Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A moist, one-bowl pumpkin sheet cake with tangy cream cheese frosting. It feeds a crowd, needs no mixer, and is the ultimate easy fall potluck dessert.
Servings 16 servings
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese full-fat brick style, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Preheat and Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 15 x 10-inch rimmed sheet pan (or a 9 x 13-inch pan for a taller cake).
Mix the Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, both sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk just until combined with no dry streaks.
Bake
- Pour the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Frost and Serve
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, then beat until silky.
- Spread a light, even layer over the cooled cake and cut into squares.
Notes
- Don't overbake: A thin sheet cake dries out fast, so pull it at the moist-crumb stage.
- Keep the frosting light: A thin layer is plenty on a sheet cake.
- Applesauce swap: Sub half the oil with applesauce for a lighter crumb.