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.
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.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- spice cake mix
- pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 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.
Spread batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 30 minutes until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.
In a 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.
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.
Pumpkin Spice Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box spice cake mix
- 15 ounce can pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 3 large eggs
- 4 ounce (½ block) cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup salted butter, softened
- 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
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.
Nutrition
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 can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: October 2012
Updated & republished: November 2020
Awilks
Made this in cupcake form with homemade frosting for a work potluck and with a table full of other desserts, these were the star of the show!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Woo hoo!! Love hearing that!!! Thank you!
Cathy Edwards
If at a high elevation (7000 feet), I am guessing to add flour to the cake mix? Is that correct?
LorrLee
Hi, Cathy, I'm at 8500ft and honestly, after several years of messing with it, I 've stopped adding extra flour to cakes. I add a tick ( about a 1 1/2 tbl spoons) more liquid if I have juice or 1 extra egg if not and I just keep close watch on the time. I have way better results now. BUT....cookies and brownies definitely need adjusting. Hope this helps. I'm making this later tonight and will post my outcome ????
Patty Ables
Can this be made as a roll?
pat
My husband does not like pumpkin could I substitute sweet potatoes
Jessica
How long if I make this as cupcakes?
Paula Roarx
Thank yo!u I'm making the cake now and I hope it turns out awesome!
leesuh
I always love recipes that cut out the oil. Delicious even without the frosting!
Meg
Could I substitute eggs for something different? Preferably a non dairy option.
Kenneka
How long do you think it would need to bake if I used a bunt pan?
Melissa
This sounds delicious! =)
Dorothy
I am making a pumpkin cake and it is going to be used on the top of a round tier cake and I was wondering if this recipe is crumbly and is it stable enough to be covered in fondant?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Dorothy, that is a good question and one I am not sure that I have a good answer for to be honest. The cake is super moist so I fear it may not be sturdy enough. However, having said that, I've never tried adding fondant to it so I can't say for sure. Perhaps if you are gentle with it, it will hold up. It's definitely not crumbly. 🙂
Courtney
I decorate cakes and I am making this cake for a Halloween Birthday party. The cake will be shaped like a Pumpkin. Now, I won't be using fondant but this might help: I ALWAYS add a box of instant pudding to my cakes to add some stability specifically so they hold up during decorating. I have not tried it yet with this recipe so I may have to add a splash of milk to the mix if it gets too thick. I won't know until I try it but I've never had any issues with adding pudding to these boxed mixes. The addition of pudding always helps when I decorate and adds a touch more flavor and strength without making the cake rubbery . I will be using vanilla pudding because I couldn't find any seasonal pumpkin flavored pudding. Hope this helps.
wendy holland
Do you follow the directions on the cake mix box?
Josie
According to the same recipe by Duncan Hines, it says No. just the eggs and the box of Spice mix and bake.
Josie
Oops, made a mistake. (Left that out) . meant add the pumpkin and eggs with the cake mix. Sorry!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Don't go by the back of the box - just go by the recipe as I have it listed. 🙂
Brandie @ The Country Cook
No. Go by the ingredients and directions I have listed above 🙂
Susan H.
I just made your cake recipe for a gathering, and it is so delicious and moist. Your cream cheese icing is easy to make and a wonderful addition to this favorable cake. Thank you so much. I will be making this cake often.
Nancy
I saw this on Pinterest yesterday and made it for a get-together last night.The cake was moist and the cream cheese frosting is our new favorite! Quick, easy and delicious, what more could you ask for? Thanks for sharing this.Nancy
Grace
This cake was fantastic - thank you! 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon added to the frosting is so good
Anonymous
The recipe just says canned pumpkin but in the directions it says pumpkin puree. Will it matter which?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Canned pumpkin is pumpkin puree. It's the same thing. You just don't want the canned pumpkin pie mixture because that has other added ingredients (evaporated milk, cinnamon, etc.). You just want straight-up pumpkin puree. Hope that helps!
Lisa Ann
Made this for work - it was gone in 10 minutes! So good!
Meghan
I just made the cake & icing!! Can't wait to eat it tonight!!
Laura Gysi
I made this as a last minute thought to take to some friends. I had made some cream cheese frosting the other day and had some left over. This cake is AWESOME!!! I received mant compliments and it's soo easy!!! THANKYOU!!!
Pamela
I am craving anything pumpkin so definitely saving this recipe. Thank you!
Carrie Wells
I love your blog! Homemade easy recipes!
Kari Lindsay
I live in South Florida and don't really miss the change of seasons ( I'm pretty sure that living in northern British Columbia as a child cured me of that). However, I sure am grateful that there are those who live where the seasons change, otherwise I wouldn't have any pumkins, apples, pears...Nor would I know it was time to change to fall cooking, or to my fall wardrobe!
Thanks for the fall recipes!
Jessica
This cake is the perfect cake for welcoming fall!
Leslie
Brandi, this cake looks yummy! I love pumpkin flavors, and cream cheese icing is one of my favorite things! The sweet baby pumpkin candies on top are the perfect final touch.
I'm very thankful to God for a change of seasons where I live, too! The leaves are just beginning to change here, and it's beautiful!
Blessings,
Leslie
Taylor
I love how simple this cake is!! I'm definitely cranking my oven back on after a summer of hibernation...I'm loving me some pumpkin too!