Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

This pumpkin sheet cake bakes in an 18 × 13-inch pan, so there is plenty to slice and share. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg go into the pumpkin batter, and white chocolate makes the cream cheese frosting a little extra special.

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When I think of pumpkin, I also think of spices, and this cake has both.  Rich pumpkin puree mixed with fall’s favorite warming spices. This cake bakes up moist and rich with a delicate, spicy pumpkin flavor. Your kitchen will smell amazing while you bake this cake.

This cake is topped with a creamy white chocolate cream cheese frosting for extra flavor. Not only is the icing super simple to make, but it is one of my favorite icing recipes ever. It’s creamy, not too sweet, and has a tangy flavor from the cream cheese and white chocolate. Try it, and you will understand what I mean.

I like to finish the cake with chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and candied ginger. The topping is optional, but it adds crunch and color. It’s the same topping I add to this Banana Cake Roll recipe.

Recipe Highlights

What You Need for This Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin Cake and Icing Ingredients

The recipe card below has the full amounts. These are the ingredients worth a closer look before you start.

• Pumpkin purée: Use a 15-ounce can of plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling already contains sugar and spices.
• Canola oil: It helps give the cake its moist texture.
• Brown and granulated sugar: The batter uses both.
• Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg give the cake its warm fall flavor.
• White chocolate baking bar: You’ll melt 4 ounces for the frosting. Use a baking bar rather than candy melts.
• Cream cheese and butter: Soften both before making the frosting so they beat together smoothly.
• Pecans, dried cranberries, and crystallized ginger: Chop these together for the optional topping. This is the ginger chips I use.

If you make your own vanilla extract, this is a good place to use it.

What Pan Do You Need For This Cake?

Use an 18 × 13-inch rimmed half-sheet pan. The batter spreads into a relatively thin layer and bakes in about 20 minutes.

I spray the pan and dust it with sugar before adding the batter. The sugar adds a little extra flavor to the bottom of the cake. Tap out any sugar that does not stick to the pan.

You can also bake the batter in a 13 × 9-inch pan for a thicker cake. The original recipe calls for 30 to 35 minutes for that pan. Check the center with a toothpick rather than relying on the clock alone.

How To Make a Pumpkin Cake

Step 1. Mix the wet ingredients. Add the white and brown sugar, pumpkin purée, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

I usually make this batter with a sturdy wire whisk. You can use a hand mixer or KitchenAid if you prefer, but you don’t need one for this cake.

Step 2. Mix all the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. 

Step 3. Make the batter: Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Whisk just until no dry flour remains, then scrape the bottom of the bowl to check for any flour you missed.

Step 4. Prepare the pan: Spray an 18 × 13-inch rimmed half-sheet pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle sugar over the pan, then tap out the excess. I use sugar instead of flour because it adds flavor and gives the bottom of the cake a little caramelization.

Step 5. Bake the cake: Spread the batter evenly in the pan, all the way to the edges. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely before frosting.

How to Make The White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1. Melt the white chocolate: Break the baking bar into small pieces and put them into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, then remove the bowl and stir the chocolate. Repeat in 20-second intervals, stirring each time, until the chocolate starts to melt. Continue stirring until smooth. If it needs more heat, use shorter intervals so it does not overheat. I used a Lindt White Chocolate Baking Bar.

Step 2. Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and beat until combined.

Step 3. Add the sifted powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Step 4. Frost the cooled cake. Spread the frosting over the cake. You can serve this like this, or see my crunchy pecan, cranberry and ginger topping below.

How To Make the Pecan, Cranberry, and Ginger Topping

I like the crunch this topping adds to the creamy frosting. The pecans, tart cranberries, and sweet candied ginger taste great together, and their colors make the cake look especially nice on a Thanksgiving table.

To make it, chop the pecans, dried cranberries, and candied ginger into small pieces, then sprinkle them over the frosted cake.

Now grab a plate and serve this moist pumpkin cake with a scoop of my Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream.

This cake makes the perfect Thanksgiving dessert, and if you are at my house on Thanksgiving, we sometimes have a slice for breakfast with our tea. 

How To Store This Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Cover the frosted cake and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you serve it at a gathering, put the leftovers back in the refrigerator within two hours because the frosting contains cream cheese.

Place cut squares in a single layer in a freezer-safe container and thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.

Equipment

I own lots of whisks for all different uses, and a good, sturdy whisk comes in handy for mixing and whipping ingredients; this 11-inch wire whisk is not expensive, and I love the handle for good gripping.

I use an 11-inch angled spatula to frost this cake. It makes spreading frosting across that big pan much easier, and I can usually finish without getting cream cheese frosting all over my knuckles. Usually.

More Pumpkin Recipes

• These Pumpkin Madeleines with Maple Glaze are little pumpkin cakes you can serve with coffee or tea.
• My Pumpkin Cranberry Bread has cranberries, pecans, and an orange glaze.
• If you’d rather serve bars, try these Pumpkin Pie Bars. Just cut them into squares and set out a plate.

Don’t forget to Pin it!

Recipe

Tried it? Rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ & comment below—your feedback keeps the oven mitts flying here at One Hot Oven.

First published: January 6, 2015. Last Updated: September 25, 2026, for better readability.

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