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The Best Layered Pumpkin Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

The Best Layered Pumpkin Cake Recipe

A moist, warmly spiced two-layer pumpkin cake covered with creamy full-fat cream-cheese frosting. Finish it with toasted nuts, pumpkin seeds, or a sprinkle of cinnamon for a beautiful autumn dessert.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Cake
  • 2 cups (250 g) 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 (240 ml) Neutral vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (200 g) Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (200 g) Packed light brown sugar
  • 4 eggs Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 15-ounce can (425 g) Pure pumpkin purée
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
Cream-Cheese Frosting
  • 8 ounces (226 g) Full-fat block cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups (approximately 480 g) Confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons Heavy cream or milk, if needed
  • 1 pinch Salt
Optional Decoration
  • As desired Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
  • As desired Cinnamon
  • As desired Pumpkin seeds

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and lightly flour the sides.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together in a medium bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
  6. Bake for 25–32 minutes, until the centers spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool the cakes in their pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto racks and cool completely before frosting.
  8. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, then beat in the vanilla and salt. Add cream or milk only if the frosting is too thick.
  9. Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread it with frosting, add the second layer, and frost the top and sides. Chill briefly if the frosting becomes soft.

Notes

Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin-pie filling. Drain the purée only if it appears unusually watery. For especially neat layers, refrigerate the completely cooled cakes for 30–60 minutes before assembling. Block-style cream cheese creates a firmer frosting than tub-style spreadable cream cheese. Measure flour by weight when possible, or spoon it into measuring cups and level them.