This deliciously moist pumpkin cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting is the perfect fall dessert. Packed with all the flavors of fall, spiced perfectly, baked to perfection, and frosted with an incredible creamy frosting.

I love pumpkins. I love to decorate with them and I love to carve them at Halloween. Most of all, though, I love to cook with them. From fresh pumpkin to pumpkin puree, I just love to make all kinds of pumpkin recipes with all kinds of pumpkin options. When they come into season, I’ll make my own puree. When they’re not in season, I get the puree from the can. They both work, and they both yield amazing results. I love making pumpkin recipes all year long, and one of my favorite ones to make is this pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. It’s so easy and delicious that I’ll make it for everything from weeknight desserts to potluck desserts.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This delicious dessert is just about the most classic pumpkin recipe you’ll ever make. After all, who hasn’t had some kind of pumpkin treat combined with cream cheese frosting? It’s a classic. While I love making pumpkin bars and pumpkin bread, my absolute favorite is pumpkin cake. First, I bake a rich, tender, moist pumpkin cake loaded with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for that sweet, earthy flavor that’s so great about pumpkin. Then, I whip up a homemade cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It’s decadent, sweet and tangy, and adds even more cinnamon kick to the recipe. What I end up with is a tender pumpkin cake that’s ultra-moist and topped with a frosting that will have you licking your lips and coming back for seconds and thirds.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cake Recipe
- It’s so moist and delicious, and it’s the perfect dessert for any time of year.
- It’s a favorite pumpkin cake recipe with a delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting you can make whenever you like.
- Your entire house smells AH-mazing after you bake it!
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Tips and Variations
This is a very easy recipe to make, but as with all recipes – especially baked goods – there are a few things to know to ensure you get an amazing final product. I also have some great variations I think you’ll love, as well.
Tips
- To ensure the proper flour amount, gently scoop the flour out with a spoon and pour it into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing. Then, level it off with the flat of a knife. This keeps the flour from packing.
- Mix your wet and dry ingredients until just combined to limit the amount of gluten in the dough to keep it tender.
- Always let your cake cool completely before frosting it or the frosting will simply slide right off the cake.
Variations
- Try adding chocolate chips for a fun kick of flavor.
- Chopped walnuts work very well in this cake.
- Raisins are delicious in this cake.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting FAQ
If you have questions about this recipe, then read on. The following FAQ answers the most commonly asked questions about cake.
What is the difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling?
Canned pumpkin is simply a can full of pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling, on the other hand, has all the ingredients you need for a pie filling. That means it contains spices and sugar.
Should pumpkin cake be refrigerated?
Pumpkin cake on its own will last for a couple of days at room temperature in a covered container. However, this pumpkin cake is frosted with cream cheese so it must be refrigerated.
How long can cake sit out unrefrigerated?
An unfrosted cake will be edible for 3 to 6 days at room temperature provided it’s covered. However, this only applies if the cake is not frosted.
Why do you have to let cake cool before frosting it?
There are two main reasons to let your cake cool before frosting. First, a hot cake will actually cause the frosting to melt, leading to a sloppy mess. The second reason is that the hot or warm cake is very fragile, and you can break it apart if you attempt to frost it at this point.
Can you freeze pumpkin cake?
You sure can. Actually, you can freeze almost any cake. Just let the cake cool completely. Then open-air freeze it until solid. Finally, wrap it in a double layer of cling wrap and another layer of foil. Cakes that have a cream cheese frosting can only be frozen for up to a month. After that, the texture of the frosting will begin to change.
How to Store Leftover Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Store the cake in a cake container or large airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, you can place it in the freezer and freeze it for up to a month.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
This cake uses simple ingredients that you can find easily at your local grocery store.
For the Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Ground nutmeg
- Salt
- Shortening
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- Pumpkin puree
- Pecans, chopped
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese
- Butter, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Cinnamon
How to Make Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Making this cake is just as easy as a shopping trip to get the ingredients. It’s a simple recipe that even beginners can make!
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease and flour a 13×9 baking dish. Set aside.
Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree together until creamy.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together.
Step 4: Make the Batter
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Then, gently stir in the chopped pecans. The batter will be thick.
Step 5: Bake
Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for about 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
Step 6: Make the Frosting
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Then, add the vanilla and cinnamon and mix well. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until you have a creamy frosting.
Step 7: Frost the Cake
Once the cake has cooled, evenly spread the frosting over the top. Enjoy!
Try This Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Today
This deliciously moist, incredibly tender pumpkin cake is overflowing with our favorite pumpkin flavors and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting accented by a touch of cinnamon. It’s a rich, decadent dessert that’s so delicious and so easy to make. Try this recipe just once, and I know you’ll be serving it over and over again to your friends and family. It’s just that good!
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding – A delicious and fall favorite bread pudding recipe that is loaded with pumpkin flavors and a sweet glaze.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes – Creamy cheesecakes that are topped with pumpkin pie filling, making this the ultimate fall dessert recipe.
Pumpkin Churros – A basic churro recipe that is made with pumpkin puree, deep fried, and then coated in cinnamon and sugar.
And, try this Pumpkin Roll from Great Grub, Delicious Treats. It’s layered with maple cream cheese frosting and then rolled into a giant roll to create a beautiful cake roll.
Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cake
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon cloves
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 â…“ cups shortening
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat the oven to 300° and grease and flour a 13×9 baking dish. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin puree together until creamy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.
- Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until combined. Stir in chopped pecans and spoon cake batter into the prepared baking dish (batter will be thick).
- Bake for approximately 60-70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and cinnamon, mix well.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.
- Let cake cool completely before adding frosting.
Notes
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