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The Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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A moist, tender single-layer sheet cake packed with warm pumpkin spices and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for feeding a crowd at fall gatherings, holidays, or any cozy occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 can (15 oz or 425g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a half-sheet pan (18×13 inches) with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment and exposed pan sides.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
  3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk gently until just combined; do not overmix. Batter will be thick and smooth.
  4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula or spoon to about ½ inch thick.
  5. Bake on the middle rack for 22 to 26 minutes, until edges pull away from the pan, top springs back when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift the cake out and transfer to the wire rack to cool completely.
  7. While cake cools, make frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low to combine, then increase to medium-high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until light, fluffy, and spreadable.
  8. Once cake is completely cool, place on a serving board or platter. Spread cream cheese frosting evenly over the top with an offset spatula. Optionally, sprinkle with extra cinnamon or chopped pecans.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients ensure a smooth batter and frosting. Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender. Cool the cake completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting. The cake can be made a day ahead and frosted before serving. For a gluten-free version, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use dairy-free buttermilk substitute and dairy-free cream cheese.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin spice sheet cake, cream cheese frosting, fall dessert, sheet cake, pumpkin cake, easy pumpkin dessert

Find it online: https://shimmersnack.com/the-ultimate-pumpkin-spice-sheet-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/