Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
I feel so fortunate to live in a state that sees all four seasons. When one season has begun to wear out it’s welcome, a new one approaches. When each new season starts, it’s like a breath of fresh air. We remember all the fun and wonderful things about that particular season. I think the hot, hot days of summer help me to appreciate the cooler days of fall. Just as the frigid cold and snowy days of winter help me to welcome spring with open arms. And along with fall, comes fall foods. Soups and stews, pumpkins and apples and spices.
Starts with a boxed cake mix
Many folks who have hardly used their oven all summer long are cranking them back up again. Recipes that haven’t seen the light of day in nearly a year are being brought back out. And one of those recipes for me is this Pumpkin Spice Cake. Now, if I’m being completely open and honest, I could really make this any time of year. Sometimes in the summer, I get a hankering for fall flavors. I’ve been known to make a pumpkin pie in the middle of July. It helps me imagine cooler temperatures in the scorching heat of summer. 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.
Ingredients:
1 box spice cake mix
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 eggs
For the icing:
1/2 block (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. I like the cooking spray that has flour in it.
In a bowl, mix together cake mix, pumpkin puree and eggs.
Spread mixture into baking dish.
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. Now, if you like, you could certainly use a store-bought frosting. I ain’t judgin’, I use this lots of time too. But if you have the time and energy, I’m gonna show you how to make some cream cheese frosting.
In your mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth. This is easiest using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer.
Add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
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.
It looks like my mixer is going fast here but I really just had it on the low speed. Mix until smooth then spread on cooled cake.
Cut and serve.
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.
Cook’s Note: This cake needs to be kept refrigerated. This can also be made into muffins as well.
Pumpkin Spice Cake
This Pumpkin Spice Cake starts with a boxed cake mix that has canned pumpkin puree added in. All topped with a delicious homemade cream cheese frosting!
Print Pin RatePrep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 361kcal
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 3 eggs
- 4 oz cream cheese softened (1/2 block)
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp 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 mixture into baking dish.
- 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.
- And lastly, mix in the milk.
- Mix until smooth then spread on cooled cake.
- Cut and serve.
Notes
Keep refrigerated.
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 175mg | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2.3mg
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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!
Thank you so much Mary Catherine! I love all your tips and suggestions too!