A four-layer pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is the ideal Thanksgiving dessert for all the pie haters or those who just can't get enough pumpkin. It's perfectly spiced, beautifully moist, and has just the right ratio of cake to frosting!
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Why you'll love this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Strong Pumpkin Flavor: Made with a whole can of pumpkin purée and a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, this pumpkin cake is PACKED with pumpkin flavor!
- Soft, Moist Crumb: Thanks to the pumpkin purée and oil, this pumpkin cake stays moist for days!
- Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting: There's nothing better than warm, comforting moist pumpkin cake layered with luscious cream cheese frosting.
For more pumpkin recipes, try my Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting, Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cake, Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, and Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use high-quality, unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Leaveners: You'll need both baking powder and baking soda to give this pumpkin bread the perfect rise.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use store-bought pumpkin pie spice or make your own.
- Pumpkin Purée: Libby's canned pumpkin is my favorite! Be sure to use pumpkin purée NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- Sugars: I used dark brown sugar in this recipe for a deeper flavor of molasses, but you can use whichever brown sugar you have on hand. You'll also need granulated sugar for the batter and powdered sugar for the cream cheese frosting.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable. I recommend using light-tasting olive oil.
- Eggs: Be sure to use room temperature eggs so they incorporate into the batter properly.
- Vanilla: Warm fall baked goods MUST have some good quality vanilla.
- Cream Cheese: Use cold block cream cheese for the frosting.
- Butter: I recommend European-style butter for best flavor.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this pumpkin cake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Combine dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
Finish batter & bake
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil. Then, whisk in the eggs and vanilla, and lastly the pumpkin purée. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk until fully combined and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake the cake layers for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake starts pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Make cream cheese frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until smooth. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully combined. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, continue beating on low speed until no more lumps or pockets of air remain and the frosting is smooth.
Decorate
Use a serrated knife to cut the two cakes in half to get four layers. Using an offset spatula, spread on an even layer of frosting, then place the second cake layer on top. Repeat with the remaining layers. Spread an even layer of frosting along the top and outside of the cake, then chill for about 10-15 minutes. Take the cake out and spread on a thicker layer of frosting. Use the remaining frosting to pipe along the top of the cake.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use pure pumpkin purée, NOT pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and other ingredients.
- Use cold cream cheese & room temperature butter. In order to create a sturdy, pipeable cream cheese frosting, pay close attention to the temperature of the ingredients. Cold cream cheese will ensure it's thick enough, while room temperature butter will ensure all of the ingredients cream together properly.
- Sift the powdered sugar. I know it can be a pain, but trust me, sifting your powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting is so worth it! If you don't sift it, you'll need to mix the frosting on low speed for a long time to smooth it out. This also runs the risk of agitating the milk solids, creating a grainy frosting.
Recipe FAQs
Pumpkin purée is pure pumpkin and the only type of canned pumpkin you should be baking with! Canned pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and other ingredients.
The key is to use COLD block-style cream cheese. The cold temperature and consistency of this type of cream cheese will ensure your frosting turns out thick & sturdy. I also recommend using full-fat cream cheese for best flavor.
Store this pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Individual slices can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer bag to be frozen for up to 3 months.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other fall recipes to try
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the pumpkin cake:
- 280 g (2 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
- 213 g (1 cup) dark brown sugar
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 174 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) neutral oil
- 3 eggs, room temp
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 oz (1 can) pumpkin purée
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 340 g (24 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temp
- 18 oz (2 ¼ blocks) cream cheese, cold
- 508 g (4 ½ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
For the pumpkin cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and line two 9" cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil.
- Then, whisk in the eggs and vanilla, and lastly the pumpkin purée.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until fully combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth out the top.
- Bake the cake layers for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake starts pulling away from the sides of the pan.
- Immediately turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until smooth.
- Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully combined. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, continue beating on low speed until no more lumps or pockets of air remain and the frosting is smooth.
For assembly:
- Use a serrated knife to cut the two cakes in half to get four layers.
- Secure the first cake layer on the cake stand with a small amount of frosting on the bottom. Using an offset spatula, spread on an even layer of frosting, then place the second cake layer on top. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Spread an even layer (or crumb coat) of frosting along the top and outside of the cake, then place in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes.
- Take the cake out of the fridge and spread a thicker layer of frosting on the cake. Use the remaining frosting to pipe along the top and bottom of the cake, if desired.
Notes
- Use pure pumpkin purée, NOT pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and other ingredients.
- Use cold cream cheese & room temperature butter. In order to create a sturdy, pipeable cream cheese frosting, pay close attention to the temperature of the ingredients. Cold cream cheese will ensure it's thick enough, while room temperature butter will ensure all of the ingredients cream together properly.
- Sift the powdered sugar. I know it can be a pain, but trust me, sifting your powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting is so worth it! If you don't sift it, you'll need to mix the frosting on low speed for a long time to smooth it out. This also runs the risk of agitating the milk solids, creating a grainy frosting.
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