Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Creamy, warmly spiced, and utterly comforting, this Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is the kind of dessert that makes autumn feel like a hug.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric Stand Mixer
- 9-inch Round Cake Pans
- Parchment Paper
- Wire Racks
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2.75 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 0.75 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground ginger
Wet Ingredients
- 1.25 cups Granulated sugar
- 0.75 cup Light-brown sugar, packed
- 0.5 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 0.5 cup Vegetable or canola oil divided
- 4 large Eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 1.75 cups Canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 0.5 cup Milk whole or 2% preferred
Frosting Ingredients
- 12 ounces Cream cheese, softened room temperature
- 0.75 cup Butter, softened room temperature
- 1.5 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4.5 cups Powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment to ensure easy release. Set pans aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger for about 20 seconds. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the butter mixture. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Add the vanilla extract with the last egg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and milk until smooth. With the mixer on low, gradually add one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the pumpkin mixture, mixing just until combined. Repeat with another third of the flour and the remaining pumpkin mixture, then finish with the last third of the flour mixture. Avoid overmixing.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and let cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges, invert onto wire racks, remove parchment, and let cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the ground cinnamon and vanilla extract and mix briefly. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low until incorporated, then increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Taste and adjust cinnamon or sugar if desired.
- Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate, spread an even layer of frosting, repeat with the second layer, and stack the third layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake. For cleaner slicing, refrigerate the frosted cake for 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
Notes
Ingredient temperatures matter: room-temperature eggs, butter, and cream cheese whip more smoothly and trap air for lighter texture. Don’t overmix the batter once the flour is added — stop as soon as the ingredients are combined to keep the cake tender.