You can never go wrong with a pumpkin dessert during the fall season, whether it’s pumpkin dump cake, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, or this simple yet totally satisfying pumpkin sheet cake. This treat is even great for the winter holidays along with options such as eggnog cake.
Pumpkin Cake Ingredients
To make this moist and delicious pumpkin cake you will need flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract, eggs, vegetable oil and pumpkin puree. For the frosting you will need butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. If you are making this cake for a party or get-together, try some of my favorite fall party treats like apple fries, pumpkin cupcakes and slow cooker apple cider.
How Do You Make Pumpkin Cake?
Start this pumpkin cake by whisking together dry ingredients, the flour, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Next, stir in the wet ingredients, the vanilla extract, eggs, vegetable oil and pumpkin puree. Pour the batter into a pan, then bake until the cake is golden brown. After the cake has cooled, it’s time to add a generous amount of cream cheese frosting made by mixing butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add some festive pumpkin candies or sprinkles if you like, and slice into squares and enjoy!
How Do You Make Cream Cheese Frosting?
Make cream cheese frosting by mixing together softened butter and softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract. You can make your frosting as thick or as thin as you’d like. Simply add more powdered sugar to make the frosting thicker, or add milk, one teaspoon at a time, to thin out the frosting. I prefer to keep my frosting fairly thick, yet still easy to spread across the cake.
Tips For The Perfect Pumpkin Cake
The recipe calls for cutting this cake into 3 inch squares. You can make smaller or larger pieces depending on how many people you’re looking to feed. This cake is decorated with chocolate pumpkins, which were purchased at the local grocery store. You can use any fall candy on top, or even a handful of fall themed sprinkles. The frosting requires softened cream cheese. Soften your cream cheese by leaving it on a counter for 30 minutes to an hour or by removing it from its package and microwaving it in a small bowl in 30 second increments. You can buy canned pumpkin puree or make your own homemade pumpkin puree. You can make sure your cake has cooked through by poking a toothpick in the center of your cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is done. Freeze individual slices of this cake for up to 2 months. Another option is to freeze the whole baked cake without the frosting. You can thaw the cake and add the frosting right before serving. Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. They are different!
Pumpkin Cake Variations
This moist and delicious pumpkin cake will be the hit of your party or gathering as-is but you can customize it to your taste.
Nuts: You can mix in 1/2 cup of nuts like chopped walnuts or chopped pecans. Chocolate chips: Feel free to add a cup of chocolate chips into the batter. You should first toss the chips with a tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking in the batter. Nutella: Swirl two tablespoons of Nutella into the frosting (or more to taste) for a chocolate treat! Pumpkin Banana: Add one mashed banana to the batter and make the cake as directed. Carmel: Top your cake with a drizzle of caramel sauce. Toppers: You can add fall candies, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, candied pecans or candied walnuts to your cake. Lighter: Watching your calories? You can substitute unsweetened applesauce for half of the oil.
Once you try this cake, you’ll find yourself making it all the time during the cooler weather months. It’s just that good!
Pumpkin Cake Video
