Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
This is the BEST Pumpkin Cake I have ever made! It’s a three layer cake of super moist pumpkin cake and a crazy delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting!
Since it is September 1st, and I am dying for it to be Fall already, I am throwing it back to 2012 with my all time favorite Pumpkin Dream Cake!
If you are new to the blog, this cake is one of the best rated recipes I have ever shared. Just read all those comments — you HAVE to make this cake! And while you are at it, check out all the other Dream Cakes.
It’s an incredibly hard choice for me, but I have to say that the Banana Dream Cake and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Cake tie for second place!
This cake is simple to put together and an easy enough recipe for even a beginner baker — so no excuses! 😉
P.S. I love this cake so much that I have even made it into cupcakes: Pumpkin Maple Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 12 oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl/stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla, pumpkin and vegetable oil. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove pans from oven and immediately place in freezer for 45 minutes. (This keeps the cake moist by immediately stopping the baking so the cake does not continue to bake when you remove it form the oven.)
- For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth.
- Assemble the 3 layers with a thick layer of frosting in between each layer. Then apply a thin crumb coat on the top and sides. Pop back in the freezer to harden the crumb coat for about 10 minutes.
- Apply one final thick and even layer around the outside of the cake. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
This recipe was originally posted in October 2012.
What a lovely cake that looks like! I’m sure the cinnamon frosting goes wonderfully with the pumpkin flavor 🙂
This banana cake is ti die for. Have you a good recipe for carrot cake ??
I sadly do not, but I hope to soon! The carrot cake is a current work in progress!
I just saw the post from Kay wanting a Carrot Cake recipe. I have the absolute best Carrot Cake recipe, if she hasn’t found one yet.
Cinnamon and Pumpkin, such deliciously autumn flavours. Love this. Pinned for later.
The color of this cake and with this cinnamon cream cheese frosting! I’m sad that summer is nearly over but I’m happy to drown my sorrows with this!
I’m obsessed with pumpkin. As soon as autumn comes knocking you find me searching for anything pumpkin flavored. So to come across this was heaven! I’m having a couple friends over tonight and the cupcake version is the perfect treat! I had some batter left over after filling my cupcake tin so I decided to make the last drops into mini baked donuts. Those were so delicious they got eaten minutes after they came out of the oven, no time for sugar or glaze! Now I really need an excuse to make the entire cake…
So glad to hear that! And love that you used the leftover batter for donuts!! 🙂
Yes please! I am a sucker for the glories of pumpkin cake. So good.
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I’ve been looking for a good pumpkin cake recipe, and yours looks warm and moist and fluffy and just beautiful. Lovely pictures!
Any suggestions for high altitude adjustments?
Hi Lori,
I have had people write that they have made it and didn’t need any adjustments. However, I do not personally know as I have never baked anywhere north of Texas/Florida. 😉
Look great! Please what kind of pumpkin? Pumpkin puree, cooked or raw, grater? Thanks
Pumpkin Puree!
Putting the hot cakes pans in the freezer, is the cake really moist?
Yes, it is! Hope you enjoyed it!
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Thank you so much for sharing this recepy, I live in Portugal and we don’t have canned pumpkin. Can I just purée some natural raw pumpkin? Like in carrot cake. Anxiously waiting for your answer so I can try this one!
You would need to cook the pumpkin first and then puree it! Here is an easy recipe: http://foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-puree-recipe.html
Hope you enjoy the cake!
Qthank you! I am going to try it as soon as possible!
I had asked earlier about dairy free versions of this recipe and so I tried it out for myself and was incredibly successful! I used the same amounts as listed in the recipe but replaced the butter with Earth Balance sticks of unsalted margarine, the milk with rice milk (unsweetened), and the cream cheese with Tofutti cream cheese, and no one who ate the cake could tell there was no dairy in the recipe and it had a beautiful texture and the frosting was delicious!
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Would this cake work in any type of cake pan?
Yes, but of course the baking time would vary greatly depending on the type of pan used.
Could this be made in a 9×13 pan and if so what adjustments do I need to make? Same temp. and for how long do you think? Thanks for a wonderful looking recipe.
Hi Renee! I have never tried this in a 9×13 so I do not have a time frame. I know it will work, just do not know how long it will need to bake. Keep a close eye on it and it should be fine!
Could I switch maple syrup for pumpkin spice? Not a biiiig fan of maple syrup unless it’s on a pancake 🙂
Of course you can! 🙂
This cake is wonderful. I was surprised that there were no spices like cinnamon in it though. Seems like they always go together. It had a good pumpkin flavor.
Thanks for this recipe! This is the best cake ive ever made! Going to make it for this weekend and Thanksgiving,.etc. Love it!!!
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This cake was awesome! Had so many compliments. I want to try it in a Bundt pan so it can look like a pumpkin.
I put the cakes in the freezer as suggested and now I can’t get them out of the pans. I’ve always taken cakes out of the pans while they were still slightly warm, so I’m not surprised this happened, but have no idea how I will get them out now.
Just curious. How did you end up getting your cakes out of their pans?
Today i am making this cake for the 2nd time. Beat pumpkin cake in the world!!!!!
This cake is amazing!
I helped my friend remake the top tier of her wedding cake, it was pumpkin, and she said this one was better than her 900 dollar wedding cake!
We made a mini cake but made the full recipe so we actually had cupcakes and OMG.
To be honest, I’ve never tasted pumpkin in anything and I ABSOLUTELY hate sweetened cream cheese. BUT this absolutely changed my mind about cream cheese frosting, the cinnamon and vanilla is beautiful. I’ll be making this cake for Thanksgiving!
If you’re thinking about making this JUST DO IT, you will not regret it at all.
What exactly do you mean when you say “Then apply a thin crumb coat on the top” what is a crumb coat? Thanks!
A crumb top is a mixture of frosting and cake crumbs. After assembling your cake, the layer of crumb top will help build a foundation for your smooth icing. Filling any nooks and crannies, etc.
Thank you for the recipe. Waiting for it right now:) According to the reviews it’s going to be amazing!
But by the way, seems little bit (at least) impolite do not’r response for ?-s, as previous one;)
Usually people are inspired by the pic and since an any author is the first who’s tried or created a recipe, so, as result, we ask you guys.
Happy Holiday time to everyone!
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Have you ever tried adding pumpkin pie spice to the cake mix? Or does the cinnamon in the frosting add enough “spice” I love the spicyness of pumpkin pie…but don’t want it to be overpowering with cinnamon frosting. Anyone? Thoughts?
I just made the recipe but in cupcake form , and I wish I would have added some pumpkin spice to it. Don’t get me wrong, it turned out good, but i think it would have elevated the recipe. I’ll absolutely keep this recipe for my fall collections! Thank you!!
Hello,
I’m from the UK, I have researched and found out baking soda is the same as bicarbonate of soda.
However it says it should only be used as a rising agent if an acidic ingredient is in the cake.
Just checking that baking soda is definitely the same as bicarbonate of soda and that this case rises okay.
Not sure if I should be using baking powder?
Thank you,
Hollie
Hi there! American who used to live I. The UK and had the same problem except opposite when I moved there. Yes they are the same!
I need to bake this in a 9×13 dish. How should I adjust these cooking time?
Do you just grease the pans or grease AND flour the pans? Just baked a cake recently where the recipe just said to grease the pans and it did not come out of the pan. I had to completely ruin the cake to get it out. Would love to make this recipe for my daughter’s first birthday!
I spray my pans with Baker’s Joy and have never had an issue getting the cake out of the pans.
This cake is truly divine! You are right, its the best pumpkin cake I’ve tasted! I’m in Australia, and my sister celebrates thanksgiving every year. I decided upon this recipe and it was so moist and gorgeous. People were going back for seconds and asking for pieces to take home! Thank you so much for this recipe. I did add some spices to the base (cinnamon and small amounts of ginger, cloves, nutmeg, all spice) and also used cake flour instead. Yum yum yum, can’t wait to make it again. This cake tasted like Christmas !
This is the best cake recipe I have ever found. A real holiday favorite!
I love all things pumpkin, and this cake was good. The sweetness was just enough but it was lacking a little extra flavor. Not sure what but maybe I’ll try adding pumpkin pie spice to it next time. Thank you!
Any tips on adjusting this recipe for high altitude? Thanks!!!
Hi Judy, I sadly am not adept at high altitude conversions having always lived in the South. If you try it, please share what changes you needed to make so I can share with anyone else in a high altitude going forward. Thanks!
Help! Dumb question — the cakes are in the oven, and I am not sure whether they go in the freezer IN the pans, or remove them from the pans first?
You just put them directly in the freezer while still in the pans.
I have my cakes in the oven but I did add some cinnamon and pumpkin spice. I actually got to the end of the recipe before I noticed it wasn’t in there and I thought what?? Ha. I’m sure it’s still good but I definitely think pumpkin needs some spice. Can’t wait to try it later, I’m sure it’s going to be delish.
Thank you so much for this recipe, I love pumpkin and sweet potato cake so much: I wish I could take it off my screen to taste it. I really appreciate you for sharing it and I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Ok so somehow I left out the 1 cup of milk. I realized it after the batter was already in the oven. I kept a close eye on it and took it out of the oven a few minutes early. I was scared it was going to be dry and ruined. It is SO delicious! The icing is to DIE for. I actually used pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon. I will definitely be making this cake again. Next time maybe I will remember to put the milk in, but hey, maybe not!! I give this recipe 10/10
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk in this recipe?