Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Published September 18, 2016. Updated December 2, 2018

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The perfect Pumpkin Cake for a crowd…or the family like mine that’s obsessed with pumpkin cake! Not only does this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting taste deliciously divine but it’s the perfect thing to make to feed a group of people during the fall season and you’ll love how easy it is to prepare and frost!

Slice of Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting served on a white plate. Decorated on top with pecans and candy pumpkin in the center.

Sheet Pan Pumpkin Cake

This cake has the perfect soft and moist texture, the most irresistible spiced pumpkin flavor, and the sweet, slightly tangy cream cheese frosting just makes this cake shine.

It is one of those dangerous desserts to have in your home, trust me I learned the hard way (especially considering I made three of them trying to get the cake perfect).

Pumpkin cake cooked in a sheet pan.

Even though this is just a sheet cake it will likely be one of the best pumpkin cakes you’ve ever tasted! Everyone will be savoring it down to the last crumb.

Add this recipe to your fall baking list, after one taste you’ll be so glad you did!

Cream cheese frosting in a glass mixing bowl, for pumpkin cake.

The Cream Cheese Frosting is a Must!

The rich cream cheese frosting on this cake is so dreamy! It’s one of the best kinds of frosting and it’s really easy to make.

If you want to firm it up a bit you can freeze it in 3 minute increments and mix between freezing, until it’s as firm as you like. Then store the frosted cake in the fridge.

Overhead image of 24 slices of pumpkin cake in a baking sheet.

More Favorite Fall Cakes to Try!

Now I have a close tie between my favorite fall cakes. Among them there’s this layered Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting and this Autumn Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and now adding this one to the list.

I guess I’ll just have to rotate the three of them. And I don’t think anyone will be complaining about that.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Cooking Classy

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5 from 12 votes

Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft, moist, perfectly spiced pumpkin cake is topped with a decadent rich cream cheese frosting. It's baked in a sheet pan so this is the perfect dessert to make for a crowd. I'm yet to meet someone who doesn't love this!
Servings: 24
Prep25 minutes
Cook20 minutes
Cool2 hours
Ready in: 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

  • For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves for 20 seconds, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment blend together granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined and there are no clumps of brown sugar (break them up with your fingertips if needed). 
  • Mix in melted butter and oil. Blend in eggs one at a time. Add in pumpkin, vanilla and milk and blend until combined. 
  • With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined. 
  • Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and fold batter several times with a spatula to ensure it's evenly incorporated. 
  • Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 - 25 minutes. 
  • Allow to cool completely on a wire rack then frost with cream cheese frosting and top with nuts if desired.
  • For the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer whip together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. 
  • Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for a few minutes until light and fluffy*.

Notes

  •  If frosting is a little runny you can freeze in bowl for a few minutes then mix again, repeating a few times as needed for a thicker consistency.
Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Amount Per Serving
Calories 398 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 68mg23%
Sodium 187mg8%
Potassium 125mg4%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 36g40%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 3285IU66%
Vitamin C 0.7mg1%
Calcium 50mg5%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.