Pumpkin layer cake has moist, lightly spiced pumpkin cake layers covered in rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. It’s a delicious fall dessert that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any fall gathering.
This pumpkin layer cake is a delicious way to enjoy pumpkin beyond the usual pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie. The cake layers are moist and tender with just the right amount of warm spice, and the homemade cream cheese frosting adds a rich, creaminess that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin and spices.
It’s a great dessert for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving when you want something a little different from traditional pie. The layers make it pretty enough for a holiday dessert table, but it’s just as good for a fall birthday, as an end to family dinner, or for weekend baking.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: If using salted butter, reduce the salt in the cake to 1/4 teaspoon and omit the salt in the frosting.
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling.
- Flour: To properly measure the flour, either weigh or stir, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level.
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make homemade pumpkin pie spice with this recipe.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the richest, creamiest frosting.
How to make pumpkin layer cake
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 2: Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Step 3: Add pumpkin and vanilla, beating until combined.
Step 4: In a large bowl, add flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Step 5: Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating between flour and milk. Beat until just combined and all flour and milk has been used.
Step 6: Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
Step 7: Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing and placing cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: Once cakes have cooled, make the frosting: Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat for at least 2 minutes to combine.
Step 9: Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat again to combine.
Step 10: While beating, pour in the heavy cream. Beat until everything is combined, light, and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Frost the cooled cakes by piping frosting in the center and smoothing in an even layer. Stack the cakes and frost the outside.
Recipe Tips!
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once the flour is added, mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the cake tougher.
- Divide the batter evenly: Evenly filled pans will give you cake layers that bake at the same rate. A kitchen scale is helpful if you want particularly even layers.
- Don’t overbake the cake: Start checking the cake at the time specified in the recipe. Overbaking can dry out even a moist pumpkin cake.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting: Warm cake can soften the cream cheese frosting and cause it to slide or melt.
- Freeze the layers: You can bake and completely cool the layers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Freezing the cake layers lets you make them ahead of time, and it helps to make the cake a little more moist.
- Decorating the cake with cake crumbs: Crumble trimmed cake pieces over the top for an easy decoration that matches the cake.
Storage
Store any leftover pumpkin cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cake will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More pumpkin cake recipes!
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Pumpkin Layer Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
Cream cheese frosting
- 2-8 ounce bricks plain cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes on medium speed.¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.3 large eggs
- Add pumpkin and vanilla, beating until combined.15 ounce can of pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, add flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.2 ¼ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add half the flour to the butter mixture, alternating between flour and milk. Beat until just combined and all flour and milk has been used.½ cup whole milk
- Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing and placing cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cakes have cooled, make the frosting: Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat for at least 2 minutes to combine.2-8 ounce bricks plain cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat again to combine.8 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- While beating, pour in the heavy cream. Beat until everything is combined, light, and fluffy, about 2 minutes.2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Frost the cakes by piping frosting in the center and smoothing in an even layer. Stack the cakes and frost the outside.
Notes
- Butter: If using salted butter, reduce the salt in the cake to 1/4 teaspoon and omit the salt in the frosting.
- Pumpkin: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
- Flour: To properly measure the flour, either weigh or stir, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level.
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make homemade pumpkin pie spice with this recipe.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the richest, creamiest frosting.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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