This Best Ever Pumpkin Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting is a moist, warmly spiced 9-by-13-inch dessert that serves 12 to 16 people. The easy one-pan cake takes about 20 to 25 minutes to prepare and 30 to 35 minutes to bake, followed by cooling time before the frosting is added.
Pure pumpkin purée keeps every bite tender, while cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves create classic fall flavor. The creamy frosting combines full-fat cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and bourbon for a smooth, lightly spirited finish that makes this cake perfect for holidays, potlucks, birthdays, and cozy weekend baking.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This pumpkin cake has the comfort of homemade spice cake with the convenience of a simple sheet pan dessert. There is no need to divide batter between multiple pans or assemble delicate layers, yet every square looks generous and party-ready once covered with frosting.
The crumb is soft and moist because pumpkin purée and vegetable oil work together to retain tenderness. Brown sugar contributes a subtle caramel note, while the mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves gives the cake a balanced spice profile rather than a one-note cinnamon flavor.
The bourbon cream cheese frosting is the finishing touch. Cream cheese provides a gentle tang, butter adds richness, and bourbon brings warm vanilla, oak, and caramel-like notes that pair beautifully with pumpkin.
If you are planning a larger dessert table, you can also browse these pumpkin cheesecake bars for another festive pumpkin option. Both desserts can be prepared ahead, making entertaining less hectic.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gather the cake ingredients before you begin so the batter comes together quickly. Room-temperature eggs blend more easily with the oil and pumpkin, helping create an even texture throughout the cake.
- Flour and leaveners: All-purpose flour forms the structure, while baking powder and baking soda help the cake rise.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves provide the warm autumn character.
- Sugars: Granulated sugar sweetens the batter cleanly, while packed light brown sugar adds moisture and depth.
- Wet ingredients: Neutral vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla create a smooth, rich batter.
- Frosting ingredients: Full-fat cream cheese, unsalted butter, sifted confectioners’ sugar, bourbon, vanilla, and salt make a creamy spread.
Choose a can labeled pure pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and seasoned, so substituting it would change both the flavor and the consistency of this recipe.
For the frosting, softened cream cheese and butter are important. If either ingredient is cold, the finished frosting may contain small lumps and will be more difficult to spread evenly.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Grease and flour the pan thoroughly, or line it with parchment, leaving enough overhang to help lift the cooled cake if desired.
Step 2: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to a medium bowl. Whisk well so the leaveners and spices are distributed throughout the flour before they meet the wet ingredients.
Step 3: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, packed brown sugar, vegetable oil, room-temperature eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla. Continue until the mixture looks smooth and the sugars are evenly incorporated.
Step 4: Add the dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture. Stir gently just until no dry streaks remain; overmixing can make the finished cake less tender, so stop as soon as the batter is combined.
Step 5: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Smoothing the surface helps the cake bake consistently from edge to center.
Step 6: Bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes. The cake is ready when the center springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Step 7: Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely. This usually takes part of the one- to two-hour cooling and frosting window, but rushing this stage can cause the frosting to soften and slide.
Step 8: Make the frosting by beating the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, then beat in the bourbon, vanilla, and salt until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
Step 9: Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. If the frosting feels too soft, refrigerate it briefly, then spread it over the cake and cut into 12 to 16 servings.
Pro Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cake
Measure flour by spooning it into a dry measuring cup and leveling the top, or use a kitchen scale if available. Too much flour can make a cake seem heavy, especially when paired with a short mixing time.
Do not squeeze or drain the pumpkin purée. Its moisture is part of the formula and helps create the soft texture associated with this cake.
Keep an eye on the cake near the 30-minute mark because ovens and pans vary. A toothpick with a few moist crumbs is ideal; a completely wet center needs more time, while repeated baking beyond doneness can dry the edges.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar before adding it to the frosting. This small step makes the mixture smoother and reduces the chance of sugar pockets or lumps.
The recipe uses 2 tablespoons of bourbon for a noticeable but balanced flavor. If you prefer a stronger bourbon note, add up to 3 tablespoons gradually, stopping if the frosting becomes too loose.
For another pretty dessert to serve beside this cake, try these strawberry cream puffs. Their bright fruit flavor offers a fresh contrast to the pumpkin’s warm spices.
Serving and Decorating Ideas
For the simplest finish, spread the frosting in loose swoops and let the texture show. A light sprinkle of cinnamon on top adds color and reinforces the spices without requiring extra ingredients.
You can serve the cake chilled for clean, firm slices or let individual pieces sit briefly at room temperature for a softer frosting texture. A sharp knife wiped clean between cuts will keep the white frosting and orange crumb looking neat.
This cake is comfortable at a casual family table, but it also fits beautifully on a holiday buffet. Arrange the squares on a platter and add a few understated seasonal accents around the cake rather than covering the frosting with heavy decorations.
If you are serving guests who prefer nonalcoholic desserts, explain that the frosting contains bourbon. The bourbon is added directly to the frosting, so it should not be treated as an alcohol-free recipe.
Storage and Make-Ahead Advice
Because the frosting contains cream cheese, refrigerate the frosted cake. Cover the pan or transfer slices to an airtight container so the cake does not absorb refrigerator odors or lose moisture.
The cake can be baked ahead and cooled completely before frosting. Once cool, keep it covered, then prepare and spread the frosting closer to serving time for the freshest appearance.
If the frosting becomes soft while you work, place it in the refrigerator briefly. Chilling firms the butter and cream cheese, making the frosting easier to spread without changing its rich flavor.
For a breakfast-friendly bake, our lemon yogurt cake is another tender option. It has a lighter citrus profile, while this pumpkin cake is the better choice when you want deep spices and a creamy bourbon finish.
Best Ever Pumpkin Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, or line it with parchment.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar, then add the bourbon, vanilla, and salt and beat until fluffy and spreadable.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. If it is too soft, refrigerate it briefly before spreading.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This Best Ever Pumpkin Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting earns its name with a tender crumb, generous pumpkin flavor, and a frosting that tastes special without requiring complicated pastry skills. The 9-by-13-inch format makes it practical for sharing, and the recipe’s straightforward mixing method is friendly to both new and experienced bakers.
For the best result, use pure pumpkin purée, measure carefully, avoid overmixing, and wait until the cake is completely cool before frosting. Once the creamy bourbon topping is spread over the spiced cake, all that remains is to slice, serve, and enjoy a dessert made for the coziest gatherings.