Best Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A closeup of a piece of pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

5 from 3 votes

Best Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Best Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting starts with a super moist cake, and is topped with the best cream cheese frosting. This easy fall dessert is full of all the pumpkin flavors, and is the perfect treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cream cheese frosting, pumpkin cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake - dry ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin Cake - wet ingredients

1 cup pumpkin
⅔ cup canola oil
2 large eggs - at room temperature
⅓ cup sour cream
⅔ cup brown sugar (145 grams)
⅓ cup sugar (66 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese - softened
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
3 cups powdered sugar (360 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 cake pan with baking spray.
You could also add parchment paper to the pan to help lift it out of the pan, or just slice the cake right in the pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams), 2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
In another bowl, combine the pumpkin, oil, eggs, sour cream, both sugars, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
1 cup pumpkin, ⅔ cup canola oil, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup sour cream, ⅔ cup brown sugar (145 grams), ⅓ cup sugar (66 grams), 1 teaspoon vanilla
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth it out evenly. Place pan in oven, and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until it's done in the middle. You can test doneness with a toothpick.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Combine the softened cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, combine until well blended.
8 oz. cream cheese, 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Add vanilla and one cup of powdered sugar. Mix until absorbed, and then continue adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 cups powdered sugar (360 grams)
When the cake is cooled completely, spread cream cheese frosting over the top, smoothing it out evenly.

Notes

If you aren't serving this cake right away, it's best to store it in the refrigerator. Leftovers should also be stored in the refrigerator.

Nutrition