Pumpkin Dream Cake.
I know I’m dramatic 105% of the time, but this is the best pumpkin sheet cake of life.
And I’m not exaggerating one single bit.
So here’s the deal.
Yes, why yes, I did make a pumpkin cake last year too! I made this pumpkin coconut cake and it’s been a huge hit. But the thing is that coconut is so polarizing. I obviously love it, but even in this house? Eddie loathes it.
It’s a recipe I’ve received loads of questions over, because lots of you want to remove the coconut. Either you don’t love it, have an allergy or want to serve it to a crowd minus the coconut, and I get that!
But because it’s a coconut cake, there is a lot to swap out if you DON’T want the coconut. Like, it’s easier to just make a whole different cake.
That’s why this pumpkin dream cake was born.
I’ve seen pumpkin dream cakes floating around the internet for years but they are all layer cakes. I love a good layer cake but I love my sanity (and patience!) more.
Pumpkin cake, almost like pumpkin bread, is one of those things that is amazing to make ahead of time for a party or get together or even just a fall weekend. Heck, I’ve even bought the Trader Joe’s pumpkin bread mix before just to have something easy to make on a Friday!
While this cake is homemade, it is so much easier than a layer cake. And let me be real: I wasn’t necessarily planning on calling this plain old pumpkin sheet cake a pumpkin dream cake.
Oh no. I mean, I don’t even worship at the altar of pumpkin. We all know I’m much more of an apple cider girl.
But then I went and covered this in my cinnamon cream cheese frosting. I took the first bite and was basically screaming. Running around for everyone else to try it. They are like me – pumpkin treats are good, but they don’t lose their mind over them, you know?
Everyone. Everyone was freaking out.
As they very well should be. LOOK AT THIS!
This cake is UNREAL! It’s so soft and fluffy. It’s not overwhelmingly spiced. (Feel free to add more if you want!) The blanket of icing on top is so delicious that even the lowest level of icing lovers (like myself) will not be able to contain themselves.
It might be a bold statement, but I am going to make this cake every year for the rest of my life. Maybe (definitely) multiple times a year. I will probably make it on Thanksgiving, over all other desserts.
I might even make it on Christmas. It’s currently rivaling a pumpkin bar that I’ll be sharing in a few weeks, a bar I’ve made for the last two years and have LOVED.
It’s that good. So good! Please please please go make it right now. And save me a piece!
Pumpkin Sheet Cake
Pumpkin Dream Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 ¾ cups brown sugar
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- 2 8- ounce blocks cream cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Note: If you LOVE spice, feel free to add some extra spice in here (pumpkin! allspice! more cinnamon! - you can add another 1/2 to 1 teaspoon if you'd like) as this isn't overly spiced.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, yogurt and oil. Once smooth and combined, whisk in each egg one at a time. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until combined and no large lumps remain.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Note: every time I’ve made this cake, it has smelled “eggy” in the oven which has scared me. No worries - once the cake comes out and cools, it does not taste eggy!
- Cool the cake completely. Once the cake has cooled, frost with the cream cheese frosting. Slice and serve!
cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Beat in the sugar and cinnamon until combined. Beat in the vanilla extract. Frost the cooled cake! I like to keep the cake in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting, plus we love cold cake!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
That bite is everything.
172 Comments on “Pumpkin Dream Cake.”
Hello, I’m trying to convert the amount of pumpkin purée but it doesn’t seem to make sense…does the recipe call for 115 ounce of pumpkin purée- meaning 3,6 kilos of pumpkin purée?
Pretty sure she meant 1 x 15oz can instead of 115oz. Good luck on the cake, I have yet to try myself but looking forward to making this sometime soon!
Oh thanks so much Christina for your reply, really appreciate it. Will try to make the cake this week, looking forward to it!
Pingback: 52 New Recipes in 2019: Part 4 – Jessica Holzberg
Simple to make and oh so decadent! Best cake ever.
It’s Christmas Eve, don’t want to go to the store and I don’t have any Greek yogurt. Any substitute?
vegetable oil! or sour cream :)
Wow! This is hands down “the BEST” pumpkin cake! It is soooooo moist and the icing is decadent. I shared mine with family and friends and everyone is raving about it. My husband is a chocoholic and even he said that it’s really good. My daughter said definitely one of my best. The real bonus here is the simplicity of the recipe. Nothing complicated whatsoever. In addition, your house will smell amazing! Highly recommend this 5 star++++ recipe!
Made this a couple of times! Everyone loved it and it’s very easy. The frosting is my favorite! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
we made this for thanksgiving and my work thanksgiving this year. SO SO GOOD. I am a pumpkin freak & this was easy to make + perfect.
Pingback: PUMPKIN DREAM CAKE – Food Addict
Pingback: 25 Baking Recipes For Self-Quarantine And Self-Care | International Fashion and Models Portal
I had my girls make this and it turned out delicious! Easy to follow instructions and super moist without being heavy. Our baking time was right at 30min.
Pingback: 25 Baking Recipes For Self-Quarantine And Self-Care - Four Point Insurance Agency, Inc.
. Seasoned baker here and a bit of a cake/frosting snob. Made this today. Super simple recipe and the results were magnificent. Everything cake and frosting should be. The cake is moist and the frosting is smooth and not too sweet. This recipe is going directly into my “best of the best” folder for further makings.
If you’re new to baking and unsure of yourself, this simple recipe will give you confidence and helps you realize that homemade can be easier and taste far superior to supermarket instant aisle offerings.
Unfortunately my cake came out as a disaster. It did not cook through – even when I cooked it over an hour. I was so looking forward this moist and fluffy cake, but I have no idea what could I have possibly done wrong.
Only thing that I changed was the pumpin puree – I made it myself (prefer real ingredients).
i haven’t heard this happening from anyone else K! i’m guessing it’s since you used your own puree, there is probably a difference in the levels of liquid between canned and homemade. i also prefer to use real ingredients but i considered organic pumpkin puree to be real since it doesn’t contain anything else!
Thank you for answering! I am sorry too. Maybe the consistency could have been wrong and ofcourse – organic pumpin puree is totally good. I just have not seen pure pumpkin purees in my home country – have to look from bigger supermarkets and try again. :)
I recently discovered there is a difference when baking some cakes and breads, between bleached and unbleached AP flour. Some recipes will not turn out well if you use unbleached flour, something about the way the gluten develops or binds with the other ingredients? I never would have thought this would make such a big difference, but trust me, it can. So that may have been part of the problem. King Arthur baking has a good description on their website if you’re interested.
I had the exact same problem, my cake never rose even thought it was in the oven an hour. I have been trying to figure out why and I think it is because I used baking powder not baking soda. Will definitely try this recipe again… using the correct ingredients this time lol.
This is my favorite cake to make, and not just in the fall! It is so easy and so delicious!
This cake is AMAZING and delicious. Not too filling or sweet either. I’ve made it so many times now!
Any suggestions for high altitude? Extra flour? I don’t want it to sink in the center.
Pingback: 21 FALL RECIPES I CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE - Jamie Seibert
Can I make this in a Bundt pan?? What would be the difference in cooking time??
Did you try!? I had same question
Could you make ahead of time and freeze? (Without the cream cheese frosting on top?)
you can def make ahead and freeze, but i would do so without the icing and then frost it once it thaws. however if you’re wanting to make this and freeze it to send someone (or something like that, haha), i think it would be okay.
Would making this a layer cake work ??
Thank you !!
Pingback: Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting – HeySonByeSon
This might be our favorite pumpkin cake to date! The icing alone is heavenly, couldn’t stop thinking of other things it would be delicious on. I did add additional spice and glad I did because it was the perfect amount (about 1/2 tsp clove, 1/2 tsp allspice and 1/4 tsp cinnamon). We will make this again.
This cake was INCREDIBLE. Absolutely nailed. My whole family loved it, my dad even proclaimed “this may be the best cake you have ever baked” which says a lot because I have baked a lot of damn good cakes. My pumpkin-hating husband gobbled it back, and I’m embarrassed at how much I ate. I used homemade pumpkin puree, and I did not strain it/dry it. I added 1/2 tsp extra cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp all spice, and fresh grated nutmeg which I didn’t measure but I’m sure it was plenty more than the recipe suggested as I love nutmeg. I used grapeseed oil for the cake. For the frosting, I decreased the powdered sugar by 1/2 cup as I didn’t feel like opening a new bag and it was sweet enough. I also added diamond kosher salt to taste (approx 1/4 tsp). This one is being pinned to the “tried & true” pinterest board! A must make! Sometimes simplicity is best!
Could this cake be any more easier & fantastic? No, no it could not. More than one coworker, “could you send this recipe to my wife?” So good!
Can I use almond flour instead of regular flour?
WOW! So easy and so so so delicious. This is my new favorite recipe. I like my cakes more spiced so I added an extra 3/4 tsp of spices (thanks for the tip!) and it was perfect.
This cake is amazing! And that cinnamon cream cheese frosting is heaven! Everyone in my house loves it!
Sounds like a wonderful recipe. I’m going to try it! A question, though: I don’t buy fresh ginger. Any idea how much ground ginger I could use? Thanks in advance.Joa
This recioe does not call for ginger. (Fresh or otherwise.)
I haven’t made it as I just came across your post. What amazing comments from everyone who has made it. I do have one question.
Do you think using a Bundt pan will make a difference in the results?
Either way I’m making this cake.
Pingback: EASY THANKSGIVING RECIPES PERFECT FOR SMALL GROUPS - Jamie Seibert
I am wanting to make this for Thanksgiving this year. I want to bake it on Wednesday; should I wait to frost it on Thursday morning or could I go ahead and frost it after cooling and then keep it covered?
Thanks! Looking forward to baking!! :)
you can definitely make it wednesday! you can frost as soon as it cools, just store it in the fridge because of the cream cheese icing.
Thank you so much!!!
This is an awesome recipe. I was really low on eggs but the ones I had were jumbo sized so I took a chance and used three, and the cake still turned out perfectly fluffy and moist, if that helps anyone. Also upped the spices a bit to my personal taste. I highly recommend this one, it’s extremely easy and totally worth it!
I made this as a cake and it was delicious- I would love this as cupcakes. How long would I cook them for in cupcake form?
I have made this recipe as cupcakes and they are amazing. I did find that the cupcake liners needed a squirt or two of cooking spray otherwise they stick. I filled them quite full at about 3/4 and baked for 19 min at 350. Perfection!!!!
Ok came out very heavy and dense.used cake flour plus I forgot to add the sugar taste wise it was great even without the sugar! But why so dense
if you didn’t follow the recipe as exactly written, that is probably why it’s dense.
This cake is so delicious! Especially the next day. I cut back on the sugars just a bit and used the coconut oil suggestion . Love it cold with a cup of hot tea. Thank you for the recipe.
Hello! First off – LOVE all of your recipes – been trying them outside since college around 2011!!!
Question about this cake – can you convert it to a layered cake? If so – do you think it would make 3 6” rounds? Thanks!!
i can’t say for sure because i haven’t tried it. but i do think there is enough batter for that!! let me know if you try it!
I only have non-fat plain Greek yogurt. Will that work or should I just sub in more oil? So excited to try this recipe!
This makes a lovely, moist cake. I followed the directions almost exactly. Based on comments here, I did add more cinnamon and threw in a little allspice and cloves; and I only had regular vanilla yogurt, not Greek.
Turned out fantastic!
Pingback: Favorite November 2020 Purchases - StyledJen
Delicious!!! I’m so happy I tried this recipe. I did cut the sugar by about 1/3 in the cake and the frosting. I thought it was perfect. Will definitely be making again. Thank you for the recipe!
Can I make this in a sheet cake pan and if so what adjustments should I make?
Hi! I love the recipe and am eager to try it out. However, can I use fresh pumpkins in lieu of the puree? I wont be able to source out the puree in my side of the world. How do I process the fresh pumpkin though? :)
i have a recipe for homemade pumpkin puree! https://www.howsweeteats.com/2013/10/exactly-how-i-make-my-homemade-pumpkin-puree/
What percentage of greek yogurt do you use? Thanks in advance
Made the dream shhet cake with a bundt pan. Used almond extract in the frosting instead of espresso. My husband loved it…me as well. Moist and delicious!
How far in advance can I make this cake? Do you think 3 days in the fridge (without icing) is too long?
i think 3 days is the max. it should still be good!
Do you think you could add some diced apples to this cake? Maybe 3/4 cup?
i think you probably can!
This cake was moist, flavorful and decadent. I made it in a sheet pan and it finished baking at 25 minutes. I like more frosting with the thinner cake and this was perfect!
This is a great recipe. I know this especially because I accidentally baked it for about twice the time and it was still delicious (A bit dry the second day is all!)
Oh, and I only had 8 oz of cream cheese, so I even head only half the frosting!
I made this cake last week and it was delicious! Added an extra teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and the spice level was perfect.
Do you think I could use this recipe for apple cake? I was going to peel , chop and cook down some apples to replace the pumpkin purée. What do you think?
Absolutely checks all the boxes!
Decadent, pumpkin, cinnamon, cream cheese and the best four letter word EASY!!
This one’s a keeper!!