Can you use a 9x13 pan?

Yes, this recipe is easy to make in a 9x13 pan. Adjust the baking time as it will take longer.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

5 from 6 votes

Published on August 29, 2023

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Pumpkin Sheet Cake is light and delicious with the best cream cheese frosting. This sheet cake recipe has a tasty pumpkin mixture that is ideal for Thanksgiving, special occasions and the entire fall season.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Pumpkin Sheet Cake is a delightful blend of pumpkin flavor. It is so easy to make this sheet cake. The frosting is also amazing and so decadent.

Everything comes together so easily. It is such an easy pumpkin recipe. If you love Fall baking like we do, also try this Pumpkin Pie Cake Recipe and Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe.

Whether you need a dessert for Thanksgiving or a Fall gathering, this cake is so wonderful. Each bite is loaded with the perfect amount of pumpkin. The cream cheese frosting brings it all together for a delectable dessert.

Another pumpkin dessert favorite is Pumpkin Cobbler Recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

All Purpose Flour
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Granulated Sugar
Vegetable Oil
Large Eggs
Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Cinnamon
Salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Butter (softened)
Cream Cheese (8 ounces)
Vanilla Extract
Powdered Sugar
Milk

How to make a Pumpkin Sheet Cake:

Step 1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a half baking sheet (18 x 13 inch pan) with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 2. Combine the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil and pumpkin puree un. Combine until the mixture is fully incorporated.

Step 3. Mix together the dry ingredients. Then combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt. Mix until just combined.

Step 4. Spread the cake batter into the sheet pan. Pour the batter into a prepared pan and spread the mixture out evenly in the jelly roll pan.

Step 5. Bake the pumpkin cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check it at 20 minutes to make sure it is not getting too brown.

Step 6. Allow to cool. Remove from the oven and cool the cake completely on a wire rack before topping with the frosting.

How to make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Step 1. Combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat together the cream cheese and butter with a hand held mixer or stand mixer until smooth.

Step 2. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar until combined.

Step 3. Add the vanilla. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 4. Slowly add the milk. Gradually add in the milk until the frosting is a good consistency that can be spread onto the cake.

Frosting ingredients in a bowl being combined.

Step 5. Top the cake with the frosting. Spread the cream cheese frosting out evenly on top of the cooled cake.

Step 6. Serve and slice the cake. Then the cake is ready to slice, serve and enjoy!

Storage

Refrigerate the leftovers, covered with foil, for up to 5 days. This recipe for pumpkin sheet cake stores easily in the refrigerator and tastes great to enjoy later.

Make in advance:

You can make this cake ahead of time. Prepare as normal and cover.

Refrigerate up to 2 days and serve. We suggest letting the cake come to room temperature before serving. Just take it out of the fridge and allow to sit on the counter before serving.

Variations for Pumpkin Sheet Cake with cream cheese frosting:

Nuts. Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on top of the frosting. The added crunch is so delicious.
Mini Pumpkin Candies. Place candy pumpkins on the cake so that each slice will have one.
Cake Pan. Instead of a sheet pan, you can make this cake using a 9×13 cake pan. The cooking time will need to be adjusted accordingly as it will take more time to bake.

Tips and Tricks

Room temperature eggs. The ingredients will combine smoother in the pumpkin cake recipe if the eggs are room temperature before mixing.
Gradually add the powdered sugar. Slowly add the powdered sugar until you get the desired texture of the frosting. If it is too runny, add more powdered sugar.
Adjust the milk if needed. The homemade cream cheese frosting should easily spread on the cake. You can adjust the milk to get the perfect texture. Only add a small amount at a time so that you don’t add too much.

This recipe makes it so easy to bake a delicious cake from scratch with the best frosting. It is loaded with pumpkin flavor and each bite is soft and fluffy.

Make this recipe for your next holiday or Fall event. It will definitely be a hit all around.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use a 9×13 pan?

Yes, this recipe is easy to make in a 9×13 pan. Adjust the baking time as it will take longer.

Is a sheet cake pan the same thing as a cookie sheet?

They are not the same thing. A sheet cake pan or jelly roll pan typically has a rim around the edges. This prevents the cake batter from overflowing.

A cookie sheet normally has either a very low edge or no rim at all.

How big is a sheet cake pan?

This recipe uses a half sheet cake pan. The dimensions are 18×13. A full sheet cake pan is 26×18 inches.

Can I make homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Pumpkin Spice is a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. It is so easy to make at home. We suggest doing this if you do a lot of fall baking.

It is much cheaper than buying the small bottles at the grocery store. Learn how to make Pumpkin Pie Spice.