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Pumpkin Cake with bourbon praline frosting is a moist, spiced sheet cake crowned with a warm, pourable pecan praline topping that sets into pure magic, and when I made it on a *cozy September Sunday* the whole house smelled like fall and Maddie asked if we could have it for breakfast. If you love our pumpkin cinnamon rolls, this cake gives you that same warm spice with a fraction of the work.
One bowl for the cake, one pot for the frosting, and enough dessert for twenty people.
Pumpkin Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 20 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 448kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Moist spiced pumpkin with buttery bourbon caramel and toasted pecans
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a one bowl batter like our pumpkin snickerdoodles
Quick Answer
Whisk a one bowl spiced pumpkin batter, spread it on a sheet pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. While the Pumpkin Cake cools slightly, boil butter, dark brown sugar, and cream, whisk in powdered sugar, bourbon, and vanilla, stir in toasted pecans, and pour the warm praline frosting over the cake to set.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A whole can of pumpkin. Fifteen ounces of pumpkin puree keeps the crumb ultra moist and gives the cake real pumpkin flavor, not just spice.
- An oil based batter. Oil coats the flour so the cake stays tender and soft for days, no mixer needed.
- A thin sheet pan layer. Baking the batter in an 18×13 sheet tray means it bakes in under 20 minutes and gives you a perfect cake to frosting ratio in every square.
- A boiled praline frosting. Boiling butter, dark brown sugar, and cream builds real caramel flavor, and the frosting sets into a fudgy praline layer as it cools.
- Bourbon and vanilla. A splash of each deepens the caramel notes, the alcohol cooks out and leaves warm, toasty flavor behind.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It feeds a crowd, one sheet pan cuts into twenty generous squares.
- The warm praline frosting pours on and sets like fudge, no decorating skills required, just like the glaze on our pumpkin donut holes.
- The batter is one bowl and comes together in fifteen minutes flat.
Key Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the simple ingredients that make this Pumpkin Cake so moist and its praline frosting so irresistible.
- Pumpkin Puree: A whole can of pure pumpkin keeps the cake incredibly moist and gives it that classic fall flavor.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cinnamon: Warm spices with a pinch of nutmeg season every bite of the cake.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil based cakes stay softer and moister than butter cakes, especially after a day or two.
- Dark Brown Sugar and Pecans: The base of the praline frosting, cooked with butter and cream like the topping on our caramel apple cake.
- Bourbon: Two tablespoons deepen the caramel flavor of the frosting, and the alcohol cooks down to leave just a warm vanilla oak note.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Pumpkin Cake is easy to adapt. Here are a few favorite ways to change it up.
- Skip the bourbon: Swap in apple cider or just leave it out, the praline frosting is still incredible.
- Use walnuts: Toasted chopped walnuts work beautifully in place of pecans.
- Cream cheese frosting: Prefer tangy over caramel? Frost the cooled cake with whipped cream cheese frosting instead.
- Caramel version: For a salted caramel take on this cake, try our caramel pumpkin sheet cake.
- Add chocolate: Scatter mini chocolate chips over the warm frosting before it sets.
How to Make Pumpkin Cake
- Stir the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl, then add the dry ingredients.
- Stir until the batter is smooth with no dry patches remaining.
- Spread the batter into a greased 18×13 sheet tray and bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, then let it cool slightly.
- Melt the butter in a saucepot, add the dark brown sugar and heavy cream, and whisk until the mixture comes to a full boil.
- Off the heat, whisk in the powdered sugar, bourbon, and vanilla, stir in the pecans and salt, and immediately pour the frosting evenly over the cake. Let it set for about an hour.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use pure pumpkin, not pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is sweetened and spiced and will throw the whole cake off.
- Toast the pecans. Ten minutes in a 350 degree oven wakes up their flavor before they go into the frosting.
- Pour the frosting right away. Praline frosting sets fast as it cools, so pour it over the cake as soon as the pecans are stirred in.
- Pour slowly and evenly. Work across the whole cake instead of dumping it in one spot, it should flow right to the edges.
- Let the frosting set. Give it about an hour at room temperature to firm up into that fudgy praline layer before slicing.
- Do not overbake. Pull the cake as soon as a toothpick comes out clean, thin sheet cakes go from moist to dry quickly.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Pumpkin Cake is my go to potluck dessert from September through Thanksgiving. It travels right in the sheet pan, slices into neat squares, and disappears faster than anything else on the table.
Serve it slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or pair squares with our pumpkin monkey bread and pumpkin snickerdoodles for a full fall dessert spread.
Hosting a brunch? It is just as good next to a pan of pumpkin cinnamon rolls and a pot of coffee.
Store leftovers covered at room temperature for two days or in the refrigerator for up to five, and if you love handheld fall treats, our pumpkin whoopie pies are the perfect next bake.
Pumpkin Cake FAQs
Yes. Bake the Pumpkin Cake and pour on the praline frosting the day before, then cover the cooled pan. The cake actually gets moister overnight and the frosting stays fudgy for days.
Mostly, yes. The bourbon goes into a boiled frosting, so the alcohol largely evaporates and leaves behind warm caramel and vanilla oak flavor. You can skip it entirely and the Pumpkin Cake frosting still tastes amazing.
This recipe is written for an 18x13x1 sheet tray, also called a half sheet pan. For a thicker cake, use a 9×13 pan and add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time, checking with a toothpick.
Cover the Pumpkin Cake and store it at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to five. The praline frosting keeps the cake underneath soft and moist.
Yes. Freeze cooled, frosted squares of Pumpkin Cake in a single layer, then wrap and store them for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
Grainy frosting usually means the sugar was not fully dissolved. Whisk constantly while the butter, brown sugar, and cream come to a full rolling boil, then add the powdered sugar a little at a time so the Pumpkin Cake frosting stays silky.
Want another cozy crowd pleaser? Our caramel apple cake is the perfect follow up bake.
Craving more cozy oats and spice? These iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies hit the spot.
Need a make ahead party treat? This pumpkin cheese ball comes together in ten minutes.
Keep the sheet cake love going with this spiced apple cider cake made with real cider.
Balance the dessert table with this lightly sweet pumpkin cornbread.
Want pie without the plate? These handheld pumpkin hand pies are done in 30 minutes.
Pumpkin Cake with Bourbon Praline Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 & 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 18x13x1 sheet tray with baking spray, and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, and set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pinch of ground nutmeg
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, white sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until combined.15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined and there are no dry patches.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared tray and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool slightly while you make the frosting.
- Place the butter in a small saucepot over medium-low heat and let it melt. Once melted, add the brown sugar and heavy cream, and whisk to combine.8 tablespoons salted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Continue to whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Once it comes to a continuous boil, take off the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed in.2 cups powdered sugar
- Whisk in the bourbon and vanilla.2 tablespoons bourbon, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the pecans and salt, and stir to combine.1 & 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Immediately pour the frosting over the cake; it should go right to the edge, but if it looks like it may overflow, do not use it all; you do need to be careful while pouring, so do it slowly and evenly over the entire cake, don’t just dump it all on top (the pictured cake used all the frosting). Allow the frosting to set fully, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Be careful while pouring the frosting so it won’t overflow.
- For the best flavor, use toasted pecans in your frosting.
- If you want more texture, add chopped pecans to the cake batter.
- Change it up by sprinkling toffee bits or chocolate chips on top of the frosting.
- To get the best pumpkin flavor and texture, use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Always allow the cake to cool slightly before adding frosting. This ensures the frosting stays thick and doesn’t melt into the cake.
Nutrition
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