Pumpkin Sheet Cake
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This moist and flavorful pumpkin sheet cake takes everything you love about my pumpkin layer cake and makes it even easier to bake and assemble with the simplicity of one layer in a sheet pan. Spread my favorite cream cheese frosting on top and garnish with your favorite fall sprinkles.
MY FAVORITE Pumpkin Cake MADE EVEN EASIER
If you’ve ever had my brown butter pumpkin layer cake and loved it, you’ll be happy to know that this simpler, no-stacking-needed sheet cake version has as much to love with half the elbow grease. That layer cake has lived on my site since 2017, and while I’d never encourage someone not to make it, I do love a good sheet cake, as it simplifies cake baking while still preserving flavor and delivering on texture for maximum enjoyability.
While the recipe you see below includes a traditional cream cheese frosting, there’s no reason you can’t use the maple cinnamon cream cheese frosting included in my layer cake post, just be sure you’re halving the recipe since a sheet cake uses significantly less frosting than a stacked layer cake.
I also have a brown butter cream cheese frosting recipe that would be an amazing topping!
Looking for another way to get in your brown butter? You’re more than welcome to use browned butter in the cake batter! Check the recipe card for notes on doing that one, too.
Pumpkin SHEET Cake Ingredients
Here’s a visual of the ingredients you’ll need for this sheet cake. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and preparations of the ingredients for perfect results.
I love adding a plethora of spice to my pumpkin and gingerbread treats, so I include some black pepper alongside all of the other spices you’d expect to see in the ingredient list. I promise, the addition is subtle enough to be undetectable but really delivers on a punch of spiced flavor. You’re going to love it!
OVERVIEW: How to make a Pumpkin SHEET Cake
Dry ingredients: start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper, then set this mixture aside.
Wet ingredients: next, whisk together the melted butter, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until smooth.
Combine both ingredient groups: gently stir in the flour mixture until everything is just combined, then pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake.
Cool + add the frosting: once the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the cake.
CAN I TURN THIS RECIPE INTO CUPCAKES?
You’re in luck! I do have a recipe for pumpkin cupcakes.
Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
PUMPKIN CAKE
- 2 and ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter melted
- 1 and ½ cups pumpkin purée1
- 1 and ½ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (132g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature2
- ⅓ cup (80mL) buttermilk2
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 8 ounces (227g) full fat block cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 and ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
PUMPKIN CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease and flour (or use homemade cake release) a 9" x 13" sheet cake pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.2 and ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until smooth. Gently stir in the flour mixture until everything is just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.1 and ½ cups pumpkin purée1, 1 and ½ cups (250g) granulated sugar, ⅔ cup (132g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup (80mL) buttermilk2, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- Bake the cakes for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- In a large bowl with a handheld or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy.8 ounces (227g) full fat block cream cheese, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, 3 and ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar, pinch of salt
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the powdered sugar and salt. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting evenly onto the cake with an offset spatula. Leftovers stay fresh, covered tightly, at room temperature up to 5 days and in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Pumpkin: I always measure pumpkin purée with a measuring cup as the moisture content can wildly change the weight measurements, depending on the brand.
- Room temperature ingredients: it is important to use room temperature eggs when working with room temperature butter as it incorporates into batter much more evenly.
- Buttermilk: if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own– see my post about homemade buttermilk.
- Make this cake with browned butter: this recipe is adapted from my brown butter pumpkin layer cake. Brown ½ cup of unsalted butter, allow it to cool, and proceed with this recipe as instructed. See my post about how to brown butter if you need additional resources.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.