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A freshly baked rectangular pumpkin cake topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with cinnamon, sitting on a cooling rack.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Jana Rae
Ultra-moist pumpkin cake with silky cream cheese frosting. This easy one-pan dessert is perfect for Thanksgiving, with warm cinnamon spice flavor everyone loves!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15
Calories 380 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Pumpkin Cake:

  • Dry Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1½ cups 100% pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz full-fat cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp milk if needed
  • Ground cinnamon for dusting

Instructions
 

Making the Cake Batter

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13" baking pan and lightly flour.
  • Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
  • Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat both sugars with melted butter/oil until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then pumpkin and vanilla.
  • Combine: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Baking the Cake

  • Transfer Batter: Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  • Bake: 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool: Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour).

Preparing the Frosting

  • Beat Base: Whip cream cheese and butter until fluffy (2-3 minutes).
  • Add Sugar: Gradually mix in powdered sugar and vanilla.
  • Adjust Consistency: Add milk 1 tbsp at a time if too thick.

Assembling the Cake

  • Frost: Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake.
  • Garnish: Lightly dust with cinnamon using a fine-mesh sieve.
  • Slice & Serve: Cut into squares and enjoy!

Notes

Pro Tips for Perfect Results

✅ Ingredient Temp Matters: Room temperature eggs and dairy prevent lumpy batter.
✅ Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon into measuring cup and level - don't scoop!
✅ Don't Overbake: The cake continues cooking as it cools.
✅ Frosting Consistency: Should be spreadable but not runny.
✅ Storage: Refrigerate if keeping >1 day. Bring to room temp before serving.