Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese and Streusel Topping

Yes, it’s pumpkin season, well pumpkin spice season is more like it. Pumpkin spice is my favorite flavor by far, and I love celebrating it with all sorts of amazing pumpkin desserts like this pumpkin cake with streusel topping. This pumpkin cake is extremely moist and packed with loads of delicious pumpkin flavor. The pumpkin cake, the cream cheese frosting, and the spiced streusel topping are all baked as one. The final result is the best pumpkin cake recipe with lots of texture that’s over-the-top delicious. It’s a very moist pumpkin cake that is always a huge hit everyone raves about. Especially when you sneak it into a lunch box.

This pumpkin cake looks impressive because of all the different layers, but it’s easy to make, and you bake it all at once. No separate frosting or decorating is required.

Because of the layers, this pumpkin cake is pretty enough to be served as a Thanksgiving dessert. The streusel topping and simple square cuts make it perfect to pack for lunches or potlucks.

How to Make a Pumpkin Cake

You can use canned pure pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe, do not use pumpkin pie filling. If using your own fresh pumpkin puree make sure to strain out any excess water before adding it to the cake.

If you prefer to use pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices (cloves, cinnamon, and ginger) you can use 2 tsp instead.

Pumpkin Cake Layer Ingredients

Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting Layer Ingredients

Streusel Topping Ingredients

How to Make Pumpkin Cake

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a square 8 inch pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

We will start by mixing together each layer of the pumpkin dessert, then put it all together at the end before placing it in the oven. This is a great recipe with layers that bake all together.

Step 1 – Mixing Pumpkin Cake Batter

In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients, pumpkin, egg, sugar, oil, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.

In a second bowl stir together the dry ingredients, flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and spices.

Set aside.

Step 2 – Cream Cheese Layer

In a medium bowl with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, and white sugar, and beat until creamy. Add the vanilla extract, mix again, and set aside.

Step 3 -Mixing Streusel Layer

In a separate bowl mix the butter with the two sugars until blended. Add the flour, then add the baking powder and spices to the flour mixture.

Mix until the crumbs are the size of small peas. Set aside.

Step 4 – Assembling the Pumpkin Cake Layers

This pumpkin is a bit different than other sheet cakes, the layers are all placed onto the cake sheet and baked at once.  For the pumpkin cake bottom layer, mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.  Mix until just combined and transfer the wet batter to the 8 by 8-inch prepared pan. Spread evenly.

For the middle cream cheese frosting layer. Place spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.

Lightly spread the cream cheese over the pumpkin batter in a thin layer, making sure not to combine the layers into a swirl.

Place the streusel crumbs all over the top and place in the oven.

Bake at 350 for 40-45min Let cool before slicing.

If you want to watch me whip this cake together check out my YouTube video.

Storing Pumpkin Cake

Once you bake the pumpkin cake, allow it to cool to room temperature on a wire rack completely before cutting it. To keep your cake store it well covered in the fridge, either in an airtight container, or you can just wrap it very well in plastic wrap. It will keep very well for up to 3 days in the fridge but it rarely lasts that long.

Making desserts ahead of time can take the stress out of holiday meal preparation. This pumpkin cake freezes well, just make sure to cool it completely first. You can keep your cake whole and wrap it very well in the baking pan. Or you can cut it into pieces and transfer it into an airtight container with a lid. If you want to have it premade for lunches, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and then place it in the airtight container. A frozen cake will keep well for up to 3 months. To use just let it thaw on the counter, once thawed place it in the fridge.

Pin This Pumpkin Cake Recipe Its Very Very Good!

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese and Streusel Topping

An extremely moist pumpkin cake packed with lots of pumpkin spice flavor. As easy to make cake with loads of texture and although easy to make, its a special Fall dessert.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Total Time:1 hour hr

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree canned or fresh
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger

Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting Layer Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Streusel Topping Ingredients

• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp baking powder

Instructions

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a square 8 inch pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
• We will start by mixing together each layer of the pumpkin dessert, then put it all together at the end before placing it in the oven. This is a great recipe with layers that bake all together.

Step 1 – Mixing Pumpkin Cake Batter

• In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients, pumpkin, egg, sugar, oil, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
  
• In a second bowl stir together the dry ingredients, flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and spices.
  
• Set aside.

Step 2 – Cream Cheese Layer

• In a medium bowl with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, and white sugar, and beat until creamy. Add the vanilla extract, mix again, and set aside.

Step 3 -Mixing Streusel Layer

• In a separate bowl mix the butter with the two sugars until blended. Add the flour, then add the baking powder and spices to the flour mixture.
  
• Mix until the crumbs are the size of small peas. Set aside.

Step 4 – Assembling the Pumpkin Cake Layers

• This pumpkin is a bit different than other sheet cakes, the layers are all placed onto the cake sheet and baked at once. For the pumpkin cake bottom layer, mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Mix until just combined and transfer the wet batter to the 8 by 8-inch prepared pan. Spread evenly.
• For the middle cream cheese frosting layer. Place spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.
  
• Lightly spread the cream cheese over the pumpkin batter in a thin layer, making sure not to combine the layers into a swirl.
• Place the streusel crumbs evenly over the top and place in the oven.
  
• Bake at 350 for 40-45 min Let cool before slicing.
  

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Keyword: Fall Dessert, Pumpkin Cake, pumpkin dessert, Thanksgiving Dessert

Servings: 8

Cost: $6

Other Fall Dessert Recipes to Try

Tomato Soup Spiced Cake

This tomato soup spiced cake recipe has loads of spicy flavor and lots of texture from the raisins and walnuts. If you have never had tomato soup spiced cake I really suggest trying it just once.

Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe

This is the classic pumpkin pie recipe you remember from your Mother or Grandmother. It’s a classic recipe I have had for longer than I want to admit. I added a video tutorial for new bakers.

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is no bake, meaning the cheesecake filling is light and airy. Full of pumpkin spice flavour my family asks for it every…….single…..year!