Pumpkin and plenty of spices shine through in this super-soft sheet cake.—Covered in cream cheese frosting and lots of nuts, this simple cake will feed a crowd and everyone will love it!
Hi, my name is Sarah and I am a pumpkin-addict.
Don’t send help or intervention.
Just let me die from pumpkin-lust happily.
As if I could ever die from pumpkin. Did y’all know that pumpkin is actually a fruit? So that means that pumpkin donuts, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins AND pumpkin sheet cake is actually total health food.
Best fruit EVER. 😀
So to all you pumpkin-haters out there. (and I sincerely hope there are very few of you) By now you may be ready to throw your computer out the window if you see another pumpkin recipe on my blog. Sorrynotsorry, but the pumpkin party on WAHO continues all the way until December.
That means 2 more glorious months of pumpkin fun. YES.
NO. Not enough time to share all the pumpkin recipes I still have coming.
Pumpkin sheet cake was at the top of that list. For the simple reason that I have a really strange obsession with sheet cakes.
As in I crave them all the time but never get around to actually making them.
Which is kinda pathetic of me because sheet cakes are the SIMPLE of the simple to make.
I’m a lazy cook sometimes. Shameful, I know.— I hate doing dishes and I despise sweeping the kitchen floor.
But I kinda love stuffing my face with pumpkin sheet cake.
Piece after glorious piece covered in glorious cream cheese frosting. 😀
This is a judge-free zone, so please do not judge my crumb-smothered face and frosting-covered fingers.
In other words, do not come over and visit me between the hours of 11am and 1pm when I’m recipe taste-testing.
Yes, it really takes me a full two hours to taste recipes. Important job, guys. 😉
KIDDING.
Anywhoooo, this cake guys. It’s pure pumpkin-heaven. Unbelievably moist and soft inside, perfect pumpkin ‘n’ spice flavors….and covered to death in cream cheese frosting goodness and lotsta’ nuts.
You can hardly blame me for eating half of it in one taste-testing afternoon.
Kidding! I shared. Sort of….
One of my favorite things about sheet cakes, besides how simple they are, is how they feed a crowd. This recipe will feed 12, but it can easily be doubled to feed more.
You know, just in case you eat too many pieces during the initial cooling/frosting process. 😉
For a pretty presentation, I slathered this cake generously with a cream cheese frosting, which you must know by now goes PERFECTLY with anything-pumpkin. A sprinkling of chopped walnuts on top finished it off and pulled off the “wow” factor of this cake.
Wow….
If you’re looking for that show-stopper fall dessert to bring to any get-together this fall, I think you’ve just found it.—This cake will bring even non-pumpkin-lovers to their knees.
Dig in, guys. It’s Friday! 😀
Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup xylitol or sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- FROSTING:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/3 cup xylitol or sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half cream
- Chopped walnuts for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, xylitol (or sugar) oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine remaining cake ingredients. Add dry mixture to liquid mixture, gently folding until combined.
- Spread batter into prepared pan, evenly smoothing top. Bake cake at 350F 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on a wire cooling rack.
- Prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl with an electric handheld mixer, beat frosting ingredients on high speed until smooth and creamy (if frosting seems to thick, add a little more cream)
- Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake and sprinkle with nuts if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Joanne says
I’m right there with you in Pumpkin Addicts Anonymous (PAA). So keep the pumpkin recipes coming! This shake cake sounds all kinds of awesome.
Sarah says
Hahaha! The PAA. Um, LOVE IT. 😀 Thanks Joanne!
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says
This cake looks so moist and pumpkin-y, Sarah! I want to dive right in. I won’t judge you if you don’t judge me for licking my plate clean because I totally would! Pinning!
Sarah says
Hahaha! Judge-free zone remember?! 😀 Thanks for pinning, Jen!
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Cooking & Creating says
Give me a big piece right now! My favorite thing about sheet cakes is the way that they double for breakfast. That’s true, right? 😉 Looks delicious!
Sarah says
Omg, that is SO true, Kelly! Sheet cakes are total breakfast food. 😀 Thanks girl! Hope you have a great Friday.
Renee @ Two in the Kitchen says
Ahhhh!!!!! You are so speaking my love language girl!!! I L-U-V cream cheese frosting!! And slathered on a pumpkin cake?!? Oh YEAH!! Pinned! 🙂
Sarah says
CC frosting + pumpkin = Swoonworthy. 😀 Thanks so much Renee! Hope you have a fun weekend!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
This pumpkin sheet cake looks incredible! And who could be a pumpkin-hater?! Just not possible! 🙂 I love the cream cheese frosting, too. What a delicious treat, Sarah!
Sarah says
Hahaha! Like I said, I SINCERELY hope there are very few pumpkin haters out there! 😉 Thanks Gayle!
Shashi at runninsrilankan says
Oh heavens – this is just plain decadence! But I don’t believe it would serve a whole crowd – seriously I would be nuts to share! 🙂
Sarah says
Hahaha! “Nuts” to share indeed. 😀 Thanks Shashi!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
I love sheet cakes! They just bring back childhood memories of chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and lots of sprinkles at parties 🙂 The nuts on top look AWESOME.
Sarah says
Thanks Medha! Sheet cakes are awesome. 🙂
Manali @ CookWithManali says
What a gorgeous looking dessert Sarah! Looks incredible and I’m craving for a piece now. Pinned!
Sarah says
Thank you Manali! Hope you’re having a good weekend, girl! 🙂
marcie says
This cake looks insanely good, Sarah! I know this would be a hit at any gathering, and this is getting pinned. 🙂
Sarah says
Thanks so much Marcie! Hope you’re having an awesome weekend!
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says
Sarah, please keep the pumpkin recipes coming because we have awesome pumpkins recipe! They are all tasty and delicious This cake sounds delicious.
Sarah says
Hahaha! I still have MANY more a’comin! Thanks Olivia!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Haha we have been swimming in pumpkin recipes but there’s no such thing as too much pumpkin since we are not pumpkin haters so keep ’em coming! And WOW, this cake looks incredible!!! Love that cream cheese topping. Yum, I’m assuming the rest of those slices you cut are for me right?? haha 🙂 Pinning!
Sarah says
I personally love swimming in pumpkin recipes. 😀 LOL. And yes! Those extra slices have your name written all over ’em, girl!
Thanks for the pin! 🙂
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
Yea!!! 2 more months of pumpkin recipes? Color me happy – pumpkin lover!!! Bring ’em on. And girl, if I hated sweeping floors, I’d be in HUGE trouble, my house is all hardwood! Now, I need to go sweep and pin this recipe!
Sarah says
Hahaha! Yeaaaah, I should probably try to kick this “sweeping hate.” 😉 Thanks for the pin, Kristi!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Your cake looks glorious!!!
Sarah says
Thanks Aimee! Hope you’re having a great weekend! 🙂
Kathy says
I can’t wait to try your recipe! I looks delicious! I have one question–does this require only one cup of flour? It doesn’t seem as if that is enough for a 9×13 cake. Just checking before I make it! Thanks.
Sarah says
Yes, 1 cup of white whole wheat flour is correct.— The batter should be fairly thick and spreadable.
Let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
I like sheet cakes because it’s a better cake to frosting ratio than a thick cake with little frosting 🙂
Sarah says
Right?! More frosting, less cake = EVERY TIME. 😀
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
I’m a pumpkin addict too!! This cake looks amazing!! Pumpkin and cream cheese are definitely a match made in heaven.
Sarah says
Hooray for another fellow pumpkin addict! LOL. Thanks Jess!
Nancy says
I thought a sheet cake was larger like 13x18x1 inch! So would I double the recipe to cook in this size pan? I m serving a lot of people. And I plan on makin 2. For thanksgiving dinner.
Sarah says
Yes, you would have to double this recipe to make it fit into a 13×18 pan. I am unsure of the exact baking time you would need, but I’m guessing you would have to increase it a little bit. Hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions!