Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Creamy, warmly spiced, and impossible to resist, this Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate fall bake that doubles as a showstopper for holidays and weeknight dessert cravings.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric Mixer
- Cake Pans
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2.75 cups All-purpose flour Measured and leveled
- 1 tsp Baking powder Fresh
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 0.75 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp Ground ginger
Wet Ingredients
- 1.25 cups Granulated sugar
- 0.75 cups Light-brown sugar Packed
- 0.5 cups Unsalted butter Softened to room temperature
- 0.5 cups Vegetable or canola oil Divided, 3 tablespoons used in creaming
- 4 large Eggs Room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1.75 cups Canned pumpkin puree Not pumpkin pie filling
- 0.5 cups Milk Room temperature
Frosting Ingredients
- 12 oz Cream cheese Softened to room temperature
- 0.75 cups Butter Softened, mix of salted and unsalted if desired
- 1.5 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp 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, buttering the parchment as well.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger for about 20 seconds, then set aside.
- In an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons of the oil until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Mix in the remaining oil until incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Incorporate the vanilla with the last egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and milk until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and pumpkin mixture to the butter mixture in alternating batches, starting and finishing with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen them and then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add the cinnamon and vanilla, then gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until combined.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, layer them with frosting in between and on top. Refrigerate the frosted cake for 30 to 60 minutes before serving for cleaner slices.
Notes
Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months.