My Pumpkin Spice Cake is made with two ingredients. It sounds impossible until you try it. A box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin puree do the whole job. No eggs, no oil, no water. A cream cheese frosting on top turns it into a proper fall dessert.
When the leaves turn and the days cool, I love to make delicious pumpkin desserts. My family loves my Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies and my Pumpkin Poke Cake, they are keepers.
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Why this Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe is a Keeper
This is my go-to when I need a fall dessert without a grocery run. It’s the kind of recipe you keep in your back pocket for busy days, last‑minute gatherings, or when you just want something sweet and comforting with almost no effort.
ONLY USE 2-4 OF THE MOST APPLICABLE FEATURES.
- Two Ingredient Cake: Spice cake mix and pumpkin puree are all the cake itself needs.
- Ready in Under 40 Minutes: Ten minutes of prep and under half an hour in the oven.
- Genuinely Moist: The pumpkin replaces the fat and keeps the crumb tender without any oil.
- Freezes Well: Make the unfrosted cake ahead and freeze it for up to three months.
Can I Make This Pumpkin Cake in a Bundt Pan?
Yes. A bundt pan turns this into a centerpiece and makes slicing easier at a party. Grease the pan thoroughly, since this batter has no added fat to help it release. Add time to the bake, because a bundt is deeper than an 8 by 8 pan. Check with a toothpick. A bundt looks better with a glaze drizzle than a thick frosting layer, so adjust accordingly.
Pro Tip for Pumpkin Batter
A small drizzle of maple syrup in the batter deepens the warm spice flavor.
Keep it subtle, about a tablespoon. Too much thins the batter and changes the bake time.
Ingredient Notes for the Best Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
The easy pumpkin cake only takes 2 ingredients and the cream cheese icing takes only a few staple ingredients.
This is an overview of key ingredients. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Spice Cake Mix: One 15.25 ounce box. The mix already has the flour, leavening and spices you need.
- Pumpkin Puree: Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is presweetened and will throw off the cake.
- Cream Cheese: Set it out ahead so it softens fully, or the frosting will be lumpy.
- Powdered Sugar: Start with four cups and add more only if you want it sweeter or stiffer.
- Whipped Topping: Folding this in at the end is what makes the frosting light instead of dense.
Variations and Substitutions for the Pumpkin Recipe
This moist pumpkin spice cake with mix adapts easily. Try one of these.
➡️ Add Two Eggs: Eggs make the cake fluffier and lighter if you prefer that texture over dense.
➡️ Switch the Cake Mix: Chocolate, white cake or carrot cake mix all work, though you lose the built-in spices.
➡️ Make It a Poke Cake: Poke holes in the warm cake and pour in a filling before frosting.
➡️ Fold in Mix-Ins: Chopped pecans, walnuts, mini chocolate chips or dried cranberries all work.
➡️ Spice the Frosting: Add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon to the cream cheese frosting.
Kitchen Tools To Make Pumpkin Cake Recipe
- 8 by 8 Baking Pan: This size gives you the right cake thickness for the amount of batter.
- Mixing Bowls: You need two, one for the batter and one for the frosting.
- Whisk: The batter is thick, so a sturdy whisk beats a fork here.
How to Make Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake
This cozy fall cake is moist, tender, and full of pumpkin warmth without any extra fuss.
These are just highlights. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Cake Batter: Combine the spice cake mix and pure pumpkin puree until no dry streaks remain.
- Bake: Bake in a greased 8 by 8 cake pan at 350 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool the cake completely on a wire rack before you touch the frosting.
- Use Mixer: Beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
- Finish Frosting: Fold in the whipped topping, spread over the cooled cake and refrigerate.
Prep Ahead and Short Cut Tips
This pumpkin spice cake with mix honestly takes no time at all but here are a few tips to get ahead of the game.
➡️Bake the Cake Early: Make the unfrosted cake a day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature.
➡️ Freeze It Unfrosted: The plain cake freezes for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
➡️ Make Frosting Ahead: Mix the frosting and store it in the fridge until you are ready to spread it.
➡️ Soften Cream Cheese in Advance: Set it on the counter an hour before you plan to make the frosting.
➡️ Portion for Cupcakes: Bake the batter in a lined muffin tin and check for doneness at 18 to 22 minutes.
Alternate Cooking Methods – Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
You can make this easy cake in so many different ways. Here are just a few:
- Bake Pumpkin Cupcakes: Fill a lined muffin tin and start checking at 18 minutes.
- Use a Bundt Pan: Grease it well and add time to the bake, testing with a toothpick.
- Make a Layer Cake: Double the recipe, bake two rounds and stack them with frosting between.
Why Did My Pumpkin Spice Cake Sink in the Middle?
An underbaked center is the usual cause. This batter is dense and needs the full time. Test with a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out wet, give it another five minutes and check again. Overmixing can also do it, since it develops too much structure and then collapses. Stir only until the dry streaks disappear. A few small lumps are fine.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Cake
- Storing: Keep the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. The cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold.
- Reheating: This cake does not need reheating. Microwave a slice for a few seconds if you want it warm.
- Using Leftovers: A slice works well for breakfast alongside coffee. Crumble leftover unfrosted cake over ice cream or layer it into a pumpkin trifle.
Expert Tips for Making Pumpkin and Spice Cake
These are the details that keep this cake from going wrong.
➡️ Cool It Completely: I never frost a warm cake, since the cream cheese frosting slides right off.
➡️ Soften Both Fully: I make sure the cream cheese and butter are truly at room temperature before beating.
➡️ Add Sugar Gradually: I start at four cups and taste as I go rather than dumping in all six.
➡️ Grease the Pan Well: I coat it thoroughly, since this batter has no oil to help it release.
➡️ Fold the Topping Gently: I fold rather than beat the whipped topping so the frosting stays light.
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Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cake Mix
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Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Cake
- 15.25 ounces Spice cake mix, 1 (15.25 ounce) box
- 1¾ cups Pumpkin puree
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup Salted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 4 to 6 cups Powdered sugar
- 8 ounces Whipped topping, 1 (8 ounce) tub, thawed
Instructions
Pumpkin Spice Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the spice cake mix and pumpkin puree until no dry streaks remain.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely before preparing the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually add 4 cups of the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar, if desired, until the frosting reaches your preferred sweetness and consistency.
- Gently fold the thawed whipped topping into the frosting until fully combined and no streaks remain.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Christina’s Notes
- Use Pure Puree: Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced and will not work here.
- Do Not Overmix: Stir only until the dry streaks disappear, or the cake turns dense.
- Cool Before Frosting: A warm cake melts cream cheese frosting right off the top.
- Check at 25 Minutes: Start testing early with a toothpick so you do not overbake the edges.
- Refrigerate to Store: Keep the frosted cake covered in the fridge for up to five days.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.