This post may contain affiliate links.
The most delicious Pumpkin Layer Cake! It taste like a delicious pumpkin spice latte. This cake has incredible soft and moist pumpkin cake layers covered with a delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting. This is the ultimate fall layer cake and this pumpkin layer cake is bound to steal your heart and make you reach for another slice.
This pumpkin cake recipe is for any pumpkin fans! It has delicious layers of moist pumpkin cake layered together with a smooth cinnamon cream cheese frosting that will send you straight to fall dessert paradise. This cake is full of warm spices and feels like a warm hug.
For more pumpkin recipes, try Pumpkin Cupcakes, Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins.
Jump to:
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Pumpkin cake layers: This cake is full of delicious pumpkin flavor. This cake has both pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice for the ultimate pumpkin flavor.
- Cinnamon cream cheese frosting: This smooth frosting is super easy to make and perfectly complements the pumpkin cake.
- Show stopper: This cake is simple decorated with cinnamon and mini fondant pumpkins, making it a showstopper of cake.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cakes. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Dark brown sugar: The brown sugar helps add extra toffee flavor to the cakes.
- Baking powder : Help leaven and rise the cakes, so it has a fluffy texture.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the cakes.
- Egg: Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so they come to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Vegetable oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
- Pumpkin puree: Use canned pumpkin puree or make a homemade pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling. See how to make a homemade pumpkin puree in the FAQ further down the blog post.
- Pumpkin spice: Use either a store bought or homemade pumpkin spice mix. See notes under the recipe for the recipe of a homemade pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice are added to the cakes to enhance the pumpkin flavor.
- Cream cheese: For the cream cheese frosting I recommend using full fat cream cheese.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake this Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. This recipe needs an electric mixer, two large bowls, a whisk and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven. Prepare 3 x 20 (8-inch) baking pan with parchment paper.
STEP 1: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.
STEP 2: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir it all together with a whisk or a rubber spatula. Make sure there is no dry flour left in the batter.
STEP 3: Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans, and spread the cake batter into an even layer, and bake them for 23-25 minutes, in the preheated oven, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack.
STEP 4: For the frosting, in your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 5 minutes on high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix for 2 minutes.
STEP 5: Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract and cream cheese and cream it together with the butter for 1 minute. Mix the sifted powdered sugar in 2 parts, letting the powdered sugar mix in with butter and cream cheese before adding the next part.
STEP 6: Place the first cooled cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. Add 2 big scoops of frosting and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and repeat the process. Add the last cake layer and cover the whole cake in the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Optional, make a wavy design with the frosting, using the offset spatula and decorate with cinnamon and pumpkin decorations.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
To check when they are done, insert a cake tester or a toothpick in the cakes. Once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, they are done.
Yes, let the cake layers cool down at room temperature, then wrap them in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature. Want to make them more than one day ahead, place them in the freezer. Store the cinnamon cream cheese frosting in the fridge covered by plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Let it come to room temperature before giving it a mix to remove the air bubbles.
Preheat the oven at 200ºC/390ºF conventional oven. Half a pumpkin e.g. a hokkaido pumpkin. Remove the seeds and place it upside down so it sits flat on the baking tray with baking paper and bake until soft, about 30-40 minutes. Then scrape out the pumpkin meat and add it to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Let it cool down, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Not having 3 pans is no problem. If you for example have two pans then add ⅓ of the batter to each of the two pans and let the last ⅓ batter stay in your mixing bowl. Then when the two cakes have baked and cooled down for 5 minutes, release them from the pan and let them cool down on a wire rack. Then you can wash one of the baking pans, add new baking paper, and pour the remaining batter in the pan and bake the last layer. It completely okay for the batter to sit on your kitchen counter while the other cakes bake.
HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
Mix together 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground cloves, ¾ teaspoon ground allspice. Store at in a cupboard in an airtight container.
HOW TO STORE
Store this Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting in the fridge in an airtight container. When wanting to eat it, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. It's best enjoyed within a 2-3 days.
Other Fall Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 3x 20 cm (8 in) baking pan see FAQ if you don't have 3 baking pans
Ingredients
PUMPKIN CAKE LAYERS
- 360 g all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice see notes below recipe to make homemade pumpkin spice
- 450 g dark brown sugar
- 560 g pumpkin purée room temperature
- 150 g oil room temperature
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 300 g butter
- 150 g full-fat cream cheese
- 540 g powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
PUMPKIN CAKE LAYERS
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and line 3x 20 cm/8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.360 g all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice, 450 g dark brown sugar
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.560 g pumpkin purée, 150 g oil, 4 eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir it all together with a whisk or a rubber spatula. Make sure there is no dry flour left in the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pans and spread the cake batter into an even layer. Bake them for 23-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Take the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge 10 minutes before starting. Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the powdered sugar.300 g butter, 150 g full-fat cream cheese, 540 g powdered sugar
- In your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 5 minutes on high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix for 2 minutes.
- Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract and cream cheese and cream it together with the butter for 1 minute.2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and on low speed, mix the sifted powdered sugar in 2 parts, letting the powdered sugar mix in with the butter and cream cheese before adding the next part. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix for 2 minutes.
ASSEMBLING
- Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the layer cake without it.
- Add 2 big scoops of frosting and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and repeat the process. Add the last cake layer and cover the whole cake in the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake.
- Optional, make a wavy design with the frosting, using the offset spatula and decorate with a dusting of cinnamon and mini fondant pumpkin decorations.
Scott Rink
Can this recipe be used to make cupcakes?
Julie Marie
I have a separate recipe for cupcakes called 'Pumpkin Cupcakes'. You can find it under the Cupcakes category or using the search bar 🙂
Denise Griben
I haven’t even eaten the cake yet, but I wanted to commend you on your recipe construction! I like to have my recipes in order of ingredients as they are used ✅, I also like to use a scale ✅ and the bonus was having the directions with the amounts listed. I will continue to follow your recipes as I really feel you have put the time in and know that the product will come out great. Thank you for your attention to detail, I really appreciate it!
Sarah
Delicious! I was being silly and thought 1 can of pumpkin would be enough despite it literally saying it only has 425 grams on the can… so I used about 100 grams of applesauce to make up for it and it turned out great 🙂 I was worried the texture or moisture content would be thrown off but it’s perfectly fine to me and everyone loved it!