Moist Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ouadie Rhabbouron

 

This is the best pumpkin cake recipe! It's one of those essential recipes that must be in your collection during the holiday season. The batter stirs together in just 10 minutes, the cake has a short bake time, and the cream cheese frosting is easy to whip up. I've tested this recipe several times over the years to find just the right balance of sweetness, spice, and moisture. It's fluffy and tender, and the cream cheese frosting really sets it apart. The flavor combination of cozy spices and subtly tangy frosting is absolutely out of this world!

Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Cake

  • Moist, fluffy, and tender crumb

  • Batter stirs together in just 10 minutes

  • Short bake time (only 30 minutes!)

  • Perfect balance of pumpkin and spices

  • Luxurious cream cheese frosting

  • Make-ahead friendly (freezes beautifully!)

  • Stays moist for several days

  • Perfect for the busy holiday season

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Pumpkin Puree – Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. Libby's is my preferred brand as it's thick with rich color and flavor. Different brands vary in consistency—if your pumpkin is watery, blot it on paper towels to absorb the extra liquid. This prevents a dense, wet cake.

Oil – I use vegetable oil, but another neutral-flavored oil like light olive oil works well. Oil lends the cake incredible moisture, keeping it soft and tender for days. Some readers substitute half the oil for applesauce (it will be slightly less fluffy but stays super moist).

Leavening – Using both baking powder and baking soda ensures the pumpkin cake gets the best rise, becomes fluffy, and browns properly. Together, they create a more even rise and a perfectly level cake.

Spices – Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and freshly grated nutmeg infuse every bite with warm fall flavor. You can replace the individual spices with 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting – Use unsalted butter, full-fat brick-style cream cheese (not spreadable tub kind), vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar. The tub kind yields runny frosting with an unpleasantly gummy texture.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 1¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour

  • 1½ tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp baking soda

  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon

  • ½ tsp ground ginger

  • ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

  • 1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin puree

  • ⅔ cup neutral oil (vegetable or light olive oil)

  • 2 large eggs, room temperature

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 8 oz full-fat cream cheese (brick style), room temperature

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • Pinch of salt

  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar

Instructions

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