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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Comments
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This cake was amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. My parents and husband couldn’t get enough of it! So delicious. Thank you!!
Nice cake. I went easy on the clove, as a full teaspoon seemed like a lot to me. I substituted some ginger. It worked out fine, but I may add a little more clove next time. I also reduced the sugar to about one cup only.
I don’t care much for icing, which I generally find too sweet, but I love home whipped cream. It worked perfectly. I’ll make this again. Thanks!
I’ve made this pumpkin cake numerous times and there are never leftovers! The cream cheese frosting is by far the best part. I highly recommend!
Made this pumpkin bread in a bread tin without the frosting – was a truly fantastic loaf! We added less sugar than recommended and more spices to give it a more natural flavor. This bread was moist and perfect for fall/winter
This pumpkin recipe makes a flavorful moist cake with a delicious cream cheese frosting. My husband is extremely picky and he has requested this cake quite a few times already! It also freezes really well. I have frozen it with and without frosting- both methods worked/tasted great.
This has become a staple dessert in our house…everyone I make it for loves it!
Hi Jenn:
can this recipe be made for cupcakes?
Thanks!
Lisa
Hi Lisa, If you want to make cupcakes, I’d suggest this recipe. Because they have a streusel topping, the muffins themselves contain less sugar (which would be good if you will be icing them). You can skip the streusel and ice them instead. The recipe makes 12 muffins, but I’d put less batter in each well and make a total of 18. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the information (and responding so quickly!!!).
Will be making it in about 10 minutes.
Thank you!
Lisa
Hi Jenn!
I see your reply on the question regarding cupcakes. My family is obsessed with this recipe, so ideally I would love to stick to the original. If I were to use this exact recipe but made into cupcakes how would you adjust the baking time/temp? Thanks so much!
Hi Lisa, so glad your family likes this! If you want to turn it into cupcakes, I’d bake them at 350° and start checking them for doneness at 20 to 25 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out as cupcakes!
Very delicate and light yet packed with flavor. A very easy make ahead recipe.
I made this cake today exactly as directed and it was absolutely amazing!! My husband and son loved it!! So delicious, I highly recommend!!
Haven’t teied it yet but frosting was so terrible it’s inedible.