Pumpkin Cake Recipe

4.96 from 23 votes

This moist pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is filled with brown sugar, spices, & all your favorite fall flavors.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease & lightly flour a 9x13-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.

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.

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.

Store leftover unfrosted cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freeze unfrosted cake wrapped tightly in clingfilm and frozen. Thaw in the fridge overnight.