This Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting is everything you want in a cozy fall dessert—moist, warmly spiced, and topped with the best cream cheese frosting you’ll ever make.

Whether you’re baking for a holiday gathering or just craving something seasonal, this easy pumpkin cake is a true crowd-pleaser.

You don’t need any fancy skills or tools to make this. If you’ve ever made a carrot cake or banana bread, you’re already halfway there.

The cake batter comes together in one bowl, and the frosting is as simple as beat-and-spread.

If it’s your first time baking a layer cake, don’t worry—I’ll walk you through every step so you feel confident and excited to bake.

Ingredients

This recipe calls for simple ingredients, found in any grocery store. Each one plays a role in the fluffy texture, rich pumpkin flavor, and smooth tangy frosting.

Large eggs (room temperature): Help bind everything together and create structure in the cake.
Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and balances the spices.
Brown sugar: Adds depth and moisture thanks to its molasses content.
Pumpkin puree: The star ingredient, bringing moisture and real pumpkin flavor.
Canola oil: Keeps the cake soft and tender (olive oil works here, too).
Cinnamon: A key warm spice that enhances pumpkin desserts.
Allspice: Adds a little bit of complexity and a cozy, fall-inspired kick.
Vanilla extract: Brings balance and boosts all the other flavors.
All-purpose flour: The base of the cake structure, keeping things tender but not too delicate.
Baking powder: Helps the cake rise for a fluffy texture.
Baking soda: Works with the acid in the pumpkin to create lift.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other ingredients.
Unsalted butter (room temperature): Gives the frosting structure and a rich base.
Cream cheese (softened): The tangy counterpart to the sweet frosting; smooth and rich.
Pure maple syrup: Adds natural sweetness and subtle flavor.
Powdered sugar (measured then sifted): Sweetens and thickens the frosting for a smooth, spreadable consistency.

Take a look at the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.

Add-ons & Substitutions

Want to make this cake your own? Here are a few easy swaps and extras:

Pumpkin pie spice can replace the individual spices if that’s what you have on hand.
Olive oil works in place of canola oil, but use a light variety for best results.
Add chopped walnuts or pecans for some crunch in the layers.
Top with a drizzle of caramel sauce for a bakery-style finish.
Make it a sheet pan cake if you prefer something more casual—just adjust baking time.
Turn it into pumpkin cupcakes by dividing the batter into a lined muffin tin.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cake

Grease three 6-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray the sides with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 350°F. This ensures your pans are ready and the oven’s hot when you are.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla extract until smooth. This mixture should be well combined but not overworked.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and gently stir using a rubber spatula or paddle attachment on low speed. Mix just until the flour is incorporated—over-mixing leads to a tough cake.

Evenly divide the cake batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Allow them to cool completely before frosting.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand-held electric mixer), beat the butter and vanilla on medium-high speed until fluffy—about 1 minute.

Add the cream cheese and maple syrup and mix on medium speed until just combined. Do not overmix, or the frosting can become runny.

Add the sifted powdered sugar a bit at a time, mixing on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once smooth and spreadable, it’s ready to use.

Frost your completely cooled cake using a spatula or butter knife. For a festive touch, decorate with fondant pumpkins or a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. If you’re new to fondant, check out the video tutorial below!

Expert Tips

For the best result, use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They’re not the same!
The trick to this cream cheese frosting being pipable is that you don’t overbeat it; cream cheese turns very soft when over-beaten, and it will be too runny to frost your cake. If you find it too runny to frost, refrigerate it for a few hours until hard enough.
Sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the recipe to avoid any lumps. These are extremely difficult to remove later, and you will be thinning your frosting by over-beating it, trying to get rid of them
Let your ingredients come to room temperature before mixing—especially the eggs and cream cheese—for smooth blending.
Use a measuring cup or kitchen scale for consistent cake layers. This helps the cakes bake evenly.
After baking, let your cake layers cool completely before frosting to avoid a melted mess.
Wrap unfrosted cakes tightly in plastic wrap once cooled to trap in moisture if you’re not assembling right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to refrigerate a cake with cream cheese frosting?

Yes!!! Any cake topped with cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated for food safety.

What flavors go with pumpkin cake?

Maple, caramel, vanilla, orange zest, and warm spices like nutmeg or clove all complement the pumpkin flavor.

How long to cool the cake before cream cheese frosting?

The cake must be completely cooled—this usually takes about an hour at room temperature on a wire rack.

Can I make this pumpkin cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake the cake layers 1–2 days ahead. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or refrigerate.

Can I freeze this cake?

Absolutely. Wrap unfrosted cake layers in aluminum foil and store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How should I store leftovers?

Keep your frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays moist and flavorful for 3–4 days.

Can I use leftover pumpkin puree for this recipe?

Yes—just be sure to use unsweetened pure pumpkin puree. Measure carefully with a measuring cup for accuracy.

How do you fix dry cake?

Let’s say that you got a bit distracted and you baked your cake layers for more time than was called for. Or maybe you added more flour than necessary, or maybe you baked it at a higher temperature; either way, you can definitely save the cake.

If this is the case, you can poke your cake with a skewer a few times and then brush the top part with milk with a few drops of vanilla extract mixed in. Repeat this process with each layer, and let it sink for about an hour.

Then, frost the cake as you would normally. You could also use simple syrup. Personally, I don’t like sweetening my cakes more than necessary, so I always opt for the milk soak.

Can you freeze a cake with icing?

Sure, you can! You can either freeze it frosted or unfrosted. To freeze unfrosted cake, make sure to wrap the layers with plastic wrap until they are completely covered to avoid any freezer burn.

To defrost, place them in the fridge overnight, then let them come to room temperature and frost.

Freezing the frosted cake is trickier, but possible. I do it half of the time with my cakes!

To avoid ruining the frosting, place toothpicks along the cake so the plastic wrap won’t touch the frosting. Cover it completely to avoid any freezer burn and ruining the frosting.

Sometimes I do 2-3 layers of plastic wrap around my cakes to make sure any gaps are covered. Defrost in the fridge overnight, and then add the fondant decorations in the end.

Below you’ll find some more fall dessert recipe inspiration!