Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
The pumpkin sheet cake has great spice flavor from cinnamon, ginger, and cloves! The cake is baked in a classic half sheet pan and uses an one entire can of pumpkin puree. As with any sheet cake recipe, this one serves upwards of 12 people, so be sure to have a good number of friends and family in close proximity to help take it off your hands.
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Sheet Cake:
- 2¼ cups (270 g) whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (120 mL) vegetable oil
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 (15 oz) can) pure pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (120 mL) whole milk room temperature
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup (4 oz; 115 g) unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces (1 block) cream cheese room temperature
- pinch of kosher salt
- ¼ cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) with a rack in the center position. Grease a sheet pan with butter or cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment paper with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to incorporate fully before adding the next. Whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth.
- Using a spatula, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with two additions of the milk. Allow each flour addition to be almost completely absorbed before adding each addition of milk. Mix the batter with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl, to ensure all of the ingredients are incorporated evenly and the batter is mostly smooth. Transfer the batter to the parchment-lined sheet and using a large offset spatula, spread the batter into an even, thin layer until it fills the entire sheet pan. Hit the sheet pan gently on your countertop to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched with your finger and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack and allow the cake to cool completely in the sheet pan.
- Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on your countertop. Carefully invert the sheet pan and turn the cooled cake onto the sheet of parchment. Peel off the top parchment paper and discard. Using a long serrated knife, slice the cake in half crosswise, cutting through the paper below to allow the cake layers to be transferred later. Set aside.
- Prepare the frosting: Using a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment (or hand mixer), beat the softened butter, room temperature cream cheese, and salt together at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and cardamom and mix until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and very slowly add the powdered sugar until smooth. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients have been incorporated. Increase to high speed and beat for about 30 seconds to a minute until fluffy.
- Assemble: Using the parchment paper, carefully transfer one cake layer half to a large, flat cutting board, serving platter, or an inverted clean sheet pan. Scoop just under half of the cream cheese frosting onto the center of the cake layer. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting into an even, thin layer, with some space left on the edges of the cake (to prevent any overflow).
- Carefully lift the second half of cake (the cake is delicate, so you might want to enlist hands or use two large spatulas to help achieve this) and flip on top of the frosted layer, pressing down lightly to adhere. Remove and discard the parchment paper. Spread the remaining frosting onto the top of the cake in an even thicker layer. Create swirls, if desired, with the edge or back of the offset spatula.
- If not serving right away, store the cake, uncovered (or covered with plastic wrap once the frosting has set) in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. I prefer it with just the slightest chill from the fridge. Slice into squares and serve.
Tips for Success:
- It’s worth noting that this recipe produces a generous amount of cream cheese frosting, which is quite rich. If you are not a frosting lover, use your judgement when frosting the cake itself or consider cutting the frosting recipe in half. The measurements make it easy to do so.
- The easiest way to store the cake is on a large, clean cutting board or on the back of a sheet pan. Cut it with a serrated knife for clean, even slices.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 539kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 239mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 46g