My all-time favorite fall recipe is my great grandma's pumpkin sheet cake with cream cheese frosting. This cake is moist, sweet and very pumpkin-y. You're going to love how easy this recipe is to make and how amazing it tastes.
This pumpkin sheet cake is perfect to bring to family parties, Thanksgiving and other fall events. Everyone loves it!! Plus, the thick layer of cream cheese frosting is to die for. 😍
This Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe is MOIST and HEAVENLY!
You absolutely NEED this recipe in your life. I make this pumpkin sheet cake every single year and it never gets old. This recipe calls for ingredients that you already have at home and is a great way to use up that stash of canned pumpkin. The pumpkin puree and oil make this cake extra moist. The texture of this crumb is seriously perfect.
Leave a comment on this post to let me know what your favorite thing to bake during the fall is and if you gave this recipe a try!
Anddd... be sure to check out all of our delicious fall recipes that celebrate the flavors of this wonderful season.
How To Make Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:
To make this easy pumpkin sheet cake with cream cheese frosting, set out all of the ingredients on the counter. If I am patient enough, I like to measure everything out before I start baking so I can just dump and go without having to reference the recipe measurements.
Grab your mixer and mixing bowl and let's get started!
First, beat together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet pumpkin mixture and stir thoroughly until there are no clumps.
Transfer the cake batter to a lightly greased pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the sheet cake cool completely before frosting.
Tips for Making Smooth Cream Cheese Frosting:
You want to have thick cream cheese frosting that is sweet, smooth and doesn't have any clumps! In order to get a smooth and creamy frosting, your ingredients must be room temperature. This is my #1 tip for making an amazing cream cheese frosting! Set the butter and cream cheese on the counter in advance so they can reach room temperature and be mixed more easily.
Also, you'll want to mix the frosting using a hand mixer to ensure all of the ingredients are well combined. A stand mixer works too, however I find the hand mixer is what I reach for so I can have more control over mixing.
Tip #2 is to add the powdered sugar slowly. You don't want to be surrounded by a cloud of powdered sugar dust when you're whipping up this frosting. Instead, you want that icing sugar to stay in the bowl! To avoid making a mess, add the powdered sugar a little at a time and use a rubber spatula to stir it in before you fire up your mixer.
Tip #3 is to carefully spread the frosting onto the cake. This easy pumpkin cake is very moist and has a delicate crumb. If you are not careful when you're spreading the frosting, orange cake crumbs will get mixed into the white frosting and create a speckled icing look. Just take your time and don't press down on your spatula too hard and you should be good!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Sheet Cake:
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Oil
- Pumpkin Puree
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Salt
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
Need to make a substitution?
Neutral Oil?
Any neutral oil should work in this recipe. For healthier oils, opt for avocado or coconut. Canola or vegetable oil may also be used in this moist pumpkin cake.
Gluten-Free?
Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. I'm sure gluten-free oat flour would also work in this recipe, however the cake may not be as light or fluffy so I still recommend using all-purpose.
Pumpkin Puree:
Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. I haven't tested homemade pumpkin puree, so let me know if you try it!
How to Store this Moist Sheet Cake?
This cake should be stored in the fridge because of the dairy in the cream cheese. Don't worry, storing your pumpkin sheet cake in the fridge does not compromise the moist texture of the crumb. Your cake should stay good for about a week so you have plenty of opportunities to enjoy it! I won't deny that I've definitely eaten a slice of this easy pumpkin cake for breakfast!! 🤣
More Amazing Fall Recipes:
- Easy Apple Hand Pies
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filled Bread
- Apple Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze
- Healthy Pumpkin Overnight Oats
- Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
If you make this pumpkin sheet cake with cream cheese frosting, be sure to tag #bakedabundance on Instagram. We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below and rate the recipe. We appreciate you!
PrintRecipe
Great Grandma Jean's Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
My all-time favorite fall recipe is my great grandma's pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. This cake is moist, sweet, and very pumpkin-y. The thick layer of cream cheese frosting is incredible!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake:
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup neutral-tasting oil*
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3-4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Set out cream cheese and butter on the counter to soften while you make your pumpkin cake.
- In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree together until well combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until no clumps of flour remain.
- Grease an 8x8 baking dish* and pour pumpkin cake batter into the prepared dish. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter with the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Gently frost the cake with a rubber or metal spatula, careful not to get too close to the surface of the cake or your icing will be speckled with cake crumbs.
- Slice into 9 squares and refrigerate for the week, but I bet it will be gobbled up in days. Enjoy!
Notes
I halved the original recipe from my great-grandma to make enough for a family of four to enjoy for a few days. If you double this recipe, bake in a 9x13" baking pan for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
I recommend using avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil for this cake. Olive oil and melted coconut oil also work, but may add a subtle flavor to the cake.
Make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature before you mix up the frosting.
Keywords: pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin desserts, pumpkin sheet cake, pumpkin squares, thanksgiving desserts
Sareen
The cream cheese frosting recipe was so heavenly! It was delicious, perfect consistency for piping and decorating and it was overall such a delight to make. This has definitely become my go to cream cheese frosting recipe.
Marley
Thank you for such a kind review Sareen! I am so happy that you loved this cream cheese frosting recipe. It's a family recipe so it is definitely a crowd pleaser. Thanks for your review! -Marley
Debra
This was a delicious pumpkin cake. Very easy to make and my grandkids loved it too. Thank you for the recipe!
Samantha
This cake is sooo good! The frosting is perfectly sweet and every bite is fluffy and moist. Love this for fall and thanksgiving parties!