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Moist Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A delicious slice of Pumpkin Spice Cake with creamy frosting on a plate, with the rest of the cake in the background.
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A moist and flavorful pumpkin spice cake perfect for fall gatherings, topped with a simple cream cheese frosting. This recipe is easy to follow and yields a delicious, crowd-pleasing dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2–4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, a Bundt pan, or two 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and buttermilk.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s).
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes for round or 9×13 pans, or 50-60 minutes for a Bundt pan, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  11. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  12. Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the milk, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
  13. Once the cake is completely cool, frost it generously.

Notes

  • For a “two ingredient” hack, you can use a box of spice cake mix and a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree. Mix them together and bake as directed for the cake mix. This will be a denser cake but still delicious.
  • To prevent your pumpkin cake from sinking, ensure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh. Also, avoid overmixing the batter, as this can develop the gluten too much.
  • Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not interchangeable. Puree is just pumpkin; pie filling contains sugar and spices. Use puree for this recipe.
  • Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • You can freeze frosted or unfrosted cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/pumpkin-spice-cake-recipe/