Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 20 Servings

I like to think of pumpkin cake as pumpkin bread‘s slightly fancier relative. It’s just as homey and comforting and easy to make, but because it’s dessert you have an excuse to bury it in frosting. It’s no wonder it’s my favorite way to say hello to fall.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
4 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain whole or lowfat regular or Greek yogurt
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cinnamon stick or whole nutmeg, for grating (optional)

Instructions

Make the cake:
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Place 1 can pumpkin purée, 4 large eggs, 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup plain yogurt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula until just combined and no streaks of flour remain; do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the baking pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, place the 8 ounces cream cheese and 1 stick unsalted butter for the frosting in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer) and let sit at room temperature to soften.
Place the cake on a wire rack and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.
Make the frosting:
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter with the paddle attachment on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes more.
Spread the frosting in an even layer over the cooled cake. Grate a cinnamon stick or nutmeg over the cake with a Microplane until covered with a light dusting if desired (or dust with more pumpkin pie spice). Cut into pieces and serve.