Pumpkin cake is moist, perfectly spiced, and features a luscious cream cheese frosting and is optionally garnished with candied pecans.
The Best Pumpkin Cake
I’ve been perfecting Pumpkin Cake every fall, and after creating an unbelievable pumpkin carrot cake, I thought my work was complete. However, as August began this year, I was eager to experiment again, aiming to create the best Pumpkin Cake (without carrot!) while also testing these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.
The ideal Pumpkin Cake is moist, sweet, perfectly spiced, and topped with cream cheese frosting.
I’m excited to share that this cake checks all those boxes and has been a hit with everyone who has tried it!
Ingredients
- Canned Pumpkin: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pie filling.
- White and Brown Sugars: Adds sweetness: Both light and dark brown sugar work well.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix better.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps bars moist; any mild oil works.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla gives the best flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Level off the measuring cups for an accurate amount.
- Baking Soda: Helps the bars rise; make sure it’s fresh.
- Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Pumpkin Pie Spice: Add warm, spiced flavors.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Let ingredients soften before using. Not a fan of cream cheese? Try a Vanilla Frosting instead.
How To Make Pumpkin Cake
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat the oven and grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- Mix Cake Ingredients: Combine the wet ingredients, then mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the pan, bake it, let it cool in the pan, then transfer it to a rack to cool completely.
- Make Frosting: Beat the frosting ingredients together until smooth.
- Assemble: Spread the frosting on the cake and add chopped pecans if desired.
Quick Tip
Use a good-quality canned pumpkin, like Libby’s®, for the best moisture, color, and flavor. You can also use about 1-3/4 cups of cooked, fresh pumpkin puree, ensuring it has a similar texture.
Storage
Leftovers?
- Storage: An unfrosted cake stays fresh for 3-4 days at its best. If you refrigerate it, it can last about a week.
- Refrigeration: If you’ve added frosting, refrigerate it the same day you make it.
- Freezing: You can freeze the cake (without frosting) for up to 2 months. Wrap it well in plastic wrap.
- Thawing: Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before adding frosting.
More Amazing Pumpkin treats
- Pumpkin Cookies soft and chewy
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with cinnamon-cream cheese frosting
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread with chocolate chips
- Pumpkin Poke Cake topped with whipped cream frosting
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies chewy with crisp edges
Pumpkin Cake
This moist, spiced Pumpkin Cake topped with delicious cream cheese frosting (and optional candied pecans) is even better the next day—perfect for prepping ahead!
Equipment
- Bundt pan 10-inch
- Hand mixer
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 1-3/4 cups, I highly recommend Libby's
- 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- plain or candied pecans chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and lightly flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, beat canned pumpkin (if you have wet or fresh pumpkin, drain off excess liquid), granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla with a hand mixer until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until combined. Add dry ingredients to wet and beat until just combined. Use a spatula to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50–65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. The cake should spring back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For frosting, beat room-temperature cream cheese and butter until smooth in a large bowl. Add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt, mixing until completely smooth. Spread over cooled cake and garnish with pecans if desired (see note 1).
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: To make candied pecans, click this Candied Pecans Recipe.
Storage: An unfrosted cake stays fresh for 3–4 days or about a week in the fridge. If frosted with cream cheese frosting, refrigerate the cake the same day it’s made. To freeze the cake (without frosting), wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours before frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 692kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 76g | Vitamin A: 407IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect blend of spices. Truly the best pumpkin cake ever! This is my new fall staple. Thank you!!
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much Ellie!
Perfect blend of spices. Truly is the best pumpkin cake ever! This is my new fall staple! Thank you!!
Wonderful recipe! I made them using gluten free all purpose flour. The batter made 12 regular cupcakes and 36 mini/bite size cupcakes! So moist and flavorful, the amount of spice is perfect!
This will be our go to recipe!😊🎃
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thank you Jan!
Shall I store in the fridge or outside since it have cream cheese?
I’d store in the fridge!
Absolutely delicious! Made in mini Bundt cakes and square pans. Husband’s favorite! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear! Thanks Ericka! 🙂
Can I make this cake in a loaf pan?
I’d recommend making pumpkin bread instead!
Can you send me your best pumpkin bread recipe
Just sent it!
Yes use Pamela’s
I added green apple slices . Amazing .
Hello, I wanted to make this in a regular cake pan so I can do a crumb top. Should I adjust the baking time and/or temperature? I’ve made it at a bundt cake and it was fabulous. Thanks!
I should have clarified. I was hoping to make it into a 2 layer cake with crumb baked into each layer and then the cream cheese frosting in the middle and top. I plan to use 2 9″ pans. Any suggestions are appreciated!
I’m not completely sure how it will turn out, but I imagine the batter should do well in 2 9-inch pans baked for maybe 20-25 minutes. Wish I could be of more help, but without trying myself I don’t want to give certain recommendations. Would love to hear how it works out!
Ok, so I ended up doing it and it turned out great! I used the exact same recipe but in 2-9″ round pans. I used parchment paper on the bottoms. Their bake time was 37 mins at 350, but my oven is admittedly very old. I often have slightly longer times. I did a pecan crumb topping on both layers. And I did the cream cheese frosting in between and on top with bare sides. Everyone loved it! One of my new favorite recipes! The only thing I’d do differently is I would wait longer to frost. It seemed cooled, but I should have waited another half hour or so. Great Recipe!
Thanks for sharing your results!! 🙂 So happy these turned out well and the crumb topping sounds delicious.