This tender pumpkin cake with silky chocolate-cream cheese frosting will be the star of your Thanksgiving menu. It’s a freshly baked, warmly spiced, and ultra decadent fall treat to end dinner on a sweet note.
Why You’ll Love This Cake Recipe
This simple, two-layer pumpkin cake with luscious dark chocolate frosting is a fall-flavored classic.
- Prep-friendly. Freeze the cake layers in advance so all you need to do is stack and decorate when Thanksgiving comes around.
- Great for fall. Everyone loves pumpkin purée, dark chocolate, cream cheese, and sweet vanilla.
- Warmly spiced. A sprinkle of pumpkin spice, which has hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, makes the perfect bite.
- Versatile. Turn the recipe into muffins, add tart cranberries, or drizzle with salted caramel sauce if you want to.
What You’ll Need
Spiced pumpkin and chocolatey cream cheese frosting are a heavenly flavor combination. Scroll to the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
For the Cake Batter
- Vegetable oil – Corn and canola oil are great swaps.
- Eggs – They must be at room temperature to prevent the batter from splitting.
- Sugar – Granulated, light brown, or dark brown sugar all work.
- Pumpkin purée – Try to use an organic or sugar-free purée.
- Pumpkin pie spice – Add your favorite or mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Salt – Kosher salt is best.
- Baking powder – Make sure it’s not past its expiration date before adding it in.
- Cake flour – All-purpose flour works too.
For the Chocolate Frosting
- Salted butter – You can also use unsalted butter. Avoid margarine.
- Cream cheese – Go for full-fat cream cheese if possible.
- Powdered sugar – This is also called “confectioners’ sugar”.
- Milk – I prefer whole milk, but 2% is fine as well. Skip the plant-based milk because it’s water-based and will split the frosting.
- Vanilla extract – Feel free to leave it out.
- Chocolate chips – I used dark chocolate ones, but semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips work too.
How To Make Pumpkin Cake
Never frost a warm or semi-warm cake. Even the smallest amount of internal heat is enough to melt the frosting and cause a huge mess. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prep the oven. Preheat it to 350F. Grease two 9″ springform pans with non-stick spray. Set them aside.
- Make the batter. Except for the flour, use a hand mixer to beat all the cake batter ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually fold in the flour until just-combined.
- Bake it. Divide the batter between both of the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Loose and remove the springform pans.
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese over medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating over low speed until completely smooth. Increase the speed to medium, and add the milk and vanilla extract, beating again until fully combined.
- Melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat them in 30-second increments, stirring between each one, until completely melted. Slowly fold the chocolate into the frosting.
- Frost the cake. Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand. Evenly spread 1 cup of frosting over it with an offset spatula. Stack the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting all over it until completely coated.
- Serve. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice and enjoy!
Baker’s Tips & Variations
Crunchy walnuts and a salted caramel drizzle can take this fluffy pumpkin cake to the next level.
- Go double chocolate. Mix 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder into the batter for a double chocolate-pumpkin cake.
- Use add-ins. Fold 1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, chewy cranberries, or chocolate chips into the batter for more flavor and texture.
- Make muffins. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners. Fill them with batter until 3/4s full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Add frosting once cooled.
- Chill it. If you’re pressed for time, popping the cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes will speed up the cooling process. That doesn’t mean they’ll be ready to frost right away after this, but you’ll save lots of time compared to letting them cool naturally.
- Add toppings. Once the cake is frosted, add a salted caramel drizzle on top. You can also sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips on top.
- Watch the temperature. Place an oven thermometer on the rack you bake the cakes on to make sure your oven is actually at 350F. If it’s not well calibrated, you may have to adjust the dial until it’s baking at the correct temperature.
- Prep ahead. Bake the cakes and refrigerate up to 2 days in advance. This way you just need to make the frosting and decorate on the day of your event.
Proper Storage
Make sure it’s fully cooled before storing to prevent spoilage.
- Counter: Place it in a cake dome, away from direct heat and sunlight, for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Store it in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Keep it away from strong-smelling foods like onions and fish.
- Freezer: This works for the baked cake layers but not the frosted cake. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap twice. Transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then frost as usual.
More Fall Desserts To Try
Pumpkin Cake
This warmly spiced pumpkin cake recipe with velvety cream cheese-chocolate frosting is a sweet end to any Thanksgiving dinner.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cup sugar
- 2 cup canned pumpkin purée
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or 1 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger and nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups cake Flour
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup salted butter at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
Cake Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray with baking pam two 9" spring form pans.
- Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth. Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.
- Pour half mix into each of the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until tester (tooth pick) in center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack. Loosen and remove sides.
Frosting Directions:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating at low speed until blended.
- Increase speed to medium, and slowly add milk and vanilla, beating until smooth.
- Microwave the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30 second intervals. Gradually add melted chocolate to mixture; beat until blended and smooth.
- When cakes are cool, place one cake on the cake stand. Place a generous cup of frosting in the middle and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Place second cake on top of the frosted cake.
- Place remaining frosting on top and spread out toward the edges. Use your spatula to spread the frosting around the edges, covering the cake completely.
Hi Amy….your cake is looks moist and yummy! Glad to see someone else likes pumpkin and chocolate like I do! Cheers~
Thanks Tiffany. That Harvest cake of yours looks like a dream! Thanks for stopping over!
oh my goodness! this just went right to the top of my list of things to do today!!
Let me know if you love it as much we did. It didn’t last long…. glad to see you!