My recipe for Pumpkin Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is the cake you need to warm your heart this fall. The cake is so perfectly tender and paired with the tangy cream cheese frosting, this cake is everything I want it to be. The fluffiest cake and super fluffy frosting are a match made in heaven!
What you need:
Just a handful of basics and you are on your way to this perfect fall dessert!
If you are an avid baker you probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry. The only ingredient that I usually have to be sure I have is the pumpkin. I use it so often that I have to make a point to keep some around in the fall.
Making a pumpkin cake
When making the cake I like to mix the batter, leaving the nuts out, and then sprinkle them on top before baking and swirl them in.
Simply fold them into the batter so none are exposed. You want to be sure they have some cake batter on them so they don't burn during baking.
I line my baking pan with parchment paper and I like to be sure that some overlap the edges so I can lift the cake out of the pan. This is important so your cake doesn't crack when removing it from the pan. I like to get it out of the pan so it can cool completely and not build condensation from sitting in the pan.
While your cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting, again, it only requires a few pantry staples that you probably already have on hand.
Be sure that all of the ingredients are at room temp, or even just a little bit warm. I put my cream cheese in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, just be know it is warm and so it will whip up totally smooth. Whip the frosting until it is super light and fluffy.
When the cake has completely cooled, scoop ALL of the frosting out on to the top of the cake.
To get the big fluffy beautiful swirls in your frosting, use the back of a spoon to spread the frosting out over the cake.
Finish with a scattering of walnuts over the top, and your Pumpkin Cake is ready to enjoy!
More pumpkin goodness
If you'd like to roast your own pumpkin and make homemade pumpkin pulp to use in this recipe and more take a look at my tutorial on How to Roast a Pumpkin.
Enjoy a slice of this cake with one of my very favorite drinks to make at home, a Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte.
Or enjoy a big cup of coffee with a generous splash of my Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer.
I hope you love this one as much as I do. It turned out JUST as good as I hoped and has all the flavors I love.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Walnut Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This super fluffy cake and equally fluffy cream cheese icing are a pumpkin spice match made in heaven!
Ingredients
for the cake:
- 2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 lg Eggs
- 15oz Pumpkin Puree, not pie mix
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ cup Walnuts, rough chopped and toasted
for the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temp
- 8oz Cream Cheese room temp
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
Instructions
for the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F and prepare a 9x13 cake pan with pan spray and parchment in the bottom.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla and whip to combine. Add in the flour, pie spice, baking powder, and soda, and whip just until mix, being careful not to whip too long so your flour doesn’t become overworked.
- Place the mixture in the prepared baking pan and sprinkle in about a half cup of roughly chopped walnuts. Give the cake mixture a light smoothing with a spatula to cover the nuts and keep them from being completely exposed. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then remove it to a cooling rack until completely cool, about 2 hours or overnight. Top with cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts and enjoy.
for the cream cheese frosting:
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl 2-3 times. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low until just combined. Blend at medium-high speed until frosting is smooth. Finish with the vanilla and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Dump all of the frosting on top of the cooled cake and spread it out with the back of a spoon to create nice even swirls. Top with chopped walnuts and slice into 12 even squares.
Notes
The cake can be made without nuts and is equally delicious if you have the need to remove them.
Canola, Corn, or Coconut Oil can also be used in this cake. Simply melt the coconut oil and let cool so not HOT before using.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Holly Bush
Hello, This cake looks delicious! Could I add raisins to it? Thanks!
Kendell
Hey Holly, I wouldn't personally, but just because I don't like them 🤣, but you absolutely could if you do like them.