Name: Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 cup canola oil; 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed; 1 large egg; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 4 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

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This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is so easy to make and tastes fantastic! It makes the perfect fall dessert!

This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting makes the perfect fall dessert! It’s so easy to make and absolutely delicious.

You can mix up this cake with just a bowl and a spoon, there is no special equipment required here. Even the frosting can be made with just a whisk if you like, although I like to use an electric hand mixer.

Everyone in my house absolutely loved this pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. It was so tasty, and so easy to make. It makes the perfect dessert for these beautiful fall days!

Can I substitute pumpkin pie mix for pumpkin puree?

No, pumpkin pie mix and pumpkin puree are not the same thing. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and flavoured, so if you substitute it in this pumpkin cake recipe, you will will not be happy with the results.

Pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin with nothing added to it. This is what you want to use for this recipe, as you will be adding sugar and spices to the batter.

Does cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?

Yes, you should always refrigerate any baking that has cream cheese frosting on it. This cake should be kept in the fridge, tightly covered, since it has cream cheese frosting.

If you prefer the cake to be at room temperature when you serve it, you can take it out of the fridge and let it sit for a couple of hours before serving it.

How to make Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:

If you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice, you can replace it with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.
I baked my cake in a glass baking dish – if you’re using a metal pan your baking time may be a bit different so keep an eye on it and make sure to test before removing it from the oven.
Store this cake, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. You can take it out to warm up a couple of hours before serving it if you prefer.

Here are some more great pumpkin recipes for you:

Yield: serves 12

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is so easy to make and tastes fantastic! It makes the perfect fall dessert!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 large egg
1 cup pumpkin puree

For the frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Instructions

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until combined.
In another bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, egg, and pumpkin puree until smooth and well combined.
Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan evenly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

For the frosting:

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese and the butter until smooth and creamy.
Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
Slowly add the powdered sugar in three additions, whipping the frosting after each addition.
After all the powdered sugar is added, whip until the frosting is light and fluffy, another 1-2 minutes.
Spread onto the cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans, if desired.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 296mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 2gSugar: 39gProtein: 3g

Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.

I’ve also shared this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe over on Food Fanatic.

Anne-Marie

Wednesday 15th of February 2023

This cake is delicious! I had some frozen pumpkin puree (kept from the fall) and was looking for a recipe to use it. My son (9) loved it even with icing (which he usually removes when he eats cake). Merci :-)

Stacey

Thursday 16th of February 2023

So glad you liked it! I'm with your son - I typically don't like icing that much either! :)