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A plate with a thick slice of pumpkin cake. The cake has three layers, orange pumpkin cake bottom, then a light cream cheese center, finally golden brown struesel topping. There is a large plate of the pumpkin cake in the background.
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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese and Streusel Topping

An extremely moist pumpkin cake packed with lots of pumpkin spice flavor. This easy to make cake has loads of texture, and although simple to prepare, it makes a special fall dessert.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Canadian
Keyword Fall Dessert, Pumpkin Cake, pumpkin dessert, Thanksgiving Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Cost $6

Ingredients

  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree canned or fresh
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 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 icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Streusel Topping Ingredients

  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup all-purpose 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°F. Grease an 8-inch square 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 pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.
    Mixing cream cheese and pumpkin in a large stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
  • In a second bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices.
    Mixing together the dry ingredients for soft and chewy pumpkin cookies.
  • 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 and both sugars until well blended. Add the flour, baking powder, and spices, then stir until combined.
    Mixing the ingredients for a pumpkin cookie recipe in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
  • Mix until the crumbs are the size of small peas. Set aside.

Step 4 - Assembling the Pumpkin Cake Layers

  • This pumpkin cake is a bit different from other sheet cakes because all the layers are added to the pan and baked at once. For the pumpkin cake bottom layer, stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Mix until just combined, then transfer the batter to the prepared 8-inch square pan and spread evenly.
  • For the middle cream cheese frosting layer. Place spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.
    Adding dollops of cream cheese frosting to pumpkin cake 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.
    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.
  • Bake 45–60 minutes, or until the edges are set, the center springs back lightly when touched. If the top browns before the center sets, tent loosely with foil and continue baking. Let cool before slicing.
    A plate with a thick slice of pumpkin cake. The cake has three layers, orange pumpkin cake bottom, then a light cream cheese center, finally golden brown struesel topping. There is a large plate of the pumpkin cake in the background.