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    Home » Cakes » Pumpkin Spice Cake

    Pumpkin Spice Cake

    Published: Oct 22, 2020 · Modified: Oct 23, 2020 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pumpkin spice cake is a moist pumpkin cake that starts with a spice cake mix. It's a great Thanksgiving dessert cake recipe!
    Slice of pumpkin spice cake topped with a candy pumpkin.
    I'm not a big pie person, but I do love cake. I started making this pumpkin spice cake a few years ago as an alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.
    It was a big hit, and I've continued to make it ever since. I used to use cake mixes for most of my cakes.
    It was an easy way to make a cake when I didn't have much time. Some of the doctored cake mix cakes were incredibly tasty (check out two of my favorites below!).
    Even though I've gone to making most of my cakes from scratch, I still use a mix to make this pumpkin spice cake (you can make your own homemade spice cake mix with this recipe if you prefer).
    This is everything that a pumpkin cake should be. It has good pumpkin flavor, is moist, and has a nice amount of spice to it. It is super easy to make and is a great addition to any Thanksgiving dinner!

    How to make pumpkin spice cake

    Pumpkin spice cake batter in a glass mixing bowl

    Combine all cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.

    Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

    Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

    Cream cheese and butter in a glass mixing bowl

    When completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting. To make cream cheese frosting, beat together cream cheese and butter until well-combined.

    Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time until you get to 3 cups, and beat on low for 30 seconds after each addition. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes or until combined well, scraping down the sides as needed.

    Pumpkin spice cake topped with cream cheese frosting

    Add enough milk to make a spreadable consistency, and then stir in vanilla. If you find that the frosting is too thin at this point, add additional powdered sugar in 2 tablespoon increments until you reach the consistency that you would like.

    Spread frosting onto cooled cake. Refrigerate leftover cake.

    Two slices of pumpkin spice cake on white platesTips

    • Pumpkin puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
    • Oil: You can use a similar oil, like canola oil, in this recipe.
    • Cream cheese: Regular or ⅓ less fat will work. I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese in this recipe. 
    • Butter: I use salted butter.
    • Milk: You can use nondairy milk or any dairy milk from skim to whole.

    Slice of Pumpkin Spice Cake with a fork taking a bite out of it

    Storage

    I recommend storing this cake, covered, in the fridge for up to 7 days.

    More cake mix cakes!

    • White Raspberry Poke Cake
    • Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake Recipe
    • Irish Cream Bundt Cake

    If you’ve tried this pumpkin spice cake recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Pumpkin Spice Cake

    Pumpkin Spice Cake

    Moist pumpkin spice cake recipe that is made with just a few, simple ingredients.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 20 servings
    Calories: 280kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • 9x13 pan

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 15 ounce package spice cake mix
    • 1 ¼ cups pumpkin puree
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • ½ cup lukewarm water
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
    • ¼ cup butter at room temperature
    • 3-3 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted, plus additional if needed
    • 1-3 tablespoons milk
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350⁰F.  Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
    • Combine all cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
    • Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
    • Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides as needed.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
    • Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
    • When completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting.
    • To make cream cheese frosting, beat together cream cheese and butter until well-combined.
    • Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time until you get to 3 cups, and beat on low for 30 seconds after each addition.
    • Increase speed to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes or until combined well, scraping down the sides as needed.
    • Add enough milk to make a spreadable consistency, and then stir in vanilla.
    • If you find that the frosting is too thin at this point, add additional powdered sugar in 2 tablespoon increments until you reach the consistency that you would like.
    • Spread frosting onto cooled cake.
    • Refrigerate leftover cake.

    Notes

    • Cake mix: You can make your own homemade spice cake mix with this recipe. 
    • Pumpkin puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
    • Oil: You can use a similar oil, like canola oil, in this recipe. 
    • Cream cheese: Regular or ⅓ less fat will work. I don't recommend using fat-free cream cheese in this recipe. 
    • Butter: I use salted butter. 
    • Milk: You can use nondairy milk or any dairy milk from skim to whole. 
    • Nutrition values are estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 169mg | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 2615IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!

    Originally published 10/28/12. Updated with additional photos and tips 10/22/20.

    adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor

    « German Chocolate Sheet Cake
    Homemade Yellow Cake Mix »
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    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marie

      November 07, 2020 at 3:22 pm

      5 stars
      Love easy, moist delicious cake and it was all of those things. I added a little fresh grated ginger. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Kate

        November 09, 2020 at 10:02 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Linda

      April 24, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Very easy too.

      Reply
      • Kate

        April 24, 2019 at 8:06 pm

        Thank you! I'm so glad that you liked the cake. =)

        Reply
    3. Eileen

      October 25, 2018 at 4:20 pm

      Why did my cake come out like pumpkin pie and not cake

      Reply
      • Kate

        October 25, 2018 at 7:49 pm

        Did you happen to forget to add the cake mix? That would give you something that's more like pumpkin pie than pumpkin cake.

        Reply

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    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

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