Pumpkin Spice Cake with Rich Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Rich Cream Cheese Frosting
My husband, who doesn’t like a lot of sweets, loves a good pumpkin pie. Unfortunately for him, I don’t, so it doesn’t get made around here that often. Lucky for him, though, I do have a major affinity for cake in all shapes and sizes, colors and flavors. You’d think we were constantly celebrating something given how many cakes and cupcakes have come out of my oven in the last few months. And it’s been a sweltering summer, so the last thing I’ve wanted to do is fire up my oven… But I did, and I will again. All for the love of cake.

Pumpkin Spice Cake
This pumpkin spice cake, baked to fluffy perfection with pumpkin puree, my homemade vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg, is incredibly moist and delicious topped with whipped cream cheese frosting and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts.

Vanilla Extract
It’s easy to make, too, and though I chose to make it into a 13 x 9 inch sheet cake, I also included instructions for a layer cake and cupcakes. Make it into a fancy cake or cupcakes if you must, but I think we can all agree that sometimes there’s just no time to wait for cake. Sometimes you need it NOW.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Within a matter of days, it was totally devoured by my darling, his coworkers, and me, and I started dreaming up an excuse to make this delicious, decadent pumpkin cake again. Then again, who needs an excuse? This stuff is so amazing I’d make it every day if my hips didn’t hate me for it.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Whether you’re bringing this cake to a party or keeping it all to yourself, I know you will enjoy its simplicity and moist, mouthwatering taste just as much as we do. It’s fun to make, gets you in the fall spirit, and fills your home with the most amazing cinnamon-spiced aroma that will have your neighbors wondering what’s baking!

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Rich Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Rich Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 1 13 x 9 inch cake / 3 cups frosting

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Cake:

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups canned pumpkin
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Rich Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Instructions

  1. Pumpkin Spice Cake Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl combine sugar and oil. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Spread batter into prepared 13 x 9 inch pan.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Top with walnuts.
  4. For two round layer cakes, distribute batter equally between two buttered 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
  5. For cupcakes, distribute batter equally in a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
  6. Rich Cream Cheese Frosting In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.
  7. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

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Join the Conversation

  1. This cake looks delicious! I love the combination of spices and the creamy frosting, I’m not surprised it disappeared in an instant!

  2. This sounds super yummy! I love the rich frosting. Drool!

  3. This recipe was so worth the wait. And it just so happens that I have pumpkin on hand, fancy that!

  4. What beautiful photography! I love food that looks as good as it tastes :) And, although I can’t taste this right now, it definitely seems like an incredibly delicious cake! I just love pumpkin:)
    P.S. thanks for your encouraging comment on my eggplant parm!

  5. Georgia this looks amazing! Your pictures are just beautiful as always and that cake looks perfect!

  6. I love all pumpkin desserts, and this cake looks so delicious!

  7. What a wonderful cake! Gorgeous! The frosting on the top is the perfect pairing of it!

  8. Gorgeous cake and photos! I wish I could dive into that frosting. Yum!

  9. What a great Fall recipe Georgia, this looks amazing!! I might just have to try this soon myself! :)

  10. yum, yum, yum, yum, and yum! :) I can’t wait to make this. :)

  11. Hey Georgia! Just “pinned” this cake Now I am gonna Facebook…love it :)

  12. Came across your space today. U have a beautiful space full of awesome recipes & the pictures are amazing. Glad to follow you.

  13. This looks so inviting! Beautiful colour.

  14. What a delicious looking cake and I really like the autumn inspired spices.

  15. Lovely – and a nice compromise for the 2 of you!

  16. This looks so good! Spice cake with cream cheese frosting is my fav!

  17. I remember making pumpkin bread that called for a lot of baking soda, as here, and it gave it a distinct flavor that I did not like. Do you remember tasting the baking soda in this cake? I’m asking b/c if so, I will try using partly baking powder instead. Thanks! Great pictures–looks so good!

  18. 5 stars
    Oh my word! These look fantastic. I love pumpkin, just waiting for it to cool down a bit here in AZ.

  19. wow…dat cake looks so rich and yumm with that cream on top>>>:)

    Dr.Sameena@

    http://www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com/

  20. If I was your neighbor, I’d be at your house all the time!! lol OMG the cake looks wonderful!

  21. Hey Georgia–I received a little blogger award and passed it on to you! It’s in the “Rolo Cookies” post from today. I always love your blog!

  22. Are you kidding? This just jumped to the top of my fall baking list.

  23. Veronica – No, there was no distinct taste of baking soda in this cake. Thanks for stopping by!

  24. There is a can of pumpkin in the pantry just begging to be made into this cake. Looks so yummy!

  25. OMG!! I’m making it this very moment! I’ve had a can of pumpkin in my cabinet for a while now & could not wait! My daughter was my assistant and is waiting patiently by the oven (she’s 2 1/3).

  26. 5 stars
    Oh, how I love pumpkin season! This spice cake sounds divine. Wish I had a few slices at my apartment waiting for me to gobble up after work. Guess I’ll just have to make some myself. :) xx

  27. I love pumpkin cake and the cream cheese frosting just makes it perfect :)

  28. Even though I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin, your photos make this cake look so delicious!

  29. That looks really good, Georgia! And the cream cheese frosting—yum!

  30. This looks amazing. I bet the homemade extract really takes the frosting to a whole new level.

  31. 5 stars
    Everything was working in my favor yesterday; I had two new round cake pans and leftover pumpkin from an attempt at a pumpkin spice latte so this cake was meant to be. I made a half recipe of the frosting because my sweet, sweet hubby only picked up one brick of cream cheese instead of two and it was still fantastic! It made just enough to put between the layers and on top and when DH had his first bite he said “Well, you’re going to think this is awful so you might as well let me take care of the whole cake…” So yep, this one is a keeper!

  32. Hi April – I’m so glad that this recipe worked out well for you. I love your husband’s reaction too, ha ha! Thanks for stopping by!

  33. Oooh, I love this cake! Pumpkin spells autumn to me, Everyone love it. I will be making this again. Thanks for sharing!

  34. 5 stars
    I used your recipe but tweaked it a bit. I used 1 cup of brown sugar instead of 2 cups of white, baked fresh pumpkin instead of canned, whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose, reduced the eggs to 3, and left out the frosting. I lined the pan with sliced apples and almonds, which makes a pattern when flipped over. in all, it turned out very well.

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