Fluffy, moist pumpkin cake with a creamy and delicious frosting? This Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is exactly the dish you need on your holiday table!
This Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is one of my absolute favorite desserts to bake this holiday season. It has all those classic spiced, pumpkin-y flavors and a cream cheese frosting that beats every other cream cheese frosting I’ve ever made! I absolutely love this recipe in all of its homey, comforting perfection.
As you already know, I LOVE to cook. It’s my jam! Baking is NOT my strong suit, though. When it comes to baking I usually look to the experts and use their recipes or find little ways to make them my own. This Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting from Sally’s Baking Addiction required no tweaking to make it just perfect, though! She nailed it. It was the exact fluffy, moist pumpkin cake I’d been dreaming of.
A more rustic Pumpkin Cake
I have another Pumpkin Cake recipe that’s really good. It’s a Pumpkin Cake with Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze, and I could have used it for Thanksgiving! I really could have! Here’s why I chose this one, though: I love that it’s a bit more rustic. A little more classic. It bakes in a 13×9 dish, so it’s great for serving a crowd and it’s super easy to make ahead and pop in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Look at that thick mountain of cream cheese frosting! A homemade frosting like this one is ultra simple to make. You can throw it together while the cake cools after baking! We’ll be using:
- Full block cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- A pinch of salt
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy, then add in the rest of the ingredients and mix for about 2 minutes. Pro tip: refrigerate the frosted cake for 30 minutes to help set the frosting and make cutting easier!
How long will Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting last?
You can store this cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you want to make it ahead to serve at a meal (like Thanksgiving dinner!), prepare the cake and store it covered in the fridge. Bring it to room temp and make the frosting before serving! Easy to make AND easy to make ahead? It’s perfect for those big holiday dinners.
More Seasonal Desserts
When the weather cools off it’s time to bust out some classic desserts! Here are some of my favorites:
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup avocado or coconut oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch glass baking pan.
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In another bowl whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combine.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on it. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set the entire pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
Make the Frosting
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add 3 cups powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps set the frosting and makes cutting easier. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
- MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: Prepare cake through step 5. Cover the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temp, make the frosting, frost, and serve.
Notes
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