Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting {From Scratch}

This Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese frosting is light, moist, and deliciously sweet full of the flavors of fall. The warmth from the spices in the cake, teamed with the creamy frosting, makes the perfect balance of flavor. Any cake lover will adore this recipe.

Two slices of pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting on top and chopped walnuts. They're sitting on white plates ready to serve.

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Why You’ll Love This Homemade Pumpkin Spice Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting

  • A pumpkin sheet cake that makes for 12 larger or 15 smaller pieces is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner or any party this fall.
  • Homemade cream cheese frosting and cake.
  • Classic pumpkin spice flavor that everyone — children and adults alike — love.

A sheet cake is easier to make and assemble, and this one is still as beautiful and impressive enough for Thanksgiving, a party, or just for your own family.

If you love recipes like this, try my pumpkin cheesecake bars, Basque pumpkin cheesecake, no-bake pumpkin cheesecake, and pumpkin spice bundt cake.

Sourdough version: I’m slowly converting all of my dessert recipes into sourdough versions of the same thing! Try making this sourdough pumpkin cake too! You can use fresh sourdough starter or discard. And you can make the cake long-fermented or the day-of.

Equipment

  • 9 x 13 Baking Dish.

Ingredients

All of the ingredients needed to make this from-scratch homemade pumpkin spice cake and the cream cheese frosting.
  • ½ cup + 1 teaspoon butter, melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tablespoons of milk
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

See the recipe card for quantities.

Pumpkin Cake Instructions (Step-by-Step)

Step-by-step instructions (with photos) on how to make the pumpkin cake and the cream cheese frosting.

Cake Instructions:

The dry ingredients being whisked and mixed in white mixing bowl.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt until thoroughly combined.

The wet ingredients being added and mixed into the bowl.

Step 2: In a large bowl, add the ½ cup butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix with a hand mixer until incorporated.

Four eggs are cracked into the batter in the mixing bowl.

The wet and dry ingredients being combined and mixed, a silicone spatula is scraping down the sides.

Step 3: Add the eggs to the bowl and mix well.

The pumpkin cake batter is bright orange and ready.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully blended, scraping the sides as needed.

The pumpkin cake is poured and smoothed with a spatula in a rectangular baking dish.

The baked pumpkin cake.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

The homemade cream cheese frosting is scooped onto the center of he cake.

Step 6: Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack for at least 60 minutes before frosting. Do not frost a warm cake; the frosting will melt.

It is best to dump the entire contents of the frosting into the center of the cake and then spread it from the middle outwards.

The cake is covered with with the white cream cheese frosting.

The finished pumpkin cake, the homemade cream cheese frosting has been spread over top and chopped walnuts have been generously sprinkled over the surface.

Step 7: Spread the frosting evenly with a silicone spatula and top with the crushed walnuts or pecans.

Instructions For The Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting:

All of the ingredients needed to make the best homemade cream cheese frosting for cakes.

Step 1: Gather all of your ingredients and have them on hand. You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer. You can start making this frosting as the pumpkin cake cools.

Powdered sugar added to a white bowl with cream cheese and other ingredients.

Step 2: In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and mix until creamy.

Powdered sugar added to a white bowl with cream cheese and other ingredients.

Step 3: Gradually add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, milk, and salt to the bowl. Mix slowly for 20 seconds, then increase to medium to high speed and mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is thick and fluffy while scraping the sides as needed.

The frosting ingredients in a white bowl being blended. A silicone spatula is being used to scrape down the sides.

Step 4: This frosting can be made 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator covered if needed.

Hint: Place the walnuts in a ziplock bag and roll with a rolling pin to create a finer consistency. You can also use a mortar and pestle.

The finished pumpkin cake, the homemade cream cheese frosting has been spread over top and chopped walnuts have been generously sprinkled over the surface.

Storage & Freezing

The cake can be stored in a sealed container for 3 days.

The cake can be frozen unfrosted for up to 3 months. Wrap it snugly in plastic wrap first. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator.

The finished pumpkin cake, the homemade cream cheese frosting has been spread over top and chopped walnut

Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Jana Dziak
A homemade pumpkin cheesecake with delicious cream cheese frosting too!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 531 kcal

Equipment

  • 9×13 Baking Dish

Ingredients
  

For The Pumpkin Sheet Cake

  • ½ cup butter melted, and extra for greasing pan.
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup apple sauce
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teasoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For The Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese at room temperature
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice or cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • teaspoon fine salt just a small pinch

Topping

  • 1 cup crushed walnuts or pecans optional

Instructions
 

For The Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt until thoroughly combined.
  • In a large bowl, add the ½ cup butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix with a hand mixer until incorporated.
  • Add the eggs to the bowl and mix well.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully blended, scraping the sides as needed.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool on a cooling rack for at least 60 minutes before frosting. Do not frost a warm cake; the frosting will melt.
  • Spread the frosting evenly with a silicone spatula and top with the crushed walnuts or pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and mix until creamy.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, milk, and salt to the bowl. Mix slowly for 20 seconds, then increase to medium to high speed and mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is thick and fluffy while scraping the sides as needed.

Notes

Hint: Place the walnuts in a ziplock bag and roll with a rolling pin to create a finer consistency. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
  • The cake can be stored in a sealed container for 3 days.
  • The cake can be frozen unfrosted for up to 3 months. Wrap it snugly in plastic wrap first. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator.
  • Heavy cream or almond milk can be used in substitution for the milk.
  • If you would like more spice, you can add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon more of cinnamon or pumpkin spice.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 474mgPotassium: 132mgFiber: 1gSugar: 58gVitamin A: 586IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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