Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Topped with swirls of cream cheese icing, this pumpkin cake is easy to make and 100% kid-approved — the perfect fall treat for potlucks, bake sales, and holiday parties.
Topped with swirls of tangy cream cheese frosting, this pumpkin cake recipe is a dessert version of my grandmother’s now-internet-famous pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins. Just like the originals, it’s packed with warm spices and comforting flavors that scream fall. Not only does the cake keep beautifully for days, but it’s also simple to make, easy to transport, and 100% kid-approved—the perfect treat for potlucks, bake sales, and holiday parties.
Table of Contents
“Get ready for constant compliments if you make this for a pot-lock! Truly the most delicious and moist cake you could make!”
What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cake, giving it the right texture and support. To ensure accuracy, measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Work together to help the cake rise, resulting in a light, airy texture.
- Cloves, Cinnamon & Nutmeg: These warm spices infuse the cake with classic autumnal flavors, complementing the pumpkin. While I prefer using the individual spices, you can substitute them with an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice (1 tablespoon).
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the cake, making it tender, and also contributes creaminess and smoothness to the frosting.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and contributes to its soft crumb.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and provide structure, helping the cake to rise and hold its shape.
- 100% Pure Pumpkin: The star ingredient; adds moisture, flavor, and a dense, rich texture to the cake. I use canned pumpkin, but if you’d prefer to use fresh pumpkin, opt for smaller varieties like sugar, cooking, or pie pumpkins. For guidance on making pumpkin purée, check out this detailed piece from King Arthur Flour. Avoid pumpkin pie filling which is already pre-sweetened and spiced.
- Cream Cheese: Provides a tangy flavor and creamy texture to the cake’s frosting, balancing the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the frosting with its aromatic richness.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting, creating a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
Whisk well to combine.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the melted butter and sugar.
Beat on medium speed until just combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the pumpkin puree.
Beat until combined.
Add the dry ingredients.
Mix on low speed until well combined.
Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Combine the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl.
Beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, then beat in the salt and vanilla. 
Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.
Switch to high speed and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. I really like using an offset spatula to frost cakes, particularly cakes that are served right from the baking dish like this one. These angled spatulas make easy work of spreading frosting onto the corners of the cake.
Create swirls in any pattern you like.
Cut into squares and serve. Cover any leftover cake tightly with aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks), melted
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 15-oz (425-g) can 100% pure pumpkin
For the Frosting
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3¼ cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9x13-inch (22x33-cm) baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the melted butter and sugar on medium speed until just combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the salt and vanilla. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Cut into squares and serve. Cover any leftover cake tightly with aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to 4 days (bring to room temperature before serving) or at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi! I would love to make this cake for a party as I’m a huge fan of the bread version. For the cake, would it change the flavor or rise of the cake if I wanted to use canola oil instead of the butter?
Hi Marie, Unfortunately, oil won’t work here — sorry!
This cake is delicious and so easy to whip together! I texted my mom the recipe as I was putting mine in the oven because I could smell from the batter that it would be a winner, and she immediately made it, too!
I halved the recipe, and it fit beautifully in my 8×8 brownie pan. The amount of frosting was perfect – not too much or too little.
My mom made the (full recipe) cake in her bundt pan, and it came out perfectly, as well.
Hi! I’ve made this cake before and it’s absolutely delish! If I wanted to make mini cupcakes, do you have any suggestions on how to do so? Thanks!
Glad you like it! For mini cupcakes, I’d keep the oven temp the same and start checking them at 12 to 15 minutes. I’d love to hear how they come out!
Served this delicious cake last night. My guests took some home and I ate the last piece this morning for breakfast:) Super easy and yummy. Thanks again for making me look like a super star!
Oh a addition to my review. There is a lot of cake for me and my husband, so cut it in half and put one half in freezer. Nice to be able to freeze for later for unexpected guest.. So fluffy and great tasting. Thanks again.
Very easy to make and very delicious! Love how moist it is.
This is the second recipe that I have tried from your web site. We are gluten free so I did use a couple of different ingredients. I used gluten free flour. Also used coconut sugar. Everything turned out and looked like your pictures. A little darker due to the sugar. Thank you for a desert that will be used many times.
Have made this many times before and it’s unbelievable. Would this recipe work well for a pumpkin layer cake? Could I cook this in round cake pans and then double the cream cheese frosting recipe to have enough to frost and cover the outside of the cake? Would love to turn this into a birthday cake.
So glad you like it! Yes, I do think it would work as a layer cake and that you should double the frosting (you may end up having a bit of frosting leftover).
This recipe is perfect as is written, have made this many times and my family truly enjoys it every time. Thank you for sharing!
Delicious! I made for Thanksgiving Day dessert. So much tastier than the same old pumpkin pie. The cream cheese on top was divine!
Great cake – it’s very moist, but the only issue is the 1 tsp. of cloves is too much. I cut it down to 3/4 of a tsp. and clove was still the dominant flavor. I will cut it down to 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. next time. Rather than cream cheese frosting, I used a recipe for boiled cider glaze. I also make the pumpkin bread recipe on this site and it’s awesome.
I cut down the clove to 1/4 tsp and added 1/2 tsp ginger. It turned out fine, but next time I’ll try 1/2 tsp clove. I substituted home-made whipped cream for the frosting. It worked well.