Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This Pumpkin Cake is moist with a delicately spiced pumpkin flavor and topped with a decadent tangy cream cheese frosting.
You’ll love this easy single-layer pumpkin cake topped with a light and airy cream cheese frosting.
The crumb is extra moist thanks to the oil, eggs, and pumpkin and delicately spiced from the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. The frosting is a perfect balance between the creaminess of the butter, the tanginess of the cream cheese, and the sweetness of the powdered sugar.
This one is sure to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredient Notes
Pumpkin Cake:
Flour – All-purpose flour is the base of the cake.
Pumpkin – Canned puréed pumpkin adds both pumpkin flavor as well as moisture. Note, this is pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
Spices – Gives the cake a pumpkin spice flavor.
Brown & White Sugar – Provides sweetness to the cake.
Oil – Using oil results in a moist and spongy cake.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Powdered Sugar – Also called confectioner’s sugar, it gives the frosting its sweetness.
Cream Cheese – Adds a nice tanginess to balance out the sweetness of the sugar.
Unsalted Butter – Balances the flavor of the cream cheese.
Step By Step Instructions
Note: Full list of ingredients, their amounts, and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter.
Step 2:
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg, and fine sea or kosher salt.
Step 3:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and puréed pumpkin.
Step 4:
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix just until it comes together.
Step 5:
Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 6:
Allow the cake to cool completely. This will take about 3 hours.
Step 7:
Using an electric whisk or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until they are well combined.
Step 8:
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Continue whipping on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and airy.
Step 9:
Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cooled cake.
Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Allow the eggs to sit out for about 30 minutes before making the cake. Room-temperature eggs will incorporate into the batter more consistently.
- Pull the butter and cream cheese from the fridge when you are making the cake. This will give them enough time to soften.
Storage
You can leave this cake out at room temperature for 1 day.
For longer storage, keep the cake covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup canola oil
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and oil until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to completely cool before frosting, about 3 hours.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until the frosting is light and airy.
- Evenly spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Enjoy!
Notes
- Room temperature eggs will incorporate into the batter more evenly.
- Be sure to beat the frosting for a full 4 or 5 minutes as this will create a nice pillowy frosting.
- Store the cake at room temperature for up to 1 day or covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
gluten free?
Hi, Nancy. This recipe is not written to be gluten-free and, as I am not a gluten-free cook, I don’t feel comfortable advising you on the appropriate substitutions. I suggest looking for a gluten-free pumpkin cake that has been created by someone who is more knowledgable on this subject. Thanks for reaching out!
This cake was delicious! We decided to add some chocolate chips to the batter and I would highly recommend giving it a try.
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Chocolate chips sound like a great addition!