This pumpkin cake is an ideal dessert for pumpkin season. It has an incredibly moist, tender crumb with a light, slightly springy texture. Pumpkin, warm spices, brown sugar, vanilla and a touch of orange zest create deep, balanced flavor. The cake is finished with a brown butter cream cheese frosting, though a classic cream cheese frosting is also an option.
You can bake this as a 9×13 inch sheet cake or as layered rounds. It’s one of the most flavorful pumpkin cakes I’ve made.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- Method – with Photos
- Frosting
- Pan Sizes
- Make Ahead Tips
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
A Note from Fiona
Why You’ll Love this Classic Pumpkin Cake
I’ve tested many pumpkin desserts, and this one stands out as a true classic. Here’s what makes it special:
Texture: Exceptionally moist with a soft, tender crumb. The cake holds together but remains light and slightly springy — perfect for slicing and serving.
Flavor: A full pumpkin flavor enhanced by cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, plus brown sugar and vanilla. A tablespoon of orange zest brightens the whole cake and lifts the warm spices. The brown butter cream cheese frosting adds a nutty, warm depth while remaining pleasantly tangy and not overly sweet.
Simplicity: The batter comes together quickly in four easy steps. You can scale it for a 9×13 pan or layer cakes. Brown butter frosting takes an extra step, but a classic cream cheese frosting is provided as an easier alternative.
Note: Classic cream cheese frosting will be a brighter white; brown butter frosting will show small brown flecks from the browned milk solids.
Ingredients
For the pumpkin cake:
- All-purpose flour
- Spices – 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves (or use 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice plus 1 tsp cinnamon)
- Leaveners – 2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp baking soda
- Salt
- Vegetable or canola oil – keeps the cake moist and gives a tender texture
- Sugars – 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark) and 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Orange zest – brightens the flavors
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree – use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
For the cream cheese frosting (same base for brown butter or classic):
- Unsalted butter (or reduce added salt if using salted butter)
- Full-fat cream cheese – brick style for proper consistency
- Powdered sugar – sifted to remove lumps
- Vanilla extract and salt
- Optional: 1 tablespoon whipping cream if frosting needs thinning
Method – with Photos
Overview of the cake method:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease and flour your pan.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined and lump-free.
- Mix wet ingredients: Whisk oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and pumpkin puree until smooth and no sugar lumps remain.
- Combine: Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the wet mixture and stir until smooth. Start with a few hand stirs, then whisk or beat until fully combined.
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake in the center of the oven about 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Frosting
You can choose brown butter cream cheese frosting or a classic cream cheese frosting. Both are silky, creamy and tangy, and pair beautifully with the pumpkin cake. Brown butter frosting has a warm, nutty aroma and small brown flecks from the browned milk solids; classic frosting is smooth and white.
To brown the butter: cut the butter into cubes and melt it in a saucepan over low–medium heat. Once melted, continue to cook, stirring or swirling until brown specks appear and it smells nutty. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. If any bits are burned, strain through a fine sieve. Cool the butter, then chill until solid before using; never make frosting with fully melted butter.
To assemble the frosting (brown butter or classic): beat the butter until smooth, then add cream cheese and beat until combined. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, starting the mixer slowly and increasing speed until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon whipping cream. For brown butter frosting, use browned, cooled and solidified butter.
Pan Sizes
- 9×13 inch pan: bake 35–40 minutes.
- Two 9-inch rounds: bake about 35 minutes per layer. Line pan bottoms with parchment; double the frosting recipe.
- Three 8-inch rounds: bake about 25–30 minutes per layer; double the frosting recipe.
- Bundt: this recipe can be adjusted for a bundt pan; for a taller bundt consider a slightly scaled-up version.
Make Ahead Tips
You can bake the cake a day in advance. Cool completely, cover and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Brown the butter a day ahead, cool fully, then refrigerate to solidify. Frost the cake the day you plan to serve.
Fully baked and cooled cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil (240 ml)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (158 grams)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 15 oz pumpkin puree (440 ml), about 2 cups
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (or Regular Cream Cheese Frosting)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), slightly softened (or browned and re-solidified for brown butter frosting)
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese (226 grams), brick style, slightly softened
- 3–3½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp whipping cream, if needed
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and pumpkin puree until smooth and free of sugar lumps.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until smooth, starting by hand then finishing with a whisk or mixer if desired.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake in the center of the oven for about 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan. To speed cooling after 30 minutes, place the pan in the refrigerator on a cooling rack (place another rack on top to protect surfaces if needed).
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cut butter into cubes and brown over low–medium heat until it smells nutty and light brown flecks form. Pour into a heatproof bowl, strain if any solids burned, cool and refrigerate until solid.
- Bring browned butter to room temperature for about 20 minutes, then beat until smooth and creamy (3–5 minutes).
- Add cubed cream cheese and beat until smooth.
- Add 2½ cups powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat starting on low, then increase speed. Add additional powdered sugar or up to 1 tbsp whipping cream to reach desired consistency.
- Ensure the cake is completely cooled, then frost with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Classic Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat butter until smooth. Add cubed cream cheese and beat until combined.
- Add 2½ cups powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Start mixing on low, then increase speed until smooth. Adjust sweetness or thickness with more powdered sugar or 1 tbsp whipping cream.
- Frost the fully cooled cake using an offset spatula or the back of a wooden spoon.
Notes
- Spices: Alternatively use 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice plus 1 tsp cinnamon.
- Pumpkin: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat, brick style cream cheese for proper consistency.
- Make Ahead: Cake and brown butter can be made a day ahead. Chill butter to solidify and frost the day of serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let sit 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.
- Nutrition: Nutrition info is an estimate per slice if the cake is cut into 15 pieces.