This pumpkin spice cake is a one pan sheet cake: a moist pumpkin cake baked in a 9×13 inch pan, spread with cream cheese frosting and cut into 12 squares. It takes 15 minutes to mix and 30 to 35 minutes at 350°F.
A whole cup of oil and 4 eggs keep the crumb soft for days, and the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove taste even rounder the next morning. You need two bowls and a whisk. No mixer for the cake.
Following a special diet?
Every recipe on this site can be converted to gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, keto, nut-free or egg-free with adjusted ratios so nothing falls flat.
Try the Recipe Converter →The Numbers for One 9×13 Pan
- Pan: 9×13 inch, greased or lined with parchment
- Oven: 350°F (175°C), 30 to 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 generous squares
- Pumpkin: one 15 ounce can of plain pumpkin puree
- Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Storage: frosted cake up to 5 days in the fridge
Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and a Pinch of Clove
The spice in this cake is 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves for 2 cups of flour. Cinnamon carries it. Ginger gives a little warmth at the back of your throat, and the clove is there for depth, so keep it to a real pinch. More than that and the whole cake tastes like a mulled drink.
Only have a jar of pumpkin pie spice? About 1 tablespoon replaces all four. Check that your spices still smell strong when you open them. Ground spices that have sat in the cupboard since last fall make a flat, beige tasting cake, and that is the most common reason a spiced pumpkin cake tastes of almost nothing.
Pumpkin, Oil and Two Sugars
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so the cake turns heavy and too sweet. Canned puree gives the deepest color and a steady result. If you cook your own, homemade pumpkin puree works too, but blot or drain it first so it is as thick as canned.
Neutral oil, like vegetable or canola, is what keeps the squares soft straight from the fridge. Butter tastes lovely, but it firms up when cold and the cake dries out sooner. Brown sugar adds a little molasses and moisture next to the white sugar.
Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake or a Layered Pumpkin Cake?
Pick this sheet cake when you need to carry dessert somewhere. It bakes in one pan, gets frosted in that pan, and travels with a lid or foil on top. Pick a layered pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting for a birthday or a table where you want height and clean round slices. That one takes more frosting and more time to stack.
The flavor is close. If you like a heavier mix of spices and some grated carrot, carrot spice cake sits in the same family, and pumpkin cupcakes make sense when you want single servings for a bake sale.
Whisking the Pumpkin Batter by Hand
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and the four spices in a medium bowl first, so the leaveners are spread evenly and you never bite into a pocket of soda.
In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil and eggs for a good minute or two. You want it pale and a little thick, with the sugar no longer gritty. This is the only lift the cake gets besides the baking soda and powder, so do not rush it. Then stir in the pumpkin and vanilla.
Fold the dry mix into the wet with a spatula just until the last dry streak disappears. The batter will be thick, smooth and glossy, like the bowl above. Beating it hard at this point makes the squares tough and tunneled.
When Is a 9×13 Pumpkin Cake Done?
Spread the batter into the prepared 9×13 pan and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes. Start checking at 30. The cake is done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean, the top springs back under a light press, and the edges have pulled in a little from the pan.
A center that still looks shiny or wobbles needs a few more minutes. Underbaked pumpkin cake sinks as it cools and leaves a dense, gummy strip through the middle. Overbaked, the corners turn dry and dark, so trust the 30 minute check over the clock.
Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. Parchment makes this much easier. The underside should feel cool, not just the top, before any frosting goes on.
A Cream Cheese Frosting That Stays on the Squares
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until fluffy, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, then the vanilla. Both should be soft enough to press with a finger but still cool. Warm cream cheese makes a loose frosting that slides off the cut edges.
Spread it over the cold cake with an offset spatula and dust lightly with cinnamon if you like. For a deeper flavor, maple cream cheese frosting or brown butter cream cheese frosting both work on this cake.
Why a Pumpkin Spice Cake Sinks, Dries Out or Weeps
- Sunken, gummy middle: pulled too early. Bake until the toothpick is clean, not just moist.
- Dry edges: a few minutes too long, or a dark metal pan. Check at 30 minutes.
- Heavy, overly sweet cake: pumpkin pie filling went in instead of plain puree.
- Frosting slides or weeps: the cake was still warm, or the cream cheese was too soft. Chill the frosting 15 to 20 minutes and beat it again.
- Bland flavor: old ground spices. Buy fresh cinnamon and ginger before fall baking starts.
Baking It a Day Ahead for a Potluck
This cake is better on day two. Bake and frost it the day before, cover the pan and keep it in the fridge. The spices settle and the crumb stays moist.
Chill the frosted cake for about 30 minutes before cutting if it has been sitting out. Use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts for clean squares. A frosted cake can sit out for a few hours while you serve; store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Unfrosted, the cake keeps covered at room temperature for 2 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled, unfrosted cake (whole or in squares) tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge and frost. For a lighter pumpkin dessert on the same table, pumpkin pie dump cake or pumpkin spice thumbprint cookies round it out.
Pumpkin Spice Cake, Quick Answers
Can I bake this in a square pan?
Not all of it in one. Divide the batter between two 8 or 9 inch square pans and start checking around 25 minutes. One 9×9 pan would overflow.
Is pumpkin spice cake the same as spice cake?
No. Spice cake has no pumpkin. This one is built on a whole 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree, which makes it softer and more moist.
Do I need a mixer?
Not for the cake. A whisk and a spatula are enough. A hand mixer makes the frosting smoother and faster.
Can I make cupcakes from this batter?
Yes. Fill lined cups two thirds full and bake at 350°F, checking from about 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe
This pumpkin spice cake is a moist sheet cake made with pumpkin puree, oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of clove, topped with cream cheese frosting. It bakes in one 9x13 inch pan at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, takes 15 minutes to mix by hand, and cuts into 12 generous squares. Beating the sugars, oil and eggs until pale gives the cake its lift, and the oil keeps the crumb soft even straight from the fridge. Bring this pumpkin spice sheet cake to Thanksgiving, potlucks, school events or an office birthday, since it travels in its pan. Bake and frost it a day ahead; the spices taste rounder on day two. Keep it in the fridge up to 5 days.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- FOR THE FROSTING
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove until evenly combined.
- COMBINE THE WET INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until the mixture is pale and smooth. Stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until fully blended.
- INCORPORATE THE DRY INTO THE WET: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula or whisk, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix; the batter will be thick and smooth.
- BAKE THE CAKE: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- COOL THE CAKE: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- MAKE THE FROSTING: In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- FROST THE CAKE: Spread the cream cheese frosting over the completely cooled cake using a spatula or the back of a spoon. Optionally, dust lightly with cinnamon before serving.
Notes
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Start checking the cake at 30 minutes: it is done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the top springs back. Frost only when the cake is completely cool, including the underside. If the frosting is too soft, chill it 15 to 20 minutes and beat again. Pumpkin pie spice swap: about 1 tablespoon replaces the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Storage: keep the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; it can sit out for a few hours for serving. Unfrosted cake keeps covered at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for 3 months. Chill slightly before slicing for clean squares.
You did not say which type of pan. If I’m using a glass 13×9″ pan do I need to reduce the temperature by 25 degrees? Also, how does that change the bake time?
The recipe is written for a metal 9×13 pan at 350°F. In a glass pan, lower the oven to 325°F and expect it to need a few extra minutes. Start checking at about 35 minutes and bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.