Pumpkin Sheet Cake: easy to make, fluffy and moist, finished with a sweet cream cheese frosting. This is a top-notch pumpkin dessert and a perfect cozy treat for cooler days.
Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe:
This sheet cake is straightforward to prepare and has become one of my favorites. It’s light, tender and packed with warm pumpkin spice: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. The flavor is perfectly autumnal, but I enjoy it any time of year with a cup of coffee or tea.
Whether it’s a chilly fall afternoon or a rainy day in another season, a slice of this cake feels comforting. The recipe uses a full 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, so you won’t be left with leftover pumpkin in the fridge. The combination of oil and pumpkin keeps the crumb moist and gives the cake a lovely color.
The Best Pumpkin Cake
With countless pumpkin desserts online, this one stands out for its balance of flavor, texture and ease. The batter benefits from gentle whisking by hand — avoid over-mixing to keep the cake tender and airy. You’ll end up with a slab of cake that’s easy to slice into squares and serve for gatherings or quick snacks.
Freezing and Storage
This cake freezes well. After baking and cooling, wrap the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, prepare the frosting and spread it on the cake. Chilling the frosted cake in the fridge for an hour or two helps the frosting set and makes slicing neater. Stored in the refrigerator, the cake keeps well for 3–4 days.
Pumpkin Cake Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Fine salt
- Fall spices: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and ground ginger
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Large eggs
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar
- One 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- Vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- Hazelnuts or pecans for decoration (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
How to Make Pumpkin Sheet Cake:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk 4 large eggs with 1/2 cup granulated sugar for about 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup oil, the entire 15 oz can of pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined — the batter will be thick. Avoid over-mixing.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake 27–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (I baked mine for 28 minutes). If the top or edges brown too quickly, loosely cover the pan with foil. Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest 10–15 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift the cake onto a cooling rack and cool completely. If any edges stick, loosen them gently with a spatula before lifting.
Frosting the Cake:
4. To make the frosting, beat 1 stick softened unsalted butter and 4 oz room-temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Start mixing on low to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase speed and beat until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and refrigerate for 1–2 hours to set.
5. Trim the cake edges and cut into squares. Wipe the knife between cuts to keep slices clean and prevent crumbs from smearing the frosting. Top each square with chopped hazelnuts or pecans if desired — hazelnuts give an elegant finish.
Serve immediately or refrigerate and enjoy over the next 3–4 days.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Explore:
- Pumpkin Knots – a fun and simple project for kids
- Pumpkin Scones – packed with cozy fall flavors
- Ukrainian Pumpkin Bread – a sweet bread inspired by a traditional recipe
- Iced Pumpkin Cookies – soft, fluffy and irresistible
Pumpkin Sheet Cake
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Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Butter to grease pan
Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temp
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- Hazelnuts or pecans – optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar for about 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, oil, pumpkin puree and vanilla. Mix until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined; the batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 27–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10–15 minutes, then transfer the cake on the parchment to a rack to cool completely.
- Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, starting on low speed and then increasing. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and refrigerate 1–2 hours to set.
- Trim edges and cut into squares. Wipe the knife between cuts for clean slices. Top with chopped hazelnuts or pecans if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.