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Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Pumpkin Spice Cake starts with a boxed cake mix with pumpkin puree and topped with a delicious homemade buttery cream cheese frosting!

FALL FLAVORS WRAPPED UP IN AN EASY CAKE

This tasty and incredibly easy cake combines those spice flavors of fall with creamy pumpkin and is topped off with a buttery cream cheese frosting. This is definitely a family favorite in our house and makes for a great potluck dessert as well.

slice of pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting, shown on a small round white plate.

TIPS FOR MAKING PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE:

  • If you can’t find spice cake mix, try using a carrot cake mix.
  • This can also be made into muffins as well.
  • The cream cheese needs to be fully softened before making the frosting. This will help it whip up more creamy without any lumps.
  • This cake needs to be kept refrigerated.
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from The Country Cook, slice shown on a small white plate and topped with a candy pumpkin.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • spice cake mix – my favorite is Duncan Hines brand but I can’t always get my hands on it. Use whatever brand you enjoy. This recipe works even with some of the changes in cake mix sizes. Some are now 13 ounces and some are still 15 ounces – it works with both.
  • pure pumpkin puree – the can will usually say “pure pumpkin.” Do not get pumpkin pie filling.
  • large eggs – if you have time, let the eggs come to room temperature, this produces a lighter, fluffier cake and helps them blend into the batter better.
  • cream cheese – make sure this is fully softened to room temperature (don’t melt it in the microwave) or else the cream cheese will have lumps in it that you’ll never get out.
  • butter – this also needs to be room temperature. I use salted butter but you can use unsalted butter, you don’t need to add any additional salt.
  • powdered sugar – I’ll be honest, I never sift the powdered sugar, but if you are a sifter, go for it.
  • vanilla extract – instead of vanilla extract, try a maple extract. Pumpkin and maple go really nicely together. I believe some brands are now making a pumpkin spice extract.
  • milk – I always prefer whole milk or heavy cream for frosting but you could use 2%.
spice cake mix, canned pumpkin puree, large eggs, cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk.

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9″x 13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. I like the cooking spray that has flour in it (Baker’s Joy). In a bowl, mix together cake mix, pumpkin puree and eggs.

pumpkin puree, eggs and spice cake mix in a large, clear mixing bowl.

Spread batter into prepared baking dish.

pumpkin spice cake batter spread evenly into a rectangle, white baking dish.

Bake for about 30 minutes until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.

fully baked pumpkin spice cake in a white baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth. This is easiest using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer.

butter and cream cheese mixed with an electric mixer until smooth in a clear bowl.

Add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

powdered sugar added to cream cheese and butter mixture in a bowl.

Then stir in vanilla. Remember, if using a stand mixer, it’s important that you periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl so all the ingredients get incorporated. And lastly, mix in the milk.

cream cheese frosting, fully mixed, in a clear bowl.

Mix until smooth then spread on cooled cake.

cream cheese frosting spread onto goole pumpkin spice cake in a white baking dish.

Cut and serve.

sliced pumpkin spice cake in a baking dish, one slice shown raised above the cake on a spatula.

I like to put these little mallow creme pumpkins on top of the slices. If you are taking it to a potluck, it lets folks know that this is something with pumpkin in it.

Two slices of pumpkin spice cake shown on small white plates with a bottle of milk in the background.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Originally published: October 2012
Photos updated & republished: November 2020

Pumpkin Spice Cake (+Video)

This Pumpkin Spice Cake starts with a boxed cake mix with pumpkin puree and topped with a delicious homemade buttery cream cheese frosting!
4.83 from 81 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1 box box spice cake mix
  • 15 ounce can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 4 ounce (1/2 block) cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a bowl, mix together cake mix, pumpkin puree and eggs until thoroughly combined.
  • Spread batter into baking dish. (Batter will be thick)
  • Bake for about 30 minutes until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely then make frosting.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth (this is easiest with an electric mixer).
  • Add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  • Then stir in vanilla extract.
  • And lastly, mix in the milk.
  • Mix until smooth then spread on cooled cake.
  • Cut and serve.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • If you can’t find spice cake mix, try using a carrot cake mix.
  • This can also be made into muffins as well.
  • The cream cheese needs to be fully softened before making the frosting. This will help it whip up more creamy without any lumps.
  • This cake needs to be kept refrigerated.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 375mg | Sugar: 40g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




53 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made cake according to directions but baked in a Bundt pan according to the minimum timing on the box. Excellent results!! Moist and not too spicy or sweet. Definitely will make this part of fall cooking.

  2. 5 stars
    I made this for my co workers. I had this recipe years ago but had lost it.
    Simple recipe with so little ingredients! I did add a crumb topping and then drizzled cream cheese frosting on it instead of just the cream cheese frosting. So good! Thank you!

  3. 5 stars
    Used a gluten free yellow cake mix and added 3tsp of pumpkin pie spice. Came out delicious and perfect for my wife with celiacs. Thank you for the base recipe.

  4. If I make this recipe the night before do you think it will be okay for the day after? What about the frosting?

  5. Sound delicious. Can I make cupcakes with this batter and how many do you think they will makes. Thank you

  6. 5 stars
    Is this cake stackable? I’d like to use this recipe for a six inch baby shower naked cake. It sure does sound yummy!

  7. 5 stars
    I haven’t even cut into it yet, but I can TELL already that it is going to be moist and delicious! It only took 25-26 minutes for my cake to bake because my oven is only a few years old and tends to bake faster than most. Like one of the earlier comments, I also appreciate substituting for oil in recipes whenever possible. A can of pumpkin puree is a wonderful way to avoid the oil called for in the boxed mix instructions. It also adds moisture and nutrition! Besides, when it comes to making anything with a boxed mix, DUNCAN HINES has always been my favorite brand!