Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed; ¾ cups (1 ½ stick) butter, melted; ¾ cup canned pumpkin; 2 eggs, beaten; 2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; 2 cups walnuts, chopped; 16 ounces of Cream Cheese Frosting

Celebrate the fall season with this heavenly pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. Full of pumpkin, spice, and everything nice, this cake is the perfect way to usher in autumn and the holidays.

When there’s a chill in the air and the leaves start turning those brilliant colors, that’s a clear signal to pull out your baking supplies and mix up some pumpkin desserts! Start with this cake that’s sweet, buttery, and full of pumpkin flavor.

You can whisk this homemade pumpkin cake mix up in about 15 minutes (no mixer required), bake it, and have an irresistible dessert ready to enjoy with your favorite hot beverage.

It’s awesome as a breakfast cake, snack cake, or an after-dinner dessert. It’s equally at home on the dessert table during holiday entertaining.

Here’s what you need to make this pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting:

Light Brown Sugar
Butter
Canned Pumpkin Puree
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Nutmeg
Walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting

Here are the supplies you will need to make this recipe

Mixing Bowl
Spoon or spatula (to mix ingredients)
9×13 inch baking pan
Saucepan
Whisk

Here’s how to make the pumpkin cake batter:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until combined.
Remove the pumpkin mixture from the heat and let it cool.
Combine the dry ingredients In a medium bowl. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg and set aside.
To the cooled pumpkin mixture, go ahead and add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk the ingredients until combined.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined.
Chop the walnuts and stir them into the batter
Pour the batter into the greased 9×13 pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool before applying the cream cheese frosting.

How to make the cream cheese frosting

You can purchase pre-made cream cheese frosting or make it from scratch. Here, I’m using my cream cheese frosting from this recipe.

You’ll need:
1/2 block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 stick butter
2 cups powdered sugar (more or less for desired consistency)

To make the frosting, use a mixer to beat together the cream cheese, heavy cream, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth.

Make sure the pumpkin cake is completely cool before applying the cream cheese frosting.

How to store the pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting

If you use store-bought cream cheese frosting that’s shelf-stable, you can store the cake, tightly covered, on the counter at room temperature.
If you make the cream cheese frosting from scratch, I would suggest storing the cake in the refrigerator, tightly covered. The butter in the frosting will cause the frosting to become soft and melty if left on the counter for several days.

Do I need to reheat the cake if I store it in the refrigerator?

That’s completely up to you! This cake tastes amazing cold, but if you want to add a slice to your microwave for 15-30 seconds (depending on the size of your cake slice and the strength of your microwave), you can warm it up that way. Make sure not to leave it in so long that the frosting melts off!

Can I make this into a layer cake?

Yes, you can. Use two 9” round pans. You will also need to double the cream cheese frosting recipe so that you can frost between the layers of the cake as well as have enough to frost the top and sides of the cake.

If you love pumpkin, then making this cake is a sweet way to enjoy this seasonal ingredient. From the brown sugar, butter, and spicy pumpkin batter to the smooth and creamy frosting, this melt-in-your-mouth cake is a delicious treat during the holidays. It’s also a wonderful and easy alternative to pumpkin pie!

No-Bake Pumpkin Cookies
Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Crisp

Let the pumpkin cake cool completely before frosting.

Refrigerate pumpkin cake.

Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her very popular website Moore or Less Cooking

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #mooreorlesscooking so I can see all the wonderful recipes that YOU make from this site!

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Did You Make This Recipe?

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12 servings

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Celebrate the fall season with this heavenly pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. Full of pumpkin, spice, and everything nice, this cake is the perfect way to usher in autumn and the holidays.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
¾ cups (1 ½ stick) butter, melted
¾ cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups walnuts, chopped
16 ounces of Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin
Cook over medium heat until ingredients are combined
Remove from heat and allow to cool
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg – and set aside
Once the pumpkin mixture has cooled, add the egg and vanilla extract, and whisk the ingredients until combined
Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour and stir until combined
Add the chopped walnuts and mix into the batter
Scoop the batter into a greased 9×13 pan and spread until it evenly covers the pan
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely
Apply a thin layer of cream cheese frosting
Slice, serve, and enjoy!