Pumpin Cake (Easy Recipe with Step by Step Photos) - Cooking Classy (2024)

Pumpkin Cake is a fall staple every year. I think it’s definitely one of the best ways to ring in the fall season. This easy Pumpkin Cake is brimming with those sweet autumn spices, it’s fluffy and perfectly moist, it has plenty of pumpkin flavor, and that lusciouscream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch! You just can’t go wrong with this cake.

Pumpkin Cake

When this time of year rolls around I start hoarding away canned pumpkin. You just can’t have too many pumpkin treats, like this irresistible pumpkin cake.

It’s one of those cakes that will easily be a crowd favorite, plus it’s one of those recipes you’ll just hang on to for life, then hopefully pass down for generations.

It uses pantry staple ingredients and only requires minimal effort. And have I said yet that it’s just soooo dreamy??

What Ingredients do I Need for Pumpkin Cake?

• 1 3/4 cups (255g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

What Ingredients do I Need for Cream Cheese Frosting?

• 8 oz. cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups (420g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Scroll below for printable recipe.

How to Make Pumpkin Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or butter.

Whisk Dry Ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Separately Combine Sugars and Wet Ingredients

Add granulted sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla to a large mixing bowl.

Mix Them Until Combined

Using an electric hand mixer blend until well combined.

Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients

Pour all of the flour mixture into pumpkin mixture.

Mix Until Flour is Combined

Then blend mixture with electric hand mixer just until combined.

Pour into Greased Baking Dish

Pour into prepared baking dish. Spread evenly or wiggle pan to level.

Bake Until Set

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick comes out free of batter, about 30 – 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large mixing bowl combined cream cheese, powdered sugar and butter.

Blend Until Smooth

Blend with electric hand mixer (with clean beaters) until smooth and fluffy. Start on low then increase speed to high once it’s blended. It will take about 3 or 4 minutes on high speed to get a fluffy frosting.

Spread Frosting Over Pumpkin Cake

Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled pumpkin cake. Cut into slices and serve immediately or store in fridge. Let rest at room temperature a bit before serving once it’s chilled.

I Don’t Own an Electric Mixer Can I Make This by Hand?

The batter would be easy to blend by hand and you can definitely do that. The frosting won’t be quite as fluffy but it could be mixed by hand.

I’d use a whisk for mixing the cake batter and a rubber spatula to mix the cream cheese frosting. For the frostinhg use room temperature ingredients (not nearly room temperature as listed).

Can I Make My Own Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend?

You can definitely make your own spice blend here in place of the pumpkin pie spice. I used pumpkin pie spice for ease, but a homemade blend would be great. Use 1 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp cloves.

Can I Use Applesauce for Oil?

1/2 cup of the oil can be substituted with 1/2 unsweetened applesauce to cut back on the fat slightly. So use you’ll use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce instead of the 1 cup oil listed.

Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Puree?

Instead of the canned pumpkin listed, fresh pumpkin puree can be used here as well.

Can I Make this Into a Layer Cake?

I actually have a recipe for pumpkin layer cake HERE. Or there’s my layered Browned Butter Pumpkin Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting.

Happy Fall!

I hope you love this cake as much as we do! Happy Fall!

More Must Have Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Bread Pudding