Pumpkin Layer Cake
A tall, moist pumpkin layer cake with a sturdy spiced crumb and tangy cream cheese frosting. An all-oil batter keeps it tender enough to stack and stays soft for days.
Servings 12 slices
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon each nutmeg, ginger, and cloves or use pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese room temperature, full-fat blocks
- ¾ cup butter room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Batter
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
- Whisk the pumpkin, oil, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt just until no streaks remain.
Bake and Cool
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Frost and Stack
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and whip until fluffy.
- Stack the layers with frosting between each, then coat the outside. Chill about 20 minutes to set before slicing.
Notes
- All oil: Oil keeps the crumb moist and sturdy enough to stack.
- Cool fully: Frost only fully cooled layers or the frosting will slide.
- Make ahead: Bake and wrap the layers a day early, then assemble.