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Best Ever Pumpkin Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

Best Ever Pumpkin Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

A tender, warmly spiced pumpkin sheet cake topped with rich bourbon cream cheese frosting. This simple 9-by-13-inch dessert yields 12 to 16 servings and is ideal for fall gatherings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Cake
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup Packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup Neutral vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs Large eggs, room temperature
  • 15 ounces Pure pumpkin purée
  • 2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract
Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 ounces Full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups Confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons Bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, or line it with parchment.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl.
  3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  5. 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.
  6. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack before frosting.
  7. 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.
  8. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. If it is too soft, refrigerate it briefly before spreading.

Notes

Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The cake must be completely cool before frosting. For stronger bourbon flavor, add up to 3 tablespoons gradually so the frosting does not become too loose. Store the frosted cake refrigerated.