Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you’re looking for something other than pie to put on your Thanksgiving table, or if you feel like an incredibly delicious cake literally any time, this is the perfect thing. We’re going to make a super fluffy pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and it’s really just the best thing I’ve made in a while.

I feel like pumpkin cake is fool-proof in a way- you’re really going to end up with something that has a super fluffy and soft texture no matter what when you’re working with pumpkin. This is simple to make and easy to put together- let’s get to it!

How to Make Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

We’re starting off with the cake, which uses pretty simple ingredients and lots of warm spices. You can also whisk this batter together by hand, which is one of my favorite things.

First up, we’re stirring together the dry ingredients and setting those aside for later. Then it’s time to whisk up the pumpkin puree, sugar, and oil until everything is well combined. Then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Then it’s time to add in the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter. That’s it- it’s time to divide your batter and then bake it until the cakes look set and a cake tester comes out clean. I like to wrap these cakes tightly in plastic wrap while they are still hot to help seal in the moisture.

Once the cakes have completely cooled, you can work on whipping up the fluffy cream cheese frosting. The most important thing for cream cheese frosting is that everything is at room temperature- don’t skip this step!

I like to trim the cakes to create flat tops for even stacking, and then frost and fill the cake however you like. I went simple here with just two layers and lots of cream cheese frosting. I topped my cake with some candied nuts as well just to make everything festive and cutesy.

Honestly, just the fluffiest pumpkin cake ever and the cream cheese frosting is a DELIGHT ok. This would make any crowd happy, I promise you that.

Tips & Tricks for Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Here are my tips and tricks to help you along the way!

• Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling: This recipe uses pumpkin puree in a can, and you can use an entire 15 oz can.
• Do I have to mix this cake batter by hand? You can use an electric mixer if you prefer and that would work perfectly. It’s really easy to whisk by hand though, and that always helps prevent over-mixing the batter!
• How do I know when the cakes have finished baking? The cakes should look set and a cake tester will come out clean when the cakes are finished baking.
• Do I have to use cream cheese frosting? No, this cake would be lovely with any kind of buttercream you prefer. Pair it with whatever you’d like!
• Why should I trim the cakes? I like to trim the cakes to create a flat surface for stacking and frosting the cakes. I think using flat cake layers makes this process MUCH easier, especially with a frosting like cream cheese frosting, which isn’t the most stable option.
• Make sure your frosting ingredients are room temp- If you try to make the frosting with cold cream cheese, or ingredients that are not at room temp, the frosting will be lumpy. Do not skip this step!
• Make sure the cake layers are completed cooled before frosting or the frosting will melt very quickly, even if the cake is just a little bit warm.
• Does this cake need to be chilled? No, you can store it at room temperature for 4-7 days, or you can optionally chill it for a longer life.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most folks who live between 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to adjust my recipes.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Servings 10 slices

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 eggs

For the frosting:

• 16 oz softened cream cheese 2 blocks
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbs. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Candied nuts for topping optional

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and generously grease two 8 inch round cake pans. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set this mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree. Whisk in the vanilla and the eggs until smooth. Slowly stir in the flour mixture until completely combined.
4. Pour the batter into your prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then turn them out and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Leave the cakes to cool completely before trimming and frosting.

For the frosting:

1. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and cornstarch until you have a thick mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Optionally, trim the cake layers to create flat layers, and frost the cake as desired.

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!

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