The best-ever moist and perfectly spiced Pumpkin Cake has a luscious cream cheese frosting and optionally garnished with candied pecans.
The Best Pumpkin Cake
I’ve been perfecting Pumpkin Cake every fall, and after creating this pumpkin carrot cake, I thought my work was complete. (Seriously, that cake is unbelievable!) But as August began this year, I was eager to use pumpkin and experiment again; so, I aimed to make the best Pumpkin (without carrot!) Cake along with testing and perfecting these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.
The ideal Pumpkin Cake is moist, sweet, perfectly spiced, and topped with the perfect cream cheese frosting. I’m excited to share that this cake checks all those boxes (and more), and it has been a hit with everyone who has tried it — especially my pumpkin-obsessed boys!
Ingredients
Cake:
- Canned Pumpkin: Provides moisture and pumpkin flavor.
- White and Brown Sugars: Sweeten the cake and add moisture (brown sugar).
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients and add structure.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture and helps keep the cake tender.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the cake’s structure.
- Baking Soda: Leavens the cake for rise.
- Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Pumpkin Pie Spice: Add warm, spiced flavors.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances overall flavor.
- Cream Cheese, Butter: Provide a creamy base for the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice, Vanilla Extract: Flavor the frosting.
- Salt: Balances the frosting’s sweetness.
How To Make Pumpkin Cake?
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat to 350°F and grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- Mix Cake Ingredients: Combine canned pumpkin, sugars, eggs, oil, and vanilla, then mix in flour, baking soda, spices, and salt until just combined.
- Bake the Cake: Pour batter into the pan, bake for 50-65 minutes, cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Make Frosting: Beat room-temperature cream cheese and butter, add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt, and beat until smooth.
- Assemble and Garnish: Spread frosting on cooled cake and optionally garnish with chopped pecans.
Quick Tip
Use a high-quality solid-pack canned pumpkin for this recipe, like Libby’s®, for optimal moisture, color, and flavor. Alternatively, substitute with the same amount (1-3/4 cup) of cooked, fresh pumpkin puree, ensuring it has a similar consistency.
Storage
Storing Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Freezing: Freeze the cake base (without frosting) for up to 2 months. Wrap well in plastic wrap before freezing. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before frosting.
- Freshness: Unfrosted cake lasts 3-4 days at peak quality. Refrigerated, it can last about a week.
- Refrigeration: If frosted with cream cheese frosting, refrigerate the same day it’s made.
More Amazing Pumpkin treats
- Pumpkin Cookies
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 7 Layer Pumpkin Bars
- Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Cake
The best-ever moist and perfectly spiced Pumpkin Cake has a luscious cream cheese frosting and optionally garnished with candied pecans. Feel free to make this cake the night before; we like it best on the second day!
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 ounces) or 1-3/4 cups solid-packed pumpkin I highly recommend Libby's
- 1 and 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups white all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 package (8 ounces) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Chopped (plain or candied) pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and lightly flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Set aside.
- Place the canned pumpkin in a large bowl (if you have wet or fresh pumpkin, make sure to drain off excess liquid) along with the white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer until combined and well blended.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and beat until just combined. Use a spatula to make sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Pour mixture into a prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50-65 minutes or until a toothpick when inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist cake crumbs. The cake should spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting the cake onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting: In a large bowl, beat ROOM-TEMPERATURE cream cheese and butter until completely smooth. It's important the cream cheese and butter are at the same temperature so you don't get lumpy cream cheese! Add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt; beat until completely smooth. Spread or pipe over the completely cooled cake. If desired, garnish with chopped candied or plain pecans. (See recipe notes for my candied pecan recipe).
Video
Recipe Notes
To make candied pecans, click here.
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.
I love this recipe and have made it several times. I want to make cupcakes of this recipe. Will I need to change the temperature and how long will I need to bake the cupcakes?
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Karen! I’d recommend making these pumpkin cupcakes: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/pumpkin-cupcakes-cinnamon-cream-cheese-frosting/ 🙂
Awesome recipe! This cake is really delicious. Everyone loved it! It’s highly requested by my family. Making it again today. Thanks!
So happy to hear this! Thanks so much Lori! 🙂
I would like to make this in a 9×13 cake pan. Can you please help with possible cooking time for this type of pan? Thank you!
I haven’t specifically tested this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan yet; sorry Jamie!
Is it 692 calories per slice?
Yes! 🙂
Really Helpful! Thanks for the blog!
Thanks so much Kate! 🙂
I have made this recipe twice now and both times it’s been a huge success!! The only changes I made was cut down sugar by half cup (white sugar) and the cream cheese frosting I used maple syrup as opposed to the powdered sugar,. Thanks so much for your recipe!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks you so much! 🙂
Sooo yummy. Very moist and perfect spices. Love the icing.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Ali! 🙂
It really IS the best pumpkin cake recipe! Everyone loved it. Thank you so much for sharing.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Kate! 🙂
I made it twice this week it is sooo good thank you for the recipe!
So glad to hear that! Thank you Lisbeth 🙂
I loved this cake!!! It was the best pumpkin cake ever! I have a 12 mini Bundt pan and wanted to make this exact recipe, I know you have a different one for cupcakes, but this one is a favorite! So is there anyway that could be done?
So happy to hear you enjoyed this cake, thank you! 🙂 I haven’t personally tested this cake in a cupcake pan or mini bundt pan, so I’m really not sure, I wish I could be of more help!!