Pumpkin Sheet Cake
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This pumpkin sheet cake is soft, moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with a thick layer of luscious cream cheese frosting. Using cake mix keeps it incredibly easy to make, while canned pumpkin adds rich flavor and an irresistibly tender crumb.
Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe
Pumpkin Sheet Cake
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It’s the perfect dessert for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, Halloween parties, potlucks, or anytime you’re craving pumpkin season in cake form.
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One of my favorite things about this recipe is how effortlessly it comes together. This recipe makes plenty of fluffy cake with room for a generous layer of frosting. It’s dense and sweet, and according to my husband, exactly how pumpkin cake should be.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is one of those recipes that’s almost impossible to mess up. The cake stays wonderfully moist thanks to the pumpkin puree, the warm pumpkin pie spice gives it classic fall flavor, and the tangy cream cheese frosting balances all that sweetness beautifully. It makes enough to feed a crowd, travels well, and is just as welcome at a holiday dinner as it is at a casual family gathering.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pumpkin Sheet Cake:
- Vanilla cake mix
- Pure pumpkin puree
- Eggs
- Pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream cheese, Butter, Vanilla extract, Powdered sugar
Step By Step Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into a lightly greased or parchment-lined 10×15-inch baking pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar until light and creamy, then spread evenly over the cooled cake.
Tips For the Best Pumpkin Sheet Cake
For extra fall flavor, sprinkle the finished cake with a little additional pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Let the cream cheese and butter come to room temperature before making the frosting for the smoothest texture.
Cool the cake completely before frosting so the frosting doesn’t melt.
Line your pan with parchment paper if you’d like easy cleanup and effortless serving.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover pumpkin sheet cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, wrap individual slices or the whole cake well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
This cake is best served chilled or after sitting at room temperature for about 20 minutes. It does not need to be reheated.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- No Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Pudding Shots
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
- See all our best pumpkin recipes!
How to Make Pumpkin Sheet Cake
Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- 10×15-inch jelly roll pan (or sheet cake pan)
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula or butter knife (for frosting)
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 boxes vanilla cake mix
- 2 cans pure pumpkin puree (15 ounces each)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces softened butter (2 sticks)
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line a 10×15-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice until completely combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Meanwhile, beat together the softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, beating until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
- Slice into 15 servings and enjoy.
Notes
- Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Tools We Love
- Spatula Set – The batter is ooey gooey and sticky. You for sure want to be using a spatula to make sure you’re properly measuring and using all your ingredients.
- Nordic Ware Sheet Pans – These are my ride or die sheet pans.
Other Great Cake Recipes
- Key Lime Poke Cake
- Strawberry Crunch Cake
- Texas Tornado Cake
- Chocolate Dump Cake
- Pineapple Poke Cake
- See all our best cake recipes!
Variations
- This cake is delicious as written, but it’s easy to customize.
- Garnish with a light dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice before serving.
- Fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter for a little crunch.
- Add mini chocolate chips for a pumpkin chocolate chip cake.
- Top with chopped toasted pecans after frosting.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! In fact, it’s even better after chilling for a few hours, giving the frosting time to set and the flavors to meld.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
You can, but canned pumpkin puree has a more consistent moisture level, which produces more reliable results.
Do I have to refrigerate it?
Yes. Because of the cream cheese frosting, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze pumpkin spice sheet cake?
Absolutely. Freeze the frosted or unfrosted cake tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Final thoughts
If you’re looking for an easy fall dessert that feeds a crowd, this pumpkin sheet cake with cream cheese frosting is hard to beat. The shortcut of cake mix keeps things simple, while the pumpkin and homemade cream cheese frosting make it taste completely homemade. It’s sweet, cozy, and guaranteed to disappear quickly, especially if my husband has anything to say about it!
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