Pumpkin and spice and all things nice baked into a moist Pumpkin Sheet Cake that will serve a crowd and is crowd-pleasing!
Stop and Smell The Pumpkin Pie Spice
Happy November! Where has this year gone?! What do you serve for dessert at Thanksgiving? This simple cozy Pumpkin Sheet Cake will be perfect for our Thanksgiving! It’s full of pumpkin and spice and tastes oh-so nice!
The Perfect Thanksgiving Dessert for a Crowd
I hate being stressed this time of year because it just ruins the excitement and enjoyment the Holidays are all about. So this year I’m already thinking of simple yet scrumptious dishes and desserts to make for all the festivities ahead.
And this pumpkin cake will feed a crowd, which is great for large gatherings. It’s just a matter of mixing the batter, baking the cake, and topping it with a creamy, dreamy cream cheese frosting. Pure pumpkin perfection!
What is a Sheet Cake?
Sheet cake is another name for slab cake. It’s a 2-3 inch deep cake baked in a shallow, large rectangular pan. I bake my sheet cakes in an 18×13 rimmed sheet pan. Rumor has it that sheet cakes originated in Texas, and they’re definitely a southern staple at the dessert table.
Here are my favorite Texas sheet cakes recipes:
- Chocolate Sheet Cake: A super moist chocolate sheet cake covered in a rich chocolate pecan icing that’s out-of-this-world delicious!
- Carrot Cake Sheet Cake: This moist and flavorful Carrot Sheet Cake screams special with every scrumptious bite!
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake: For all my fellow chocolate lovers out there! This incredibly moist Chocolate Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake is so amazing it will knock your socks off!
- Coconut Cream Sheet Cake: Coconut oil, coconut milk and sweetened coconut flakes to make it extra moist, coconut-ty and out-of-this world delicious!
- Key Lime Sheet Cake: It’s refreshing and moist with lots of tangy lime flavor in both the cake and the icing. Lime lovers will love it!
What Do I Need to Make Pumpkin Sheet Cake?
So easy and everyone will love it! The cake is so moist and flavorful and the cream cheese frosting is sweet and simple. You need to find a date to bake this cake ASAP! It’s fall-tastic! Here’s what you need:
(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour,
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon,
- Nutmeg
- Pure vanilla extract
- Canola Oil
- Eggs
- Pumpkin Puree: I’ve always used Libby’s because that’s what *my* mom uses. But any pure pumpkin purée will work. I don’t recommend using pumpkin pie filling which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Butter
- 18×13 Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
Supplies
- 18×13 Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Medium mixing bowl
How to Make Pumpkin Sheet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 18×13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.
- Stir in the pumpkin.
- Stir in the flour mixture until wet and dry ingredients are well combined.
- Spread batter into prepared sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese in a mixer until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low until just combined. Turn the mixer on medium-high and beat frosting until thick yet spreadable.
- Spread icing evenly onto cooled cake.
How to Serve and Store Pumpkin Sheet Cake
After you frost the cake, let frosting set for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting and serving the cake at room temperature. It’s best to store in the refrigerator if not serving within 8 hours.
Making it in advance? If you’re not going to serve it the day you make it, then it should be covered in foil (or plastic wrap) and refrigerated. Let set at room temperature for an hour or so before serving if you don’t want to enjoy the cake cold.
To store leftovers, cover with foil or plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To freeze leftover cake, first let it cool completely. Then place in a freezer safe container. It should keep for up to two months. To thaw, let it sit, loosely covered in the refrigerator overnight.
More Fall Baking
No need to wait for the leaves to start dropping to enjoy My Favorite Recipes for Fall Baking! From perfectly-spiced pumpkin bread to pecan pie bites and savory corn bread, you’re sure to fall for these autumn treats!
More Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
Let’s get you ready for the big feast with these festive, delicious and easy Thanksgiving recipes everyone is sure to be thankful for!
If you make this Pumpkin Sheet Cake, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 😍 I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share.
Enjoy!
xoxo,
Pumpkin Sheet Cake
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 18
- Category: Cake
Description
Pumpkin and spice and all things nice baked into a moist sheet cake that will serve a crowd and is crowd-pleasing!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1–1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs
- 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 18×13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Stir in the pumpkin and then the flour mixture until well combined.
- Spread batter into prepared sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese in a mixer until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low until just combined. Turn the mixer on medium-high and beat frosting until thick yet spreadable. Spread evenly onto cooled cake. Let frosting set for 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving the cake.
Hello Meagan, I would like to make your pumpkin sheet cake recipe! could you possibly recommend another substitute for the 1-1/2 cups of white sugar?
Thank you,
Trish
Hi Patricia! I haven’t tested the recipe without granulated sugar, but you could certainly try replacing it with maple syrup or honey. I would recommend just 1 cup of either maple syrup or honey in place of the 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar. You could also reduce the sugar by 1/2 cup if you prefer a less sweet cake. I hope this helps and that you enjoy!
Love it! Tastes just like a pumpkin roll but in cake form.
Hi Stephanie! Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
It would be nice if you are going to put a recipe in here you would add how much of each ingredient. It’s useless without that.
Hi Darlene! That recipe card is at the bottom of the blog post with all of the measurements and instructions that you can easily read on a screen or print. I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time finding the recipes. You just need to scroll to the bottom.
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Can you tell me what size the sheet pan is?
Hi Karenl! Thanks so much for asking! The cake should be baked in an 18×13-inch sheet pan. I just updated the recipe. Enjoy!
I love the gorgeous simplicity of this recipe. It seems like a perfect cake for an indoor picnic!!
I have a ton of canned pumpkin and have been looking for yummy recipes to make to use it up. This looks amazing! Sheet cake is the best! Add pumpkin AND cream cheese frosting?? Heck yeah! Pinning!
Oh my goodness – this takes good ol’ sheet cake to a new level! 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Xo, Alison
http://www.simplyfairbyalisonjeanine.com
This looks amazing! I adore sheet cake, but I’m so excited that this is pumpkin with cream cheese frosting! I’ll have to make this while my in-laws are in town! It’s crazy how fast Thanksgiving is approaching!