This Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a perfectly spiced fall dessert.  It’s easy to make, super moist, and is topped off with fluffy cream cheese frosting. 

If you’re looking for more pumpkin and cream cheese recipes, you can also try our Pumpkin Bundt Cake, Pumpkin Cookies, or these Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins.

Easy Pumpkin Cake with cream cheese frosting in a baking dish.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Nothing says fall like this easy Pumpkin Cake recipe. It’s a family favorite that is great for birthdays, parties, and any other get togethers. This recipe is topped with a fluffy homemade cream cheese frosting which adds the most perfect tangy and sweet flavor to the soft pumpkin pie cake.

Another reason to love this recipe is that it is so stinking easy. You basically just need to mix your dry ingredients, mix your wet ingredients, combine the two, and then bake. Both the cake and the frosting can also be made ahead of time or even frozen.

A slice of our easy pumpkin cake recipe topped with cream cheese frosting on a small white plate with a fork.

Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Video Tutorial

Key Ingredients

  • Baking Powder:  This helps the cake rise and become extra fluffy.
  • Spices:  Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cloves are used in this recipe. Hello, fall flavors! Pumpkin pie spice is a great substitute.
  • Butter: Melted butter is used in the cake batter instead of oil because everything is better with butter! It keeps the cake nice and moist. You will also need some softened butter for the cream cheese frosting.
  • Eggs: Eggs hold the entire batter together and give it that spongy consistency once it’s baked.
  • Pumpkin: Pumpkin Puree is the magic in this recipe. You can use canned pumpkin puree, making sure that the only listed ingredient is pumpkin. You don’t want any added flavors or sweeteners! If you make your own homemade pumpkin puree, just be sure to weigh out 16 ounces.
  • Cream Cheese: Regular, full-fat cream cheese is what the recipe calls for, however, low-fat cream cheese also works great.
  • Powdered Sugar:  This gives the frosting sweetness without any sugar granules.
Pumpkin cake batter in a baking dish ready to bake.

How to Make this Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe

  1. Combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the melted butter, canned pumpkin, and eggs.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. 
  3. Stir together. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together using a rubber spatula. 
  4. Bake. Pour into a greased 9″ by 13″ pan and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in the cake comes out clean. 
  5. Make the frosting. Beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Add the soft cream cheese and beat again until light and fluffy again.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low, then increase speed and beat until fluffy.
  6. Frost the cake. Spread evenly over the cooled Pumpkin Cake and cut into pieces. Enjoy!
A slice of this simple pumpkin cake recipe being removed from the full sheet cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use homemade pumpkin puree instead of canned?

Yes! You can substitute an equal amount of Homemade Pumpkin Puree rather than canned pumpkin puree if you want. It’s a great way to use pumpkin puree and tastes delicious. Be sure to use a kitchen scale to weigh the amount, rather than using a measuring cup because 16 ounces by weight and by volume will be different!

Can you make pumpkin cupcakes?

Sure! Just spray regular muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray or line with cupcake liners. Fill about 3/4 full and bake as directed. You’ll want to keep an eye on the cooking time as it will likely be a little different from baking the full Pumpkin Cake. Once cooled, you can top with the cream cheese frosting.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

  • Refrigerator: store your leftover frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.  I recommend bringing it to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before eating.
  • Freezer: unfrosted cake freeze great for up to 2 months.  Store in an airtight container and thaw out in the fridge overnight or on the counter top for a few hours before you plan to frost and serve.
Easy Pumpkin cake recipe
4.06 from 18 votes

Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Author The Carefree Kitchen
This easy pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is a perfectly spiced fall dessert.  It's easy to make, super moist, and is everyone's favorite!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Yields12 people

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 16 ounces canned pumpkin, or homemade pumpkin puree
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1? cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the melted butter, pumpkin puree, and eggs.  Beat until the ingredients are combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
  • Bake in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Remove cake from the oven and let cake cool completely while you make the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • With an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Add the soft cream cheese and beat again until light and fluffy again.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low, then increase speed and beat until fluffy.
  • Spread evenly over the cooled pumpkin cake and cut into pieces. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storing instructions: store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Unfrosted cake freezes great for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 794kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 553mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 7171IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 2mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Sharing this recipe with a link is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying/pasting and/or screenshots of full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected.

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More Fall Dessert Recipes

This is an easy Pumpkin Cake recipe and is a  perfectly spiced fall dessert.  It’s so easy to make, it’s super moist, and has fluffy cream cheese frosting.

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Welcome! I'm so glad you're here!! My name is Jill Baird at The Carefree Kitchen. I love food, nearly all food, and love to celebrate every day with food and the people I love! I love being creative in the kitchen and discovering new ways to switch up old favorites and coming up with new favorites. My hope is that you will find recipes you love on my site and maybe even find some inspiration to create something new! Have fun in the kitchen!

4.06 from 18 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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