The Best Pumpkin Cake
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This pumpkin cake is the perfect dessert for pumpkin season. It’s incredibly moist with a soft crumb and almost springy texture. The pumpkin is complemented by warm spices, brown sugar, vanilla and a hint of orange zest to brighten the flavor. It’s then frosted with brown butter cream cheese frosting, but I’ve included the option for a plain cream cheese frosting as well.
This recipe can easily be made as a 9×13 inch cake or a layer cake. It’s the most flavorful pumpkin cake recipe I’ve ever tried.
Table of Contents
A Note from Fiona
Why You’ll Love this Classic Pumpkin Cake
I’ve made a lot of pumpkin desserts on my blog over the years, but this pumpkin cake is a classic. Here’s why you’ll love it:
Texture: It’s extraordinarily moist with a super soft crumb. It’s the kind of cake that’s almost springy in texture, without being too dense, and sticks to your fork when you dig in.
Flavor: It’s also the most flavorful pumpkin cake I’ve ever tried thanks to the combination of pumpkin, spices, brown sugar, vanilla and orange zest. The orange zest isn’t as typical in pumpkin cake – but it really brings out the warm spices and pumpkin. The addition of brown butter cream cheese frosting on top really elevates the flavor. It’s slightly tangy, not too sweet and has a delicious warmth to the flavor from the brown butter.
Simplicity: The recipe is wonderfully straight forward. The batter takes just 4 easy steps to come together. It can be made into different pan sizes too – including a 9×13 inch, 2-layer cake or 3-layer cake. Making brown butter cream cheese frosting does take a little extra work. However, I’ve included instructions for classic cream cheese frosting too.
Note that classic cream cheese frosting will be a brighter white color, whereas brown butter cream cheese frosting (what’s pictured) will have little brown specks from the brown butter.
Ingredients
For the pumpkin cake, you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Spices – 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves – I’ve also included substitution for using pumpkin pie spice mix
- Leaveners – 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda, I found the combo of baking powder and baking soda worked best
- Salt to balance out the sweetness
- Vegetable Oil (or Canola Oil) – you won’t taste the oil whatsoever, using oil in this cake keeps it moist for longer and gives it the slightly springy texture
- Sugars – 3/4 cup brown sugar – light or dark and 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar adds flavor, whereas the granulated sugar ensures that the cake isn’t weighed down – like it would be if only brown sugar was used
- Vanilla Extract to round out the flavor
- Orange Zest – this really brightens the flavor and takes the pumpkin to the next level
- Eggs – for tenderness and binding
- Pumpkin Puree – be sure to use pure pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling
For the cream cheese frosting – whether you’re making brown butter frosting or brown butter cream cheese frosting, the ingredients will be the same:
- Unsalted Butter – if you only have salted on hand, then remove the salt from the recipe
- Cream Cheese – be sure to use full-fat, brick style or the frosting can be too thin
- Powdered Sugar – sift first to avoid lumps
- Vanilla Extract & Salt – to round out the flavor
Method – with Photos
Making the cake is very straightforward:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease and flour the pan.
- Whisk the Dry Ingredients: Flour, spices, leaveners and salt. Make sure to remove any lumps.
- Whisk the Wet Ingredients & Sugar: Oil, sugars, vanilla, orange zest, eggs and pumpkin puree. You can do this wire whisk or electric mixer. Keep mixing until there are no lumps of sugar and you can’t see any pieces of egg.
- Pour the Wet Ingredients into the Dry & Mix: I do a few stirs by hand first, then whisk with wire whisk or electric mixer until smooth.
- Bake: Pour into the pan and bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes
Frosting
I’ve given the option for both a brown butter cream cheese frosting and classic cream cheese frosting. With either option, the frosting is silky smooth, super creamy, not too sweet and has a delicious tanginess that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin cake. The brown butter cream cheese frosting will have brown flecks from the brown butter, whereas classic cream cheese frosting will not.
To brown the butter, you’ll cut the butter into cubes, then melt in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Once the butter melts, keep the pan on the heat as you gently stir. You’ll see brown flecks form (these are the milk solids), and it will give off a nutty aroma.
Then remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl or dish. If any of the brown flecks have turned black – AKA burned – pour the melted butter through a metal sifter to remove any large burned milk solids. Let the butter cool, then place in the fridge to firm up.
From there, making the frosting is the same (whether you choose brown butter cream cheese frosting or regular cream cheese frosting). You’ll beat the butter until smooth (this will take longer if you browned the butter), then mix in the cream cheese. The powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract are then mixed in. If the frosting seems a little too thick, you can mix in a tablespoon of whipping cream too.
Pan Sizes
- For a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) pan, the cake will bake for about 35-40 minutes. Make the frosting as directed
- For a two layer 9-inch round cake, the layers will need about 35 minutes. Line the bottom of the pans with rounds of parchment paper and lightly grease and flour the sides of the pans. Double the frosting recipe – you may have some extra frosting.
- For a three layer 8-inch round cake, the layers will need about 25-30 minutes. I also recommend lining the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides. You will want to double the frosting recipe.
- For a bundt cake, use this pumpkin bundt cake recipe. It’s slightly scaled up so that the bundt cake is taller and holds its shape.
Make Ahead Tips
The cake can be made the day before serving, cooled fully, covered and then stored at room temperature or in the fridge overnight. If making brown butter cream cheese frosting, brown the butter the day before, cool fully, then place in the fridge to solidify. Frost the cake the day you plan to serve.
Baked and cooled cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen. Always thaw in the fridge overnight. Then frost the day you plan to serve.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml), or canola oil
- ¾ cup brown sugar (158 grams), light or dark
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 15 ounce pumpkin puree (440 ml), about 2 cups
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (or Regular Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), slightly softened
- 8 ounce full-fat cream cheese (226 grams), brick style, slightly softened
- 3 – 3½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream, if needed
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and pumpkin puree. This can also be done by hand with a wire whisk. When finished, there should be no lumps of brown sugar or pieces of egg.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Mix together until smooth. I always do a few stirs by hand with a wire whisk first, then whisk until smooth. Alternatively, you could do a few stirs by hand first, then beat with an electric mixer.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes.
- Cool the cake in the pan. If you'd like to speed up the process, after about 30 minutes place in the fridge. I recommend placing a cooling rack on the shelf (because the bottom of your pan will still be warm), then placing the cooling rack on top.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cut the butter into cubes and place in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Melt the butter. Once melted, keep the pan on the heat while occasionally stirring/swirling the pan. It will start to bubble and then you'll see brown flecks form. Once it is giving off a nutty aroma and you see the light brown flecks, remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. If any of the milk solids have accidentally burned, pour the butter through a metal sifter to remove any large, burned milk solids. Cool the butter, then transfer to the fridge to harden. I always brown the butter the night before I plan to make the frosting. **Never attempt to make frosting with melted butter.
- Take the browned, hardened butter out of the fridge about 20 minutes before making the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. This may take 3-5 minutes. It's important that there are no lumps after this step is complete.
- Add the cream cheese, cut into cubes into the bowl and beat together until smooth.
- Add in 2½ cups powdered sugar, along with the vanilla and salt. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed. If needed, beat in a little extra powdered sugar or 1 tablespoon of whipping cream if the frosting seems to thin.
- Ensure the cake is fully cooled, then frost with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add in the cream cheese, cut into cubes, and beat until combined.
- Add in 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, along with the vanilla and salt. Mix together, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing until combined. If you feel the frosting needs to be a little sweeter, mix in a bit more powdered sugar, or if it seems too thick mix in 1 tablespoon whipping cream.
- Frost the cooled cake using an offset spatula or the back of a wooden spoon.
Notes
- Spices: Instead of the spices and amounts listed, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and teaspoon cinnamon.
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Cream Cheese: Always use full fat, brick style cream cheese. Do not use low fat, spreadable, or anything that comes in a tub.
- Make Ahead Tips: Cake can be made 1 day in advance, cooled fully, covered and stored at room temperature or in the fridge. Make the brown butter 1 day in advance, cool fully, then cover and place in the fridge to solidify.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let cake sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only based on 1 slice with frosting, assuming that the cake is sliced into 15 uniform pieces.
