Today’s Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is one of our favorite fall desserts because it’s soft, moist, and full of pumpkin spice flavor. It’s also simple, feeds a crowd and is no-fail!!
The pumpkin puree, oil, sour cream, and warm spices make the cake tender and flavorful, while the cream cheese frosting adds the perfect sweet and tangy finish.
We love making this for Thanksgiving, Halloween parties, fall potlucks, and Sunday dinners because it bakes in a simple 9×13 pan and feeds a crowd. Top each slice with chopped walnuts if you want a little crunch, or keep it smooth and creamy with just the frosting.
If you love this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, you’ll also enjoy Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Roll, Pumpkin Cookies, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- So good! Soft, moist pumpkin cake with warm fall spice flavor.
- Holiday ready. Bakes in a 9×13 pan, perfect for parties, holidays, and family dinners.
- Pumpkin + oil keep it moist. This combo gives the cake a soft texture that stays tender after baking.
- Sour cream adds richness. A little sour cream or Greek yogurt helps create a better crumb and richer flavor.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- All-purpose flour (2¼ cups): Provides the structure for a soft, tender cake.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances the sweetness and enhances the pumpkin and spice flavors.
- Baking powder (2 teaspoons): Helps the cake rise into a light, fluffy texture.
- Baking soda (½ teaspoon): Works with the sour cream and pumpkin to create a tender crumb.
- Pumpkin pie spice (2 teaspoons): Adds warm cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove flavors that make this cake taste like fall.
- Vegetable oil (1 cup): Keeps the cake incredibly moist for several days. Canola oil is an excellent substitute.
- Brown sugar (1 cup): Adds moisture and a rich caramel flavor.
- Granulated sugar (¾ cup): Sweetens the cake and balances the spices.
- Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): Enhances the pumpkin and warm spice flavors.
- Large eggs (4): Adds structure, richness, and help the cake bake evenly.
- Sour cream (3 tablespoons): Adds moisture and creates a soft, tender crumb. Plain Greek yogurt works just as well.
- Pumpkin puree (15 ounces): Gives the cake its signature pumpkin flavor and keeps every bite soft and moist. Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Unsalted butter (⅓ cup, softened): Adds richness and helps create a smooth frosting. See How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- Cream cheese (8 ounces, softened): Creates the tangy, creamy frosting that pairs perfectly with pumpkin cake. Full-fat cream cheese gives the best texture.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds warmth and flavor to the frosting.
- Powdered sugar (3 to 3½ cups): Sweetens and thickens the frosting until it’s perfectly spreadable.
- Heavy whipping cream (1 tablespoon, if needed): Thins the frosting slightly if it becomes too thick.
- Chopped walnuts (optional): Adds a crunchy topping that complements the pumpkin and cream cheese flavors.
How to Make Pumpkin Cake
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease & lightly flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
BATTER. In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
In a separate large bowl beat the oil, sugars, vanilla, and eggs using an electric mixer. Then beat in the sour cream and pumpkin puree.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture careful not to over-mix.
BAKE. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
FROSTING. In a large bowl beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until soft. Then slowly beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar.
If the frosting seems too thin, beat in an extra ½ cup powdered sugar. If it seems too thick, beat in 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.
Frost the cooled cake using a flat knife. Cut into slices, and optionally top each piece with chopped walnuts.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, so the flavor and sweetness stay balanced.
- Do not over-mix after adding the flour mixture, this keeps the cake soft.
- Grease and lightly flour the pan so slices come out cleanly.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting so the cream cheese frosting does not melt.
- Make-ahead tip: bake the cake a day ahead, cover, and frost before serving or refrigerate once frosted.
- For individual servings of this recipe, make cupcakes instead of an entire cake. Scoop the muffin tins ¾ full of batter. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. We also have a separate Pumpkin Cupcakes recipe!
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup vegetable oil, (canola works too)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons sour cream, (or plain Greek yogurt)
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 – 3½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, if needed
- chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease & lightly flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a separate large bowl beat the oil, sugars, vanilla, and eggs using an electric mixer. Then beat in the sour cream and pumpkin puree.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until soft. Then slowly beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar.
- If the frosting seems too thin, beat in an extra ½ cup powdered sugar. If it seems too thick, beat in 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.
- Frost the cooled cake using a flat knife. Cut into slices, and optionally top each piece with chopped walnuts.
Notes
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, so the flavor and sweetness stay balanced.
- Do not over-mix after adding the flour mixture, this keeps the cake soft.
- Grease and lightly flour the pan so slices come out cleanly.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting so the cream cheese frosting does not melt.
- Make-ahead tip: bake the cake a day ahead, cover, and frost before serving or refrigerate once frosted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Unfrosted cake.Store pumpkin spice cake covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. Or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then again with foil and freeze it for about 3 months.
Frosted cake. Cover and refrigerate it for about 5 days. To freeze, place the frosted cake in the freezer for a couple of hours to let the frosting set before wrapping it with plastic and foil. It will keep in the freezer for 3-4 months. Remove the wrapping before thawing the cake.
Store homemade cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. It also freezes really well. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to use it.
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This recipe was originally published September 2017.
We love this cake! It is so moist and has just the right amount of frosting.
We were craving pumpkin in July–to help beat the heat. This cake was perfect! Tasted like fall and so easy to make. Saving for the fall as well.
This cake is heaven! We could not get enough. Cannot wait to make it again!
Hi, can I put this cake in a Bundt pan? Thanks