Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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A delicious pumpkin spice cake topped with homemade cream cheese frosting is perfect for Fall! This easy dessert is great for Thanksgiving or Fall gatherings.

A slice of pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting on a white plate with the cake in the background

Ingredients Needed

Pumpkin Spice Cake

  • butter, melted
  • brown sugar
  • white sugar
  • white sugar
  • applesauce
  • vanilla extract
  • eggs
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  • pumpkin pie spice
  • ground cinnamon
  • salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • cream cheese
  • unsalted butter, softened
  • vanilla extract
  • powdered sugar
  • pumpkin pie spice
  • milk
  • salt
  • walnuts (for topping)

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cake

Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter and set aside.

Add butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Mix until fully incorporated with a hand mixer.

Add in the eggs and mix well.

wet ingredients mixed in a bowl

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl, until thoroughly combined.

dry ingredients mixed in bowl

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully blended. Don’t forget to scrap the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Pumpkin spice cake batter ready for oven

Bake in the oven for 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for 60 minutes on a cooling rack before frosting.

How to make Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Mix with a hand mixer until creamy.

Gradually add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, milk, and salt. Mix slowly for 20 seconds and then increase the medium to high speed. Mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is thick and fluffy.

Don’t forget to scrape the sides of the bowl if needed.

Once the pumpkin spice cake has cooled, frost the top of the cake. Make sure to spread evenly.

Top with crushed walnuts.

finished pumpkin pie cake with cream cheese frosting, topped with walnuts. Still in baking dish

Tips

  • Heavy cream or almond milk can be used in substitution for the milk.
  • If you would like more spice you can add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon more of cinnamon or pumpkin spice.
  • The cake can be stored in a sealed container for up to 4 days at room temperature or up to one week in the fridge.

How To Store Pumpkin Spice Cake

Pumpkin Spice cake can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days if sitting at room temperature. If you store it in the fridge, it may last up to 1 week.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A delicious pumpkin spice cake topped with homemade cream cheese frosting is perfect for Fall! This easy dessert is great for Thanksgiving or Fall gatherings.
Print Recipe
A slice of pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting on a white plate with the cake in the background
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:36 minutes
Inactive Time:1 hour
Total Time:1 hour 51 minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Cake

  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon butter melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 15 oz can pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 16 oz cream cheese (2 – 8 oz blocks)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • teaspoon salt

Topping

  • 1 cup walnuts finely chopped

Instructions

Pumpkin Spice Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F
  • Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with 1 teaspoon of butter and set aside.
  • In a large bowl add the ½ cup butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix with a hand mixer until incorporated.
  • Add the eggs to the bowl and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully blended, scraping the sides as needed.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool for 60 minutes on a cooling rack before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a large bowl add the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and mix with a hand mixer until creamy.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, milk, and salt to the bowl. Mix slowly for 20 seconds and then increase to medium to high speed and mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is thick and fluffy while scraping the sides as needed.
  • Frost the top of the cake, while spreading evenly.
  • Place the walnuts in a ziplock bag and roll with a rolling pin to create a finer consistency. Sprinkle the walnuts on top.
  • Serve immediately or within 3 days.

Notes

  • Heavy cream or almond milk can be used in substitution for the milk.
  • If you would like more spice you can add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon more of cinnamon or pumpkin spice.

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 6596IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 12 large pieces
Calories: 673kcal
Author: Midwestern Moms

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