Tender, fluffy Pumpkin Snack Cake topped with sweet cream cheese frosting is easy to make and yummy to eat! This “scratch-made” cake recipe is simple and loaded with pumpkin flavor, making it the perfect Fall dessert.
This recipe, along with my Snickerdoodle Cookies, Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread, and No-Bake Butterscotch Cookies, is loaded with fall’s seasonal flavors.
In This Post
5-Star Reader Comment
If you’re a pumpkin spice lover then this is a MUST-make recipe! Thank you so much for our newest family favorite dessert!
William
Autumn is the perfect time to indulge in all things pumpkin. When you need a quick Fall dessert that everyone can munch on, this pumpkin snack cake is just that. With all the warm spice flavors of fall, this homemade pumpkin cake is topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting to take each slice from good to great!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Snack Cake
- Better Than Boxed: This homemade cake is so fluffy, moist, and just as easy as a box cake mix.
- Incredibly Moist and Flavorful: Combining pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg creates a perfectly moist cake with a rich, Fall flavor.
- Easy to Make: This cake comes together quickly with simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. The straightforward steps mean you can whip up a delicious treat without spending hours in the kitchen.
How To Make Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- The dry ingredients are all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and white sugar.
- For the wet ingredients, you’ll need large eggs, vegetable oil, and pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling).
- To make the frosting, it’s just cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar (powdered sugar), and orange juice.
Recipe Variations
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake: Add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for melty, sweet bites. You can also use toffee bits.
- Pumpkin Spice Pecan Cake: Fold in 1 cup of chopped pecans for a nutty crunch.
- Add Fruit: Add 1 cup of dried cranberries or apples for a tart and sweet contrast.
Step By Step Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
- Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl, then add the oil and pumpkin.
- Fold together the pumpkin mixture and dry ingredients until combined. Don’t overmix!
- Bake in a greased and floured pan for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- While it cools on a wire cooling rack, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together first, then adding the sugar and orange juice.
- Spread the frosting, add a cinnamon sprinkle, slice into squares, and enjoy!
Donya’s Success Tips
- Feel free to swap the individual spices for this DIY Pumpkin Spice Blend or a store-bought pumpkin pie spice.
- It’s important to beat the eggs until fluffy before adding the other wet ingredients. This creates air bubbles that will help the cake rise and stay fluffy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pumpkin snack cake is a single-layer cake made in a metal or glass baking pan. I use a 13×9-inch pan for this recipe.
This cake will keep for up to 5 days. Since it has cream cheese icing, make sure leftovers are stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Sure! Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free option.
How To Serve This Cake
I love it with a hot cup of coffee or a Pumpkin Spice Latte. If I’m headed to a potluck with it, I like to bring Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies, and Oreo Truffle Balls to round out the dessert table.
More Easy Fall Sweets You’ll Love!
If you try this Pumpkin Snack Cake Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups A/P flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 can pumpkin – 16oz.
Icing
- 6 ounces cream cheese – softened
- 5 ⅓ tablespoons butter – softened
- 1 package confectioners sugar – 16 oz
- 4 tablespoon orange juice
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees
- Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a medium size bowl.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl with a hand mixer until frothy.
- Add sugar to eggs and beat for 2 minutes.
- Mix oil and pumpkin into liquid mixture and beat until well mixed.
- Add dry ingredients to wet, folding until moist – do not overmix.
- Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 baking pan.
- Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until cake tests done – inserted cake tester or toothpick should come out clean.
- Let cool on wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Icing
- Beat cream cheese and butter in bowl with hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Slowly beat in confectioners sugar and orange juice for about 1 and half minutes.
- Spread over cake and cut into squares.
Nutrition
Donya's Top Ten Summer Recipes!
Steal my favorites for a done-for-you menu that packs in the flavor
I made this in cupcake version for an outdoor fall gathering in our neighborhood, and they were a hit! I got 17 cupcakes from the recipe and baked them for 30 minutes.
Hey there Judy!
Wow! I like the way you think, making this recipe into cupcakes was a wonderful idea, they’re the perfect sweet treat for a Fall party! Thank you so much for your kind words and your phenomenal rating, I really appreciate your support! If you ever have any questions about a recipe, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask!
~Donya
If you’re a pumpkin spice lover then this is a MUST-make recipe! Thank you so much for our newest family favorite dessert!
Hey there William!
Thank you so much for your kind words and this fantastic rating, I am thrilled to hear that y’all enjoyed this recipe! If you’re a pumpkin spice lover then you should definitely check out my Pumpkin Crinkle Cookie recipe, they’re soft, warm and the flavors taste like Fall with every bite! Let me know if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
What temperature do you bake the cake at?
Great recipe! and really nice happy blog! Love your photos. So glad you joined us on on Foodie Friday Link Party. As a co-host, I want you to know that I pin, like, Google+ and twitter your link. Thanks for participating. I would love you to drop by my site at http://www.kneadedcreations. I look forward to reading your comments. Deb @ Kneaded Creations
Yum! These look perfect! Simple and delicious! I can't wait to try these. Pinned!
Thanks Shannon! I hope you love them…we sure do. Have a wonderful weekend.xo,~Donya
I have harvested 100+ lbs of pumpkins already out of my little pumpkin patch, so I'm always looking for new pumpkin recipes. This one's going on the list!
Awesome! Thanks for stopping by Andi. Let me know what you do with all those pumpkins…that is one big load! Have a wonderful weekend.~Donya