This pumpkin cake is seriously the best ever. It’s moist, rich, deliciously spiced and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans.
This is my favorite pumpkin cake recipe ever. It’s so simple, made in 1-bowl, and it comes out perfectly every time.
It’s packed with pumpkin flavor and all those lovely spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves – that complement pumpkin so beautifully.
If you’re loving the pumpkin baking recipes then don’t miss our pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies and pumpkin muffins either.
How To Make Pumpkin Cake
Full instructions and measurements can always be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Add eggs, white sugar, oil, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and whisk with a hand whisk until mixed.
- Sift in all purpose flour and then add baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and mix in. Use a hand whisk briefly to remove any lumps.
- Transfer the batter to a 9×13 baking dish (sprayed with non-stick spray) and smooth down.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Ours was done at 27 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, it should come out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting and decorating with chopped pecan nuts.
Recipe Tips
Pumpkin purée. Canned pumpkin purée is great for this recipe and this recipe uses one 15 ounce can of pumpkin purée. It must be pumpkin purée though and not canned pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has a lot of other things added and will throw out the flavors in this recipe. You can use homemade pumpkin purée but just make sure it’s the same consistency as what you would get in a can. The easiest way to do this is to stand your homemade pumpkin purée in a strainer over a bowl and let any excess water drain off before you use it.
Measure your flour correctly. You can weigh it on a food scale if you have one, which is the most accurate way to go about it. Or, if you don’t have a food scale, then use the spoon and level method which is to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop it and don’t pack it into the cup.
Baking dish and baking times. We used a 9×13 Wilton baking dish which is a great dish that also comes with a lid so it’s great for storing. If you use a glass baking dish then it’s possible you will need a slightly longer baking time, perhaps up to 35 minutes, but just keep a close watch on it.
Want to make cupcakes? We made a few changes to this recipe to create the perfect pumpkin cupcakes that are just really light and fluffy.
Storing and Freezing
This cake is best stored in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. It keeps very well covered in the fridge for 5 days.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months either frosted or unfrosted. Allow the cake to cool completely and then wrap well before freezing. Since this is baked in a 9×13 dish I would recommend wrapping and freezing it directly in the dish. Wrap the whole thing in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and then foil to prevent any moisture getting in.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
- The Best Carrot Cake
- Red Velvet Cake
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- The Best Vanilla Cake
- The Most Divine Chocolate Cake
- Easy Apple Cake
Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 and ¾ cups White Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
- 15 ounces Pumpkin Purée Canned or Fresh*
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 and ½ cups All Purpose Flour Measured Correctly*
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 tsp Cinnamon
- ¾ tsp Nutmeg
- ¾ tsp Ground Ginger
- ¾ tsp Ground Cloves
For the Frosting:
- 1 Recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pecan Nuts Chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Add the eggs, white sugar, oil, pumpkin purée and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and whisk with a hand whisk until mixed.
- Sift in the all purpose flour and add the baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and mix everything together. Use a hand whisk briefly to remove any lumps.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared 9×13 baking dish and smooth down.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.* Ours was done at 27 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, it should come out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting and decorating with chopped pecan nuts.
Video
Notes
- Pumpkin purée: Canned pumpkin purée is great for this recipe. It must be pumpkin purée and not canned pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has a lot of other things added and will throw out the flavors in this recipe. You can use homemade pumpkin purée but just make sure it’s the same consistency as what you would get in a can. The easiest way to do this is to stand your homemade pumpkin purée in a strainer over a bowl and let any excess water drain off before you use it.
- Measure your flour correctly using the spoon and level method. Spoon it into a measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop it and don’t pack it into the cup. Alternatively weigh it on a food scale – click ‘metric’ below the list of ingredients to get the ingredient weights in grams.
- Baking times: If you use a glass baking dish then it’s possible you will need a slightly longer baking time, perhaps up to 35 minutes, but just keep a close watch on it.
- Storing: This cake is best stored in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. It keeps very well covered in the fridge for 5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze it for 2-3 months either frosted or unfrosted. Allow the cake to cool completely and then wrap well before freezing. Since this is baked in a 9×13 dish I would recommend wrapping and freezing it directly in the dish. Wrap the whole thing in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and then foil to prevent any moisture getting in.
- Nutritional information is for the cake only and doesn’t include the frosting. The nutritional information for the cream cheese frosting is included in that separate linked recipe.
This is the best cake, so moist and perfect, it’s like a spice cake with perfect pumpkin flavor. The whole family loved it and demolished the whole tray in a couple of days!
So happy to hear that Stephanie! 🙂