I’ve never been one to jump at the pecan tarts or pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dessert. They’re not for me. However, if there’s one thing I can’t resist, it’s cake.
Oh, cake. Sigh.
It may just be the holiday spirit igniting inside me, but this cake has given my favorite flavor (yellow cake – I know, it’s boring) a swift kick to the curb. The texture is moist and perfectly crumbly, the flavor subtly pumpkin and a bit of gingerbread, and topped with homemade cream cheese frosting the cake just melts in your mouth. Then, before you know it, you’ve gone back for seconds, and thirds, and… well, let’s just skip to sevenths.
Best of all, this isn’t complicated. All you need is a box of spiced cake mix, a packet of vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin puree, oil, water, eggs and spices. The dry and wet ingredients go all into one bowl, and once it starts baking your home is filled with the aroma of warm cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin oozing together to create one marvelous and festive cake!
Now, excuse me while I go devour a slice for breakfast…
Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- 1 package (18 1/4 ounces) yellow or spiced cake mix
- 1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cloves, ground
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat all ingredients, except Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting, in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened, scraping side of bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended.
- Pour into greased and floured 13x9-inch baking pan.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Spread with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows).
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and ground cloves in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.
- Enjoy!
I am a big fan of cakes as well. Recently a friend gave me a whole box of what’s called the Mango Bravo and I would have a slice at least twice a day.
looks so yummy in my tummy jajaja.
Regards
olga.
I’m not a huge gingerbread fan, but still – this is calling out to me!
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so perfect for thanksgiving, delicious!
Wow, this looks amazing and like the perfect fall treat!
Since I’m not really a great baker, I love it when I see recipes that use a cake mix. I’m much more confident baking with a box mix than from scratch, although I sometimes get brave and do! This looks GOOD! Is this part of your Thanksgiving meal?
Oh my these look so goood. Love the spiced frosting.
Thanks, Wendy! With family being so far away, my husband and I are just doing a small celebration together at home. So, this cake isn’t part of the plan, but if we have leftovers (unlikely), then hooray!
How simple & very pretty with the spinkles..I could not resist myself!
The swirled frosting looks so pretty! Love these festive dots atop, that make the spiced cake very special.
Looks so yummy♥ And so perfect for Thanksgiving!! Love how you used cake mix and pudding mix, it makes things so much easier (and faster) :D
xoxo
Ai
Oh how I wish I had a piece right now! Yum.
Cakes like this are just the best. I can eat them forever (icing or not) and not feel guilty at all!
This sounds delicious!
I was just thinking about adding a cake to our Thanksgiving dessert menu. This fall-inspired dessert looks too good to pass up! I love how you frosted each individual slice. It makes for such a pretty presentation! Thank you for sharing, dear. I hope you have a beautiful Sunday!
This looks soooo amazing!!!
Cake for breakfast sounds like a seriously good idea…especially this cake! It looks fantastic :)
I am so happy the pumpkin bug has caught up with you – this pumpkin spice cake looks well worth the indulgence!
Oooohhh…that looks so moist and wonderful…..and spiced cream cheese frosting? Ok…sign me up for a piece too…..hey, don’t eat it all!!!!
I do love things that are not complicated! This looks simple to make and delicious to enjoy- a perfect fall treat! :)
I love spice cakes! This must be super moist, and that frosting sounds divine. Those festive sprinkles are a nice touch!
These sound so delicious! Yum!
Love these flavors…they look delicious :)
Mmmm – Pumpkin with gingerbread. It’s like Autumn and holidays all wrapped up into one delicious cake. The frosting sounds luscious and luv those color-coordinated sprinkles :)
This looks like a fantastic cake! I recently made a pumpkin gingerbread quick bread (with bananas & chocolate chips), and am convinced that it is a perfect pairing. Oh, and I would totally eat a slice for breakfast, too :)
So yummy and festive! Love that you throw everything into one bowl and whip it up; I have a pumpkin bread recipe that works the same way. Tasty and stress-free, can’t ask for anything better!
The flavors of this recipe are brilliant. I would love to make some and try some for myself. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Oh my goodness those are tasty and delightful! I like how you frosted the slices. :)
Georgia this is delicious, I have seen a lot of pumpkin but I think your pictures take the cake, hehe. I am thinking this would be perfect for Thanksgiving!
I’m not a big fan of spice cake mix but I do love the Gingerbread Pumpkin Bundt cakes at Corner Bakery. Does this taste anything like that?
Never had them, so I couldn’t tell you. But this is a really delicious pumpkin-flavored cake!
I always count down the days when the Gingerbread Pumpkin bundts are available at Corner Bakery. Any recipe I’ve looked up in the past was too much like gingerbread and not enough pumpkin. This recipe looks pretty darn close. Looks like it’s time to do a taste test once I pick up a few ingredients… Thanks!
This looks amazing. I like the way you did the frosting individually on each piece. Makes me think of cupcakes! It would still come out as good if you poured the batter into cups and baked right?
Thanks Jamie! Yes, these would be great as cupcakes. Included are directions for how to bake this cake that way.
Made this cake 3 times in 3 weeks. I do not love pumpkin flavored anything but the flavor is so subtle and the spices so warming that it has it all going on. I use a spice cake mix and for added kick I ground up candied ginger in my coffee mill. Hands down the best fall dessert anywhere. Making this cake for Thanksgiving with a praline pecan sauce.
In your picture, your pan appears to be a 9X9 not a 9X13.
Thank you!