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Pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting, dusted with cinnamon and cut into squares in a baking pan.
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Pumpkin Spice Cake with Mix
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

My Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cake Mix is moist, fluffy, and topped with cream cheese frosting. Ready in 40 minutes!

Servings: 12 people
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Cake
  • 1 box (15 ¼ oz/432 g ) yellow cake mix
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 3 large eggs , at room temperature
  • 1 can (15 oz/425 g) pumpkin puree
Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
To Make the Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cake Mix
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan. Knock out the excess flour and set aside.

  2. In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and pumpkin puree.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until the batter is smooth.
  5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
To Bake the Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cake Mix
  1. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  2. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or in a medium bowl using a handheld electric mixer), mix the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until well combined.

  2. Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract and continue mixing until just incorporated, about 1 minute.

  3. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
To Serve and Store the Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cake Mix
  1. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or hot apple cider. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
  • Use store-bought cake mix. Boxed cake mix has the right formulation for this recipe, so don't use homemade cake mix.
  • Use pumpkin puree. Use pure pumpkin puree (canned or homemade), not pumpkin pie filling, or the cake will be too sweet.
  • Omit oil or eggs on the box. You do not need to add oil or eggs called for on the box, follow my recipe's instructions.
  • Squash alternative. You can use the same amount of  homemade roasted squash puree for this. Just replace the canned pumpkin with 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons (15 oz / 425 g) squash puree.
  • DIY Pumpkin Spice. If you don’t have Pumpkin Pie Spice, you can replace it with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and cloves.
  • Boost the spice. For a more pronounced flavor, increase the pumpkin spice by 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
  • Use a paddle or whisk attachment. Either works to make the frosting.
  • Don't over-whip frosting. Mix in the cream cheese until just combined. Overmixing will make the frosting too loose.
  • Cool cake. Let the cake cool completely before frosting, so the frosting doesn't melt and slide off.
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