Pumpkin Spice Cake

A slice of pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and decorated with a candy pumpkin.

Welcome Fall and cooler weather this amazing homemade Pumpkin Spice Cake. A classic pumpkin cake that is so soft and moist thanks to the oil and pure pumpkin, baked in a 9x13 pan, with lots of warm pumpkin spice flavors, and then it's topped with a simple cream cheese frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cream cheese frosting, homemade pumpkin cake, pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin spice cake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 45

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 523kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Cake

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 large eggs beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk. Set aside.
In a separate smaller mixing bowl, add the pure pumpkin, oil, beaten eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk together with a wire whisk, or you can use hand mixer if wanted, until ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
* For beaten eggs : Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and use a fork to stir them up, then add them into the batter.
Add the wet ingredients into the larger bowl of dry ingredients. Mix until everything is combined and no flour streaks or spots remain in the batter.
Pour the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
* The edges will turn golden brown and pull away from the sides of the pan, and the cake will be puffy in the middle, and a toothpick inserted in should come out clean or with crumbs, not wet batter.
* Mine takes almost exactly 30 minutes to bake.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before frosting.
Once cooled, you can either frost it and serve. Or you can cover the cooled cake with a lid or tin foil and refrigerate it until ready to serve. The cake can also stay out at room temperature, unfrosted, if needed.

Make Cream Cheese Frosting

Place the softened cream cheese and butter into a mixing bowl, or use a stand mixer, and beat on low speed, increasing speed as needed, until it's smooth and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar, whole milk, vanilla extract, and salt (if needed). Beat on low speed, increasing speed as it thickens, until it's at your desired thickness.
* If you want a thicker frosting then add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired thickness is reached. If you want a thinner frosting then add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it's where you want it.
Frost the cooled cake and cut into squares. You can top each serving with a marshmallow pumpkin candy, or chopped pecans or walnuts, or top the cake with some Fall or Halloween colored sprinkles.

Notes

Servings : If you want bigger servings then cut the cake into 12 slices. Nutrition Information is for 15 slices which I think is enough for one serving, as they're still good sized squares. You can easily get more servings by just cutting the pieces smaller as well.

Serving Notes : You can serve this cake chilled or at room temperature (don't let the frosting sit out too long at room temp before serving it. The frosting will soften and become warmer in temperature. I prefer eating this cake chilled from the fridge, mainly because I like a cold cream cheese frosting rather than a room temperature one that is softer. There are a couple options you have here.

Option 1 - Make the pumpkin cake the day before, or morning of, let it cool to room temperature and then cover it tightly and store it at room temperature until you're ready to frost it. Serve the cake immediately after frosting it.
Option 2 - For a chilled pumpkin cake, prepare the cake as directed and let it cool down completely. Make the frosting and spread it onto the cooled cake. Then, cover the dish with a lid or tin foil and refrigerate the cake for up to 24 hours before serving it.
Option 3 - If you like both ways, make the cake and let it cool to room temperature. Frost with the cream cheese frosting and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge and then the leftovers will be chilled, so this way you can eat it both room temperature and chilled.

Pumpkin : Make sure you use pure pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling.

Dairy Products : I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and whole milk in this recipe. You want the extra fat for moisture and richness in the cake.

Packed Brown Sugar : This just means to pack and press the brown sugar into the measuring cup. For packed brown sugar, it should hold the measuring cup shape when you dump it into the bowl.

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