Pumpkin Cake is the perfect fall dessert. Layers of moist and fluffy pumpkin cake filled with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and a middle layer of homemade pumpkin curd.

Pumpkin cake is an absolute classic. I've made it in many forms, including my Pumpkin Bundt Cake and Pumpkin Cupcakes. But this layer cake is something really special and it makes the perfect cake for Thanksgiving dessert or parties around the holidays.
For starters, the pumpkin cake itself is unbelievably soft and moist, and it's so full of pumpkin flavor. It is perfectly spiced to give it some warmth, and the tangy cream cheese frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness. But that pumpkin curd is what really brings it home for me. An extra hit of rich, delicious pumpkin flavor right in the middle of each slice. I can't imagine a better way to celebrate pumpkin season!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's the best pumpkin cake recipe you'll ever try.
- Luxurious cinnamon cream cheese frosting compliments the warm spices perfectly.
- The pumpkin curd gives it a 'wow' factor.
Ingredients
It might seem like this pumpkin spice cake has a lot of ingredients, but they are simple ingredients and we will use many of them more than once between the cake, the frosting, and the curd.
- Pumpkin Purée - The star of the show. Make sure you buy 100% pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling (the cans look similar).
- Butter - We need butter for the cake, frosting, and curd. It's best to use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt.
- Sugar - We'll use both white sugar and light brown sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar gives a bit of depth to the flavor and gives a hint of molasses.
- Eggs - Whole eggs for the cake and curd, plus a couple of extra egg yolks for the curd. Use large eggs, preferably free-range.
- Flour - All-purpose flour is best.
- Vanilla - Use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Oil - This helps to keep the pumpkin cake super moist. I use vegetable oil but you can use any kind of flavorless oil like canola oil or sunflower oil.
- Milk - Use full-fat milk (whole milk), this will help to create a fluffy texture and soft crumb.
- Spices - I like to use ground ginger and cinnamon, but you can just use pumpkin pie spice or any combination of your favorite fall spices.
- Cream Cheese - For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Use full-fat cream cheese and make sure it is not the 'spreadable' kind.
- Powdered Sugar - Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar. This will sweeten and thicken the frosting.
Make sure the butter, eggs, and cream cheese are all at room temperature before beginning.
See the recipe card for quantities and full instructions.
How to Make Pumpkin Cake
This easy pumpkin cake recipe only has a few simple steps.
Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare two 8-inch cake pans. I like to spray mine with baking spray and put parchment paper circles on the bottom of each cake pan.
Cream Butter and Sugars
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until combined.
Add Eggs
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add Pumpkin
Mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla, don't worry if the batter looks curdled after adding the pumpkin, it will come back together when we add the flour.
Sift Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients including flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix together.
Add Dry Ingredients
Add half of the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture then slowly mix it in until just combined.
Wet Ingredients
Pour in the milk and oil, then mix until incorporated.
Add the Remaining Flour Mixture
Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated.
Bake
Divide the cake batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for an hour before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Measuring Ingredients: I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's very difficult to measure accurately with cups and this can mess up your bakes.
Make the Pumpkin Curd
Make the Curd
If you want to add the curd, make it according to my pumpkin curd recipe and let it cool completely before filling and frosting your pumpkin cake.
The pumpkin curd recipe makes more curd than you will need for this cake, so you'll have some left over to use in other desserts or to drizzle over your yogurt or pancakes!
How to Make Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream
Beat the room temperature butter until creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat them together until combined and smooth.
Add Powdered Sugar
Sift in the powdered sugar and mix in very slowly, then turn up to high speed and beat for 1 minute.
Note: If you are using the spreadable cream cheese from a tub, instead of a block, you may need more powdered sugar to make the frosting thick enough.
Add Cinnamon
Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat for another minute.
Assemble Pumpkin Layer Cake
Torte
Once the cakes have completely cooled, cut the tops off so they are nice and flat, then cut each cake in half so you have four thin cake layers.
(You can also totally leave this as two thicker cake layers if you prefer).
Stack and Fill
Stack the layers of cake on your cake plate or cake board, filling with an even layer of cream cheese frosting in between each layer.
Add Curd
In the middle layer, pipe a ring of frosting all around the outside of the cake, then fill the middle with pumpkin curd. Then add the next layer on as usual.
Frost and Decorate
Once all the cake layers are added, spread cream cheese frosting all over the sides and top of the cake. I went for a semi-naked cake look, but you can decorate however you like.
Pumpkin Swirl
If you would like a pumpkin swirl like I have in the pictures, Spread a layer of frosting over the top of the cake, then put a dollop of pumpkin curd in the middle. Hold a spatula or palette knife on top of the curd and apply a little pressure while you spin the cake around on a turntable or plate, and slowly move your hand outward to create a swirl.
Stacking Tip
If you find that your frosting is a little soft and the cake is slipping around while you frost it, you can put it in the fridge to set up once you have stacked all the layers - this will make it much easier to frost and decorate.
Variations
- Sheet Cake - A lot of popular pumpkin cake recipes are sheet cakes, you can absolutely use this recipe in a sheet pan instead and just spread the curd and frosting on top.
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake - For an extra layer of luxury, you could add some chocolate chips to the pumpkin batter before baking.
- Nuts - Throw in a few handfuls of chopped nuts for some lovely crunch and extra flavor. My favorite are pecans or walnuts.
- Maple Cream Cheese Frosting - If you aren't keen on the cinnamon, add a few tablespoons of maple syrup to the frosting instead for a different flavor profile.
- Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting - For an extra decadent and sophisticated flavor, try this pumpkin cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting instead!
Equipment
- Stand Mixer - I like to prepare both the pumpkin cake batter and the cream cheese frosting in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but a hand mixer will work too.
- 8-inch Cake Pans
- Saucepan - for the pumpkin curd.
Storage
Once the pumpkin cake has been frosted it will need to be stored in the refrigerator as the cinnamon cream cheese frosting contains dairy. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy it within 5 days.
If you are making the pumpkin cake ahead of time, you can store it at room temperature in an airtight container or in plastic wrap for 3-5 days before frosting it.
FAQ
Though I am usually all about using fresh ingredients, in this instance canned pumpkin puree will likely give better results. That's just because fresh pumpkins can be very watery and can be unpredictable in baking because of the varying water content.
You can use fresh pumpkin if you really want to, but I recommend trying to remove as much of the liquid from it as possible first by squeezing and blotting it with paper towels.Â
Yes, the pumpkin curd is completely optional. Personally, I think it really adds something to the finished dessert, but if you don't want to add it you can just leave it out.Â
Absolutely. To make this pumpkin cake as a sheet cake, just pour the batter into your regular sheet pan instead of the round cake pans. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your pans.Â
More Pumpkin Recipes
Looking for Whether you can't get enough of pumpkin season, or you just have some leftover pumpkin puree to use up, I'm sure you'll love some of these other pumpkin desserts!
Recipe
Pumpkin Cake
Equipment
- Saucepan for pumpkin curd
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cake
- 2 stick Unsalted Butter 227g (room temperature)
- 1 cup White Sugar 200g
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar 220g
- 4 Large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 can Pumpkin Puree 15oz / 425g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 ¾ cups All-purpose Flour 330g
- 3 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ cup Milk 120g (room temperature)
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8oz oz Cream Cheese 227g (room temperature)
- 1 stick Butter 113g (room temperature)
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar 480g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
For the Pumpkin Curd (optional)
- 1 can Pumpkin Puree 15oz / 425g
- 1 cup White Sugar 200g
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 tablespoon Orange Juice
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1 stick Butter 113g
Instructions
Make the Pumpkin Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare two 8-inch cake pans.
- In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until combined.2 stick Unsalted Butter, 1 cup White Sugar, 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.4 Large Eggs
- Mix in the pumpkin puree and vanilla, don't worry if the batter looks curdled after adding the pumpkin, it will come back together when we add the flour.1 can Pumpkin Puree, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- In a large bowl, sift together the remaining dry ingredients and mix.2 ¾ cups All-purpose Flour, 3 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Salt, 3 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, 2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- Add half of the flour mixture to the pumpkin batter and mix it in slowly.
- Pour in the milk and oil, then mix until incorporated.¼ cup Vegetable Oil, ½ cup Milk
- Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
Make the Pumpkin Curd (optional)
- If you want to add the pumpkin curd as a filling inside the cake, make sure you make it early enough that it has time to cool before you fill and frost the cake. You can find instructions on how to make the pumpkin curd recipe here.
Make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the room-temperature butter until creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat them together until combined and smooth.1 stick Butter, 8oz oz Cream Cheese
- Sift in the powdered sugar and mix in very slowly, then turn up the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.4 cups Powdered Sugar
- Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat for another minute.1 teaspoon Vanilla, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Assemble and Decorate
- Once the cakes have completely cooled, remove them from the cake pans and use a cake leveler or serrated knife to cut the tops off so they are totally flat.
- If you want 4 thin layers like I have in the pictures, cut each cake layer in half. This is optional, you can just have two thicker layers if you like.
- Stack the cake layers, filling an even layer of cinnamon cream cheese frosting in between as you go.
- If you are adding the pumpkin curd, add it to the middle layer. Pipe a ring of cream cheese frosting around the outer border of the cake first to stop the pumpkin curd from leaking out the side. Fill in with curd and then continue stacking your cake as normal. You could also put pumpkin curd in every layer if you wanted to, this recipe makes enough curd for that.
- Once you are done stacking, cover the whole cake in a thin layer of cream cheese frosting and decorate however you like.
- If you want to achieve the pumpkin swirl as I have in the pictures, Spread a layer of cream cheese frosting all over the top of the cake, then add a dollop of pumpkin curd in the middle. Use a palette knife or spatula to create a swirl by holding it still on the cake while you turn the cake on a turntable or plate and slowly moving the spatula outwards.
Notes
It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
Chris Radwanski
You somehow brought the flavors of pumpkin pie into a cake and I can not express how happy I am to eat this. The curd was the real star in my books. YUM!