil or subbing any of the ingredients? It all should be a uniform consistency when baking so stirring a little longer may help with that. Also, be sure to bake in a preheated oven and bake right after it is mixed in case having it sit is causing separation. That is my best guess and I hope it helps to troubleshoot. I”m so glad you enjoy the cake!
my frosting sucked i do exactly like you do i use a hand mixer i had to buy the frosting for the pumpkin cake
Hi Patrick, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. The most likely culprit is the hand mixer which would require longer mixing on high speed since a stand mixer is a little more efficient in whipping a frosting. Also, make sure the butter and cream cheese are not overly softened and that the same proportions of butter to cream cheese to powdered sugar are used for the right consistency. I hope that helps.
I’d love to try this recipe – has anyone tried it without the frosting?
Also, I’d like to make it in loaf pans – does the batter rise much during the baking process?
Hi, it is still delicious without frosting and it does rise well during the baking process although I haven’t tried it in loaf pans. If you experiment with that, please let me know how it goes. I’m so curious!
You mentioned a link to the can opener you used but I do not see the link. Could you provide please? Thank you.
Hi Kim, here is the can opener we use and enjoy. It opens the lid without creating a sharp edge.
Thank You! Love your recipes…Thank You so much for sharing!
This is a lovely moist cake, although I had to do it a second time as the first time the mixture had sunk in the middle when it came out of the oven. Not sure was it because I added the dry ingredients to the wet instead of the other way round.
Hi Christine, Thank you for sharing that with me! I haven’t had that happen but I am more than happy to troubleshoot. There are many factors that can make that happen, the opening door too much, overbeating, too much flour/ liquid. I’m so glad it worked the second time.
Hi Natasha,
I’m looking at making this cake for my son’s first birthday. Is the cream cheese frosting stiff enough for piping decorations, or is it a spread-on only? Thanks so much!
Hi Arielle, 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.
I make cream cheese frosting all the time and to be able to pipe it you need to have at least 2 1/2 c of confectionery sugar. Then u can pipe it. I make it, put it in pastry bag, refrigerate it for 30 to 45 min. then pipe it.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha,
The recipe looks great. Could you please let me know what one cup is in grams and milliliters? I couldn’t find this information in the section on measuring correctly.
Thank you.
Hi Zdena, We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes but it is taking some time as we have to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help
Many thanks for your reply! Would you say that 1 cup = 240 ml or 220 g? I’m really keen to try this recipe but don’t have the measuring cups you mentioned in the recipe. I have scale and one measuring cup (with milliliter) for liquids. Thank you!
Hi Zdena, when we measure liquid ingredients, we try to stick with ml. so 1 cup in liquid ingredients is 240ml. 1 cup in dry ingredients is usually a grams weight but it depends on the ingredient since different ingredients weigh differently on the scale. This article on how to measure ingredients will help.