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Pumpkin spice cake is the moist, cozy 9×13 dessert that makes the whole house smell like fall, finished with a warm brown sugar frosting that sets into a sweet caramel style top, and Maddie declared it better than the coffee shop stuff on our first *crisp September bake day*. If you love easy fall baking, our pumpkin snack cake is another one bowl wonder.
This pumpkin spice cake bakes up tender and loaded with warm spices, then gets a pour over brown sugar frosting that sets right on top of the cake.
Pumpkin Spice Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 55 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 15 slices
- ⚡ Calories: 476kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Warm pumpkin spice under a rich brown sugar caramel style frosting
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, right there with our pumpkin pie spice monkey bread
Quick Answer
Whisk together flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in one bowl. In a second bowl, whisk a 15 ounce can of pure pumpkin puree with dark brown sugar and vegetable oil, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined, pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan, and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Once the cake is completely cool, boil butter, brown sugars, evaporated milk, and heavy cream, whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla, and pour the warm frosting over the cake. Let it set about 1 hour before slicing.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Oil keeps it moist for days. Vegetable oil plus a whole can of pumpkin gives this cake a tender, moist crumb that stays that way, no dry cake here.
- Dark brown sugar brings depth. The molasses notes in dark brown sugar play perfectly with the pumpkin pie spice, so every bite tastes deeper than plain sugar ever could.
- A full can of real pumpkin. Fifteen ounces of pure pumpkin puree means real pumpkin flavor and built in moisture, not just spice pretending to be pumpkin.
- The boiled frosting sets like caramel. Boiling butter, brown sugar, and cream makes an old fashioned penuche style icing that firms into a sweet, sliceable top, no mixer needed.
- One pan, no stacking. It is a 9×13 sheet cake, so there are no layers to level or stack and it travels beautifully to potlucks.
- Pumpkin pie spice does the heavy lifting. One jar covers cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in the right balance, so the spice flavor lands perfectly every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a one bowl, no mixer cake that comes out ridiculously moist every single time.
- The warm brown sugar frosting pours right on and sets into a sweet caramel style top that makes it feel special.
- It feeds a crowd with zero fuss, just like our caramel pumpkin sheet cake.
- It makes the house smell even better than a copycat pumpkin spice latte tastes.
Key Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make this pumpkin spice cake.
- Pumpkin puree: A full 15 ounce can of 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. It brings real pumpkin flavor and keeps the crumb moist.
- Pumpkin pie spice: One jar covers cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, the same warm blend we lean on in our pumpkin snickerdoodles.
- Dark brown sugar: Deep molasses sweetness in both the cake and the frosting. Pack it tight when you measure.
- Vegetable oil: Oil is the secret to an extra moist cake that stays soft on day two and day three.
- Butter, evaporated milk, and heavy cream: The rich base of the boiled brown sugar frosting, straight out of the old fashioned caramel cake playbook.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This pumpkin spice cake is easy to dress up. Here are our favorite spins.
- Stir a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter for crunch in every bite.
- Add chocolate chips to the batter, pumpkin and chocolate are best friends.
- Swap the boiled frosting for our american buttercream with a pinch of cinnamon whipped in.
- Sprinkle flaky salt over the frosting right after pouring for a salted caramel vibe.
- Turn it into cupcakes like our pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes, checking for doneness about 10 minutes early.
- Whisk a splash of maple syrup into the frosting for even more fall flavor.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a second large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, dark brown sugar, and vegetable oil until combined, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined with no dry patches. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
- For the frosting, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat, then whisk in the brown sugars, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. Whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a full boil, then remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar a little at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Immediately pour the warm frosting over the cooled cake and smooth it to the edges. Let the frosting set for about 1 hour, then slice and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use pure pumpkin, not pie filling, pie filling is pre sweetened and pre spiced and will throw the whole recipe off.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting, or the warm frosting will soak in instead of setting on top.
- Move fast with the frosting, it starts setting the moment it comes off the heat, so pour and spread right away.
- Sift the powdered sugar so the frosting whisks in silky smooth with no lumps.
- Do not overmix the batter, stir just until combined for a tender crumb, the same rule we follow for our mini pumpkin bundt cakes.
- Start checking at 35 minutes, every oven runs a little different and you want the toothpick just barely clean.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve squares of this pumpkin spice cake with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee. It is perfect for fall potlucks, tailgates, Halloween parties, and the Thanksgiving dessert table, and it travels like a champ right in the pan.
Build out a full fall baking spread with our pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin blossom cookies, and a caramel apple cider float to wash it all down.
Hosting a crowd? Set it out next to our pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes and caramel pumpkin sheet cake and watch the pumpkin lovers circle back for seconds.
Pumpkin Spice Cake FAQs
Yes, pumpkin spice cake is a great make ahead dessert. Bake and frost it the day before, let the frosting set, then cover the pan and hold it at room temperature overnight. The flavor actually gets better as the spices settle in, which makes it perfect for holidays when oven space is precious.
Store pumpkin spice cake covered in the pan or in an airtight container. It keeps at room temperature for about 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If refrigerated, let slices sit out for 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the crumb softens back up.
Yes, pumpkin spice cake freezes well. Freeze the whole cake unfrosted, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost fresh. You can also freeze frosted squares in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag and thaw individual pieces on the counter whenever a craving hits.
This pumpkin spice cake uses an old fashioned boiled brown sugar frosting, sometimes called penuche icing. Butter, light and dark brown sugar, evaporated milk, and heavy cream come to a boil, then powdered sugar and vanilla get whisked in. It pours on warm and sets into a sweet, caramel style top. Cream cheese frosting is a delicious swap if you prefer a tangy finish.
You can use homemade pumpkin puree in pumpkin spice cake as long as it is thick and well drained. Canned pumpkin is more concentrated, so strain homemade puree through cheesecloth to remove extra water and measure out 1 3/4 cups to match the 15 ounce can. Watery puree can make the center bake up dense.
A sunken center in pumpkin spice cake usually means the batter was overmixed, the cake was underbaked, or the oven door was opened too early. Stir the batter just until the dry patches disappear, keep the door closed until at least the 30 minute mark, and bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean before pulling the pan.
Craving more cozy fall baking? Our overnight apple cinnamon monkey bread is calling your name next.
Pumpkin Spice Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 15 ounces pure pumpkin puree one can, not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 cups dark brown sugar packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, dark brown sugar, and oil until combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined and there are no dry patches.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting:
- Once the cake is cool, place the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat and let it melt. Once melted, add the brown sugars, evaporated milk, and heavy cream, and whisk to combine.
- Continue to whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Once it comes to a continuous boil, take it off the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed in. Stir in the vanilla.
- Immediately pour the frosting over the cake and smooth out the top. Allow the frosting to set fully, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.
Notes
Cool the cake completely before frosting so the icing sets on top instead of soaking in.
The frosting sets fast, so pour and spread it as soon as it comes together.
Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
The frosting needs about 1 hour to fully set before slicing.
Nutrition
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