Pumpkin Pudding Sheet Cake

When the leaves start falling I always find myself craving those melt-in-your-mouth bakes that taste like comfort. This Pumpkin Pudding Cake is exactly that — a soft, velvet-textured cake inspired by the cozy flavors of fall.It’s the kind of dessert that fills the kitchen with warmth and nostalgia. The secret? A box of pudding mix and a low, slow bake that gives you that signature “velvetly” crumb. Topped with the silkiest Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, this cake is simple enough for a weeknight but special enough to steal the show at any fall gathering.

Why You’ll Love It

• Rich, moist pumpkin cake that stays soft for days
• A two bowl batter — no mixer needed
• Baked low and slow for a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth texture
• Perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove
• Finished with my most-requested cinnamon cream cheese frosting

Ingredient Highlights

• Pumpkin Purée: Adds flavor and moisture without heaviness — use pure pumpkin, not pie filling.
• Pumpkin Spice Pudding Mix: The secret to the soft, velvety crumb. If you can’t find it, vanilla works beautifully.
• Cake Flour: Gives the cake its fine, tender texture.
• Sour Cream: Adds tang and moisture for a plush crumb.
• Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting: Creamy, fluffy, and perfectly balanced — not too sweet, just cozy.

Step Overview

• Preheat your oven and prepare your pan.
• Whisk together your dry ingredients — flour, pudding mix, sugar, and spices.
• Mix wet ingredients until smooth and silky, then fold everything together gently.
• Bake low and slow: start at 350°F, then lower to 325°F halfway through.
• Cool completely and slather with thick cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Storage & Serving

This cake stays soft for days — keep it covered in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving. You can also make it ahead, freeze it unfrosted, and whip up the frosting fresh when you’re ready to serve.

It’s the perfect cozy dessert to enjoy with a cup of coffee and a friend, or family and friends at holiday gathering this year.

I wanted this cake to taste like fall itself — rich, warm, and comforting, like something you’d pull from the oven on a Sunday afternoon when the house smells like cinnamon and butter. It’s one of those recipes that reminds me why I love seasonal baking so much — simple ingredients, pure nostalgia, and one of the tastiest cakes you’ll ever bake. –

Pumpkin Pudding Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft, spiced, and impossibly tender — this Pumpkin Pudding Cake has that melt-in-your-mouth texture that feels like pure fall comfort, finished with a swirl of creamy cinnamon frosting.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cooling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 9 (makes one 8x8-inch cake)

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dry Ingredients

• 150 g 1¼ cups cake flour
• 150 g ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 box 96 g / 3.4 oz pumpkin spice instant pudding mix — substitute vanilla if unavailable
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground clove

Wet Ingredients

• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 120 g ½ cup sour cream
• 120 mL ½ cup vegetable oil
• 120 mL ½ cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 g ½ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 225 g 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 115 g ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 200 g about 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Equipment

• 8x8-inch metal baking pan Light-colored metal bakes most evenly – avoid glass for best texture
• Parchment paper Line the bottom and sides so the cake lifts out easily once cooled
• Two medium mixing bowls One for dry ingredients, one for wet
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Fine-mesh sifter Sift powdered sugar before adding to frosting for a smooth, silky finish
• wire cooling rack

Method

 

Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
2. Grease and line an 8×8-inch light-colored metal baking pan with butter, dust with flour, and tap out the excess. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Mix Dry Ingredients

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 150 g (1¼ cups) cake flour, 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar, 1 box (96 g / 3.4 oz) pumpkin spice instant pudding mix, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp fine salt, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground ginger, and ¼ tsp ground clove until well combined.

Mix Wet Ingredients

1. In another bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 120 g (½ cup) sour cream, 120 mL (½ cup) vegetable oil, 120 mL (½ cup) whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 120 g (½ cup) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) until smooth.
2. Combine
3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
4. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until no flour streaks remain — the batter will be thick and silky. Avoid overmixing for the softest texture.

Bake

1. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
2. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (without opening the door) and continue baking for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
3. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Sift 200 g (about 1½ cups) powdered sugar before starting.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat together 225 g (8 oz) softened cream cheese and 115 g (½ cup) softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy.
3. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on medium speed until fully incorporated.
4. Beat in 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until fluffy and spreadable.

Frost and Serve

1. Spread the frosting generously over the cooled cake or pipe decorative swirls if desired.
2. Slice, serve, and enjoy that ultra-soft pumpkin velvet crumb with silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Tips & Tricks:

1. Velvet Texture: The two-step bake (starting at 350°F, then lowering to 325°F) is the secret to this cake’s melt-in-your-mouth texture. The higher heat gives it lift, while the lower heat sets the crumb slowly for that soft, velvety feel.
2. Pan Choice: For even baking and the best golden edges, use a light-colored metal pan. Glass pans can cause uneven browning or soggy centers.
3. Smooth Frosting Tip: Always sift your powdered sugar before mixing — it makes the frosting silky-smooth and bakery-perfect.
4. Flavor Balance: That pinch of salt in the frosting keeps it from being too sweet, while the cinnamon deepens the pumpkin spice flavor beautifully.

Notes

Storage & Make-Ahead

• At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

• Refrigerated: Keeps up to 4 days. Serve slightly chilled for defined frosting edges, or at room temperature for softer, velvety centers.

• Make ahead: Frosting can be made 1–2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. The cake itself can be baked a day ahead and frosted before serving.

• Freezing: Unfrosted cake can be frozen (well-wrapped) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before frosting. Frosting also freezes well for up to 1 month — stir before using.