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I would like to introduce y’all to the last pumpkin cake recipe you’ll ever need.
This is a twist on the traditional Texas Sheet Cake, but with all the delicious flavors of fall: pumpkin, vanilla, cream cheese….

pumpkin cake

Did y’all survive the Thanksgiving Feast? Are you still nomming away on leftovers?
I’m actually brining my *leftover* Turkey right now and we’ll be devouring my Poblano and Cilantro Roasted Turkey this week 😉

This dessert was one of the highlights of our Thanksgiving table (well, this and the sock cake – more about that later)

pumpkin pie bite top

I also took this to the school for the Staff Thanksgiving Luncheon and I think it was one of the first to disappear.
This cake is moist – and rich and delicious and when topped with the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting .  It’s worth every calorie.  Every. Single. Decadent. Delicious. Amazing. Moment.

pumpkin pie fork

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Rich, moist pumpkin cake with a delicious and creamy vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. The cinnamon is a yummy addition for an extra hint of fall, if desired.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:18 minutes
Total Time:38 minutes

Ingredients

Cake

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 C vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 2 1/4 C white granulated sugar
  • 1 16 oz can of pure Pumpkin
  • 2 C all purpose flour do not pack, spoon it into the measuring cups
  • 2 rounded tsp. cinnamon roasted if you have it
  • pinch of salt if desired
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Frosting

  • 1 8 oz block cream cheese - softened
  • 3/4 stick butter 5 Tbsp - softened - not room temp
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract or Vanilla Bean Paste if you like the specks of vanilla in the frosting
  • 2 1/2 C powdered Sugar or more for consistency

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 F
  • In a medium bowl: add flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda
  • In mixing bowl cream together: Eggs, Oil, and Sugar
  • Add in the Pumpkin, mix well
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and blend well
  • Pour into a well greased 11X17" rimmed baking pan (aka sheet pan)
  • Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until a dry spaghetti noodle comes out slightly crumby
  • Let cool and then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (I freeze it for about 30 minutes after frosted)

Frosting - This is going to be a consistency thing so play around with vanilla and powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency and taste.

  • Beat Cream Cheese and Butter together until creamy.
  • Add milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.
  • Beat until smooth.
  • Add more powdered sugar or vanilla, to taste and consistency

Notes

Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes, after icing.
Served at room temperature or slightly chilled, this is the most amazing pumpkin cake, and one of my most requested recipes.
Author: Rachel - A Southern Fairytale

I'm a deep-fried Southern belle, married to a cowboy boot wearin', Harley ridin’ Texan Prince Charming. I am the always proud and frequently exhausted mom to two 8th generation Texans My childhood was spent at my Granny's side learning to cook with cast iron, butter and that special southern ingredient -- love Today, I share my passion for food, family and photography with thousands of monthly readers on my blog, A Southern Fairytale. I love cute boots, my Canon camera, belly laughs with friends, the beach, my family and ellipses..."

26 Comments

    1. Lailani, I completely get the texture thing.

      I am so so about pumpkin pie and my kids won’t touch pumpkin pie. I LOVE This and my kids have been eating it like crazy (especially since they’ve had access to two of them in a week!)

      🙂

      Reply

  2. Wow does that cake look spectacular! We linked up pumpkin fried rice today. Delishh. Be sure to visit us and check it out and come back on Friday, December 3. We have a giveaway from Shabby Apple. Sign up to win.

    Reply

  3. I haven’t eaten breakfast yet & this is making my tummy grumble 🙂 I seriously need to add vanilla bean paste to my pantry because this frosting looks absolutely delicious!

    Reply

    1. LOL JeNae 😉 I’m not saying this is fabulous at breakfast, but hubby and his cup of coffee certainly enjoyed it 🙂
      I love vanilla bean paste because of the flecks of vanilla bean they add to recipes and I do think the flavor is a bit more intense than extract. Get you some! 🙂

      Reply

  8. I so should not have read this post on a night where I’m eating a late dinner and am thus extremely hungry right now. And, I pretty much love anything with cream cheese in it, so literally, I could feel myself salivating as I read. Sounds so good!

    Reply

  9. That? Awesome in a pan. I am SO making that this year. Debating making it for our bake sale on Friday, but I’m thinking it won’t store well for display (we have to bag them in dozens – stupid stupid people who are running this but I’m staying out of it for my own sanity)… I’m still waiting to be inspired to see what I should make.

    Reply

  12. Wow it looks very delicious recipe. I was envy with this food. I want to cook this for my family. Thank you for sharing your recipe! i can’t wait to cook this. 🙂

    Reply

  13. My son wants pumpkin cake for his birthday. I want to do this. Do you think it would work as a layer cake with 2 small rounds? Or is it best to stick to the flat?

    Reply

    1. I know your response doesn’t show here, but thanks for being so prompt. 🙂 I decided to make a sheet cake because I wanted to put a lot of decorations on it. But I had to come back and say, AMAZING! Thank you! It was an big family party and they’re still talking about the cake today. We had pumpkin for our wedding cake years ago, and boy, do I wish I’d had this recipe to give the cake lady.

      Now that I’ve made it once, I do plan to try it as a layer next time. It seems like a good one for that. Though maybe thicken the frosting with less milk and some meringue powder so the sides will hold.

      (Also, in case anyone happens by here who SOAKS GRAINS, I soaked the eggs, oil and flour (spelt) with 2T ACV. No one at the party knew it was whole grain.)

      Thank you SO MUCH, Rachel. This is one of those forever recipes I will one day pass down.

      Reply

      1. I’m totally doing a happy dance right now! YAY YAY YAY!

        This is absolutely my favorite pumpkin dessert of all time, I’m seriously tempted to try it as a layer cake on my next day off!

        I keep hearing about soaking grains and spelt (although no clue what ACV is…) and I’m definitely intrigued.

        I’m so tickled that y’all loved it so much, and you have no idea what it does for my heart that you took the time to come back and let me know!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!

        Reply

        1. Your welcome! And as for soaking, ACV is apple cider vinegar (you have to soak with an acid, could be buttermilk, whey…). Also, I use spelt a lot because I like it, but soaking is for any whole grain. It’s a way of making whole grains more digestible with a lot more available nutrition, and in the process they actually become lighter, so more yummy. 🙂 It’s easy to google. A ton of people have food blogs with it, but I’ve found Kimi at The Nourishing Gourmet to have particularly well-researched info. Once you read a bit on it, this tip will help a lot: always warm your soak liquid a little and put your soak in the oven with the light on to keep a little warm. Makes a much lighter product in the end, and more effective at countering the phytic acid.

          Glad I made your day, cuz you sure made ours! I’m new to your site and excited to explore more. And let me know if you try it as a layer cake before I do! Be well! ~L

          Reply

  14. Hi there! This article couldn’t be written any better! Looking through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he’s going to have a
    very good read. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  15. Quantity of salt is missing. Cake about to go in oven so will estimate but thought you may want to fix the recipe. Thanks!

    Reply

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