This Pumpkin Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is so soft that it will melt in your mouth. It is easy, mildly sweet with cozy Fall spices and amazing with a luscious cream cheese frosting - Truly outstanding!
Ultra Soft Pumpkin Loaf Cake Recipe
This pumpkin loaf cake was created in response to a reader's question about using the pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting recipe to make into a cake.
During repeated recipe testing, I found that using the same pumpkin cupcake batter in a loaf pan reduced moisture loss and minimized shrinkage as it cooled. So, I adjusted the recipe by removing the milk, resulting in a delicately tender loaf cake that wasn’t overly moist.
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♡ What you’ll love about this recipe:
✔️ Flavor – Made with plenty of pure pumpkin purée and warm fall spices, every bite is rich, cozy, and full of autumn flavor.
✔️ Texture – The sponge cake is incredibly soft, moist, and tender with a melt-in-your-mouth feel. It is like an ultra soft pumpkin bread!
✔️ Sweetness – Lightly sweetened to let the pumpkin shine, making the spiced loaf cake the perfect base for a sweet cream cheese icing.
How to make pumpkin loaf cake?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1.Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, clove and nutmeg into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Combine butter and both sugars in the bowl in a large bowl and use an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes).
3. Add pumpkin puree and vegetable oil and beat until well combined.
4. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are evenly combined.
5 & 6. Add the dry ingredients and beat until it just comes together. Don't overmix.
Transfer batter into a loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes clean. Cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Add cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and salt into a medium bowl.
2. Uisng an electric beater, beat until smooth and creamy.
Tip: Use full-fat cream cheese for a perfectly creamy frosting.
3 & 4. Gradually add confectioners sugar and beat until smooth, and light.
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Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake using a rubber spatula and sprinkle chopped pecans on top.
Tips for Success
- I like to use Libby’s brand of pumpkin puree as it is thick with rich color and taste. Different brands may be lighter in color or more watery in consistency.
- Use room temperature eggs for fluffier texture.
- Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices.
- To make a pumpkin layer cake, double the recipe for pumpkin cake and bake in two 9-inch round baking pans and also double the cream cheese frosting.
Storage
Because of the dairy in the cream cheese icing, the pumpkin spice cake with canned pumpkin is best stored in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight container to prevent it from absorbing odors and to keep the frosting from drying out.
For the best texture, serve the cream cheese frosted pumpkin cake at room temperature—this brings back its soft, spongey, melt-in-your-mouth quality. If it's been refrigerated, let it sit out for about 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Pumpkin Loaf Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- chopped toasted pecans, optional
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and spray a standard loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, all spice and clove into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Combine butter and both sugars in the bowl in a large bowl and use an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes).
- Add pumpkin puree and vegetable oil and beat until well combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are evenly combined.Tip: Room temperature eggs will fluff better and faster.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat until it just comes together. Don't overmix.
- Transfer batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth top and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place pan on a wire rack to cool completey before frosting.
Frosting
- Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a medium bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.Tip: Use full-fat cream cheese and not the spreadable type from a tub. The full-fat will give the frosting a perfectly creamy consistency.
- Gradually add confectioners sugar and beat until smooth, and light.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cake using a rubber spatula and sprinkle chopped pecans on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Pumpkin puree (canned or make your own)
You will need canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. My favorite is Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin - it's thick and flavorful!
If you like to make pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkin, then cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and fibers, then roast the halves cut-side down for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the flesh is soft. Cool completely, scoop out the flesh, blend it until smooth, and store it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for longer-term use.
More Easy Pumpkin Desserts
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes are beautifully layered with an ultra-creamy pumpkin filling and fluffy individual cheesecake - Perfect for Thanksgiving dessert!
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cake has a soft and plush texture topped with the most decadent cream cheese swirl.
- Pumpkin Mug Cake has the perfect fluffy texture! Ready in under 5 minutes from start to finish, it is warm, cozy, and studded with gooey bits of melted chocolate chips.
- Crave-worthy pumpkin almond croissants infuse buttery, flaky pastry with the rich flavors of honey, pumpkin and almond flour. Easy & scrumptious!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Kitchen at Hoskins on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Ooooh this tastes like pumpkin cheesecake?! Then yesssss....count me in! Happy Thanksgiving Maria! Xoxo
Maria Doss
Thank you Kelly:)
Ashika | Gardening Foodie
I seriously wish that I could come to your house for breakfast Maria ( can I pleeeeze:) ...this looks divine. I really really have to try this recipe. My son is a HUGE cheesecake fan and he would absolutely love this for breakfast if it tastes like cheesecake.
Definitely saving to try!
Maria Doss
Aww...thank you dear:)
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes
Don't you just come up with such amazingly creative ideas Maria!! Love all of your overnight oat recipes! This one is so good since it doubles up as dessert too!
Maria Doss
Thank you SO much dear Deepika:)
Mary
The best pumpkin cake recipe ever. Guests love the creamy, moist flavorful dessert!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it hun – Maria ♡