Pumpkin Cream Cake (The Fluffiest 3-Layer Fall Cake)

This pumpkin cream cake is three layers of moist, warmly spiced pumpkin cake wrapped in silky cream cheese frosting — ready in 55 minutes with one bowl of batter. It’s the fall cake that disappears first at every party, and the layers slice cleanly every single time.

What You Need

For the cake:

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups (420 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional, for a warm tint)

Recipe Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
3. In a second bowl, whisk both sugars with the oil until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the pumpkin puree and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold gently until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Divide evenly among the pans.
5. Bake 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out and cool completely on a rack.
6. Make the frosting: beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and pumpkin pie spice; beat until silky.
7. Stack the layers with generous frosting between each, then frost the top and sides. Chill 30 minutes before slicing for the cleanest cuts.

Prep 25 min | Cook 30 min | Total 55 min | Servings 12 | Cuisine American | Course Dessert

Tips & Variations

• Room-temperature eggs and dairy blend smoother — no lumpy frosting, guaranteed.
• Stop folding as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing is what makes layer cakes tough.
• Use plain pumpkin puree, never pumpkin pie filling — the filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced and will throw the whole cake off.
• Bake the layers a day ahead: cool, wrap tightly, and refrigerate. Frosting goes on faster on cold layers.
• Nutty twist: scatter 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans over the frosting between layers.
• No three 8-inch pans? Use one 9×13-inch sheet pan (bake 35–40 min, frost right in the pan) or bake 24 cupcakes (18–20 min) and pipe the frosting high.

Estimated nutrition per serving: ~520 cal | protein 6g | carbs 72g | fat 24g.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make pumpkin cream cake ahead of time?

Yes — it’s actually better made ahead. Bake the layers up to 2 days early, wrap them tightly, and refrigerate. Assemble and frost the day you serve it; cold layers frost faster and slice cleaner.

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

You can, but it takes work. Roast sugar-pie pumpkin until tender, puree until completely smooth, then drain it in a cheesecloth-lined strainer for an hour — fresh puree holds more water than canned, and extra water makes a gummy cake.

How should I store leftover cake?

Because of the cream cheese frosting, refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Let slices sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving so the frosting softens.

Can I turn this into cupcakes instead of a layer cake?

Absolutely — the batter makes about 24 cupcakes. Fill liners two-thirds full and bake 18–20 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Pipe the frosting high; they look straight from a bakery.

What To Bake Next

• Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes (The Spooky 35-Minute Halloween Cupcakes)
• Spooky Chocolate Dot Cake (The Viral 40-Minute Halloween Cake)
• Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins (The Moist 35-Minute Fall Muffins)

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