Pumpkin Cake Recipe

When the weather gets cooler, it’s time to whip out all the pumpkin and apple recipes. This recipe for pumpkin cake is very easy to execute.

With this beginner-friendly recipe, there are no hard techniques to master. This is seriously the easiest cake ever which can be adapted to make pumpkin muffins.

Everyone needs a pumpkin recipe they can make on cool Fall days. Bookmark this one weather for breakfast, Thanksgiving morning, or for snack time with a cup of Ginger Drink.

This cake transports easily too so it is perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Pumpkin Cake with cream cheese frosting.

If you love cozy Fall recipes, check out our Old Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake Recipe, Beef Stew Without Wine, 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese, and Easy Cornbread which we’ve been making on repeat.

The Ingredients

The recipe for this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting requires regular cake ingredients with the addition of pumpkin puree and warm spices.

Here are some notes on key ingredients:

Pumpkin puree: Your pumpkin puree can be homemade or store-bought if you live in the United States. Our favorite brand of pumpkin puree to use is Libby’s.
Spices: A combination of cinnamon powder and ground nutmeg adds flavor and spice to pumpkin cake. You can use pumpkin spice instead if you like.
Oil: Adds moisture and lightness to the cake. Any flavorless oil like light olive oil or vegetable oil would work. This cake only uses butter in the frosting and not in the batter.

For the full list of ingredients with measurements, check out the recipe card below.

How it comes together

Make the batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients then add the wet ingredients and whisk to form a batter.

Pour the batter into a buttered baking dish and level the top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before proceeding with the next step.

Make the cream cheese frosting and spread on the cake.

Drizzle caramel sauce on top. Now this is a completely optional step but highly recommended.

Slice and share.

This Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese frosting is moist. It isn’t dry at all. It melts in the mouth and makes a good side to tea or coffee.

Also check out this recipe for Pumpkin Pie No Evaporated Milk.

Pumpkin Cake Recipe FAQs

Yield: 12 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
15 oz pumpkin puree
3 eggs (large)
1 cup vegetable oil

For the frosting

8 tablespoons butter, softened at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup icing (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

Caramel sauce for drizzling over cake, Optional

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, cinnamon powder, and ground nutmeg then set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and pumpkin puree. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until well combined.
Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and level the top. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Place the cake on a cooling rack to cool.
Make the cream cheese frosting: Add the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Whip using an electric beater until well combined.
Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake. Drizzle with caramel sauce if desired. Slice and share. Wrap leftovers in the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting