Pumpkin Spice Cake

Celebrate fall with this from-scratch pumpkin spice cake. Serve with a simple dollop of whipped cream or cover with rich cream cheese frosting and chopped nuts.

This homemade pumpkin spice cake recipe is like tasting Thanksgiving in a cake! We’ve shared pumpkin bundt cakes and dump cakes, but sometimes you just need a beautiful layer cake to make an impression on your guests.

a slice of pumpkin spice cake on a plate

From Scratch Pumpkin Cake

If you’re intimidated with from-scratch cake recipes, this pumpkin spice cake is a great place to start. I find that pumpkin is very forgiving to work with. And pumpkin baked goods always end up moist!

pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting

Tips to Making This Cake

  • The original, old-fashioned amish pumpkin cake recipe calls for shortening, but you can substitute butter if you’d like. Shortening tends to give cakes a lighter crumb texture, but butter gives cakes an amazing flavor. It’s your choice!
  • Be sure to use cake flour for the best texture. It will work with all-purpose flour, but will not be as light and tender.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin and cream cheese just go together. Top this cake with the best cream cheese frosting or just a simple dollop of whipped cream. If you make the frosting, be sure that the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. You want them soft, but not at all melted. I like to set them both out several hours before making the frosting so they are perfect temperature.

closeup of a piece of pumpkin cake
closeup of a piece of pumpkin cake

Pumpkin Spice Cake

4.80 from 5 votes
Celebrate fall with this from-scratch pumpkin spice cake. Serve with a simple dollop of whipped cream or cover with rich cream cheese frosting and chopped nuts.
Servings 15
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the frosting:

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a stand mixer, cream the shortening, then gradually add the sugar and continue creaming until it is light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and milk.
  • Add the dry ingredients alternately with the pumpkin mixture to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
  • Grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing equally.
  • Bake the cakes in a 350 degree oven for 20-22 minutes or until the top center of the cake bounces back when you touch it.
  • While the cake is baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
  • Using an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar, ½ a cup at a time, until it is thoroughly mixed. Add the vanilla and beat the frosting on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
  • Place one cake down on a cake plate. Frost the top of this cake with a thick layer of frosting.
  • Then place the second cake on top of the frosted layer.
  • Frost the top and sides of the cake, getting the frosting as even as possible.
  • If desired, press the chopped pecans around the outside of the cake immediately after frosting.
  • Store the cake in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

*In place of the pumpkin pie spice, you could use ½ teaspoon each of ginger and nutmeg.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 3089IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 508

Other Pumpkin Cake Recipes

Tools to Make This Cake

About Julie Clark

We are Julie, Maddie, and Kinslee – a mother and daughter team sharing with you the best cakes to satisfy any need or sweet craving that you may have. Welcome to our family’s kitchen!

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5 stars
Excellent cake! Would I need to change any ingredients, etc. in order to bake cupcakes?