Pumpkin Spice Cake
Imagine pulling a golden, cinnamon-kissed cake from the oven while your whole house smells like sweater weather. That’s not nostalgia—that’s strategy. This pumpkin spice cake delivers outrageous flavor, a tender crumb, and a frosting so silky you’ll consider trademarking it.
Ingredients
Here’s the ingredient lineup for a classic pumpkin spice cake. Chances are, you already have most of these in your pantry:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional for serving:
- Cream cheese frosting recipe below
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- A dusting of powdered sugar
Instructions
Okay, now for the fun part—baking! Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Preheat and prep: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan (or two 9-inch round pans if you want to layer it).
- Mix the dry stuff: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. This ensures the spices get evenly distributed.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla.
- Combine the two: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir just until combined—don’t overmix, or you’ll lose that tender texture.
- Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and bake for 30–35 minutes (for a 9x13 pan) or 25–30 minutes (for round pans). It’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool it down: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
