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.

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Pumpkin cake sliced on a plate.

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 for Pumpkin cake.

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. 
Pumpkin mixture in a bowl.
  • 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.
Batter in pan ready to cook.
  • 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. 
Cake with frosting on top.
  • Step 6. Serve and slice the cake. Then the cake is ready to slice, serve and enjoy! 
Pumpkin cake sliced on a plate.

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.

Pumpkin cake sliced on a plate.

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.

Pumpkin cake sliced on a plate.

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.
Pumpkin cake sliced on a plate.

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.

Print this Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe below:

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Pumpkin Sheet Cake

5 from 6 votes
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.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 30
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Calories 282
Author Desserts on a Dime

Ingredients

For the Cake:

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Instructions

For the Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a half baking sheet (18X13) with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil and pumpkin puree until the mixture is fully incorporated.
  • Then stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt.  Mix until just combined.
  • Pour the batter into a prepared pan and spread the mixture out evenly.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and cool the cake completely on a wire rack before topping with the frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Beat together the cream cheese and butter with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer until smooth.
  • Slowly add in the powdered sugar until combined.
  • Stir in the vanilla extract.
  • Gradually add in the milk until the frosting is a good consistency that can be spread onto the cake.
  • Spread the cream cheese frosting out evenly on top of the cooled cake.
  • Then the cake is ready to slice, serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Refrigerate the leftovers, covered, for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 282kcal, Carbohydrates 32g, Protein 2g, Fat 17g, Saturated Fat 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat 5g, Monounsaturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0.3g, Cholesterol 46mg, Sodium 208mg, Potassium 60mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 24g, Vitamin A 2529IU, Vitamin C 1mg, Calcium 28mg, Iron 1mg

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Pumpkin cake sliced on a plate.

More Pumpkin Recipes to try:

Pumpkin Sheet Cake is delicious with the best cream cheese frosting. It has a tasty pumpkin mixture that is perfect for the fall season. 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. #dessertsonadime #pumpkinsheetcake #pumpkindesserts
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Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Desserts on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families.

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