This Pumpkin Cake is so moist and fluffy and loaded with pumpkin flavour. Topped with a luscious Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting, this will certainly become your new favourite Fall treat!
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Ok let’s dive right into this recipe because I am SO EXCITED to share it with you guys! If you’re one of the many people who’ve made and fell in love with my Pumpkin Cupcakes, then you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve created a sheet cake version of that recipe!!
And with Thanksgiving coming up, a pumpkin sheet cake is the perfect simple dessert to serve after dinner!
Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
Oh my God, this cake! I was just laying in bed amazed at how many people have been making those pumpkin cupcakes and telling me how much they loved them.
One reader said:
“Super yummy! The perfect fall bake! I followed the directions exactly and it turned out wonderful!” — Melanie
Couldn’t agree more, Melanie! So since you guys enjoyed those cupcakes so much, I know you’ll love this cake version too, however I did make a few delicious changes.
What To Love About This Pumpkin Cake
- Uses 2 full cups of real pumpkin purée and loads of Fall spices
- Super thick, soft, moist and fluffy
- Very easy to make, only a few simple ingredients needed
- Only need a whisk if your arm is strong enough 😀
- It’s a sheet cake instead of a layer cake, which equals less time and less skill
- The cream cheese frosting is flavoured with caramel AND pumpkin, along with more Fall spices!
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Cake
This pumpkin cake recipe is exactly the same as my pumpkin cupcakes, except I doubled the recipe. This means you may need to use a hand mixer instead of a whisk to make the mixing easier. Though, as I mentioned above, if you got a strong enough arm, go for the whisk! I tried using a whisk, but I’m all types of weak, so I had to bust out the good ole hand mixer.
Now to make the cake, start by whisking all the dry ingredients together. Flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt are all you need. Now in a separate larger bowl, add the pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, vegetable oil, brown sugar, white sugar and buttermilk and mix to combine.
I love using brown sugar in pumpkin recipes because it enhances the pumpkin flavour and adds even more moisture! And I’ve been telling y’all time and time again the wonders that buttermilk does to a recipe. Soft and tender texture for days!
Once the wet ingredients are combined, add the all of the dry mixture and mix until everything comes together. That’s it, that’s how easy this cake is!
I was baking cheesecake and stupidly forgot to increase my oven temperature while baking the cake until like 20 minutes later. But the baking time will be twice as long as the cupcakes baking time, so about 32-36 minutes. Remember, the cake is done when a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
Onto the frosting! Holy silky smooth heavens, this cream cheese frosting is out of this world!!! Here’s a fun fact, I was originally going to just make the same Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting I used with the cupcakes.
Though halfway through making the frosting, I stopped and thought to myself “you know, I’ve used this frosting time and time again. I should probably switch it up a bit”.
Then I got frustrated because my mind immediately went to browned butter cream cheese icing, because it paired so darn well with these pumpkin cinnamon rolls, but it was too late since I was already adding the icing sugar when I started having second thoughts. Then it hit me, I’ve made a ton of baked pumpkin desserts, but I’ve never tried making a pumpkin frosting before!
Not just pumpkin frosting, though — CARAMEL Pumpkin Frosting!!! I hadn’t added the caramel yet, but after 5 minutes of sinister smirking and cackling, I decided to try adding both caramel and pumpkin to the frosting like the evil genius I am.
And it worked!
I added some pumpkin purée, along with the traditional pumpkin spices, because it’s a crime to add one and not the other. Then I added the caramel and gave it a little taste test (I licked the beaters clean). After picking myself up off the ground, I thought this, THIS is one of the most delicious frostings I’ve ever made!
This is definitely one of the silkiest frostings I’ve ever made, but since I wanted the frosting to hold up for the photos, I refrigerated it for a bit. After refrigerating the cake, slicing, then bringing back to room temperature, the frosting holds up very nicely.
Oh, and this recipe makes a whole lot of frosting. But I mean look at how thick the cake is! I’m just tryna even things out here. I recommend spreading on half of the frosting first, then spreading on the second half when you’re done.
Finish the cake off with a drizzle of caramel sauce, I mean you’ll have extra leftover, so why not? And garnish with these adorable little pumpkin decorations.
And that my friends, is the perfect Fall bake.
Did you make this Pumpkin Cake? Let me know how they turned out in the comments below! And don’t forget to leave a rating!
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Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
This Pumpkin Cake is so moist and fluffy and loaded with pumpkin flavour. Topped with a luscious Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting, this will certainly become your new favourite Fall treat!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake:
- 3 cups All purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice*
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups canned pumpkin purée
- 4 large Eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Vegetable oil
- 1 and ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated Sugar
- ⅔ cup buttermilk, room temperature
Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 (8 oz.) package full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup caramel sauce (cooled completely)
Additional:
- Homemade Caramel Sauce, for drizzling
- Royal Icing Pumpkin Decorations
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), and grease a 9x13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and buttermilk. Mix, using a hand mixer, on medium speed until combined and smooth. Do not over mix.
- Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until everything is fully combined and smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 32-36 minutes or until a butterknife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
For the Caramel Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
- Add half of the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low until completely combined. Add spices and continue to beat until combined.
- Add pumpkin purée and beat until smooth and combined. Mix in caramel sauce.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, 5-6 minutes.
- Spread frosting on top of the cooled cake, drizzle with salted caramel sauce, if desired. And garnish with pumpkin candies. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pumpkin Spice: If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can substitute by using:
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice - Buttermilk: don’t have buttermilk? Substitute by combining 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar with ⅔ cup of room temperature whole milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Cupcakes: I’ve already created a cupcake version of this recipe, but this recipe is doubled so you can make twice as much. See here for recipe instructions.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 897Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 870mgCarbohydrates: 159gFiber: 3gSugar: 130gProtein: 8g
BON APPÉTIT!
Love, Dedra
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