3 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Cake

Try this next! Southern Peach Dump Cake - there's even a cherry version!

🧾 Ingredients

• You can use any kind of cake mix you like. Butter, yellow, white, spice, carrot... I don't think I'd use chocolate though
• If you prefer to not to use a boxed mix try this homemade white cake mix!
• Use what ever kind of topping you like. I used my whipped cream cheese frosting (link in the recipe) but you could use canned frosting, whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

🔪 Instructions

1. Add the cake mix, canned pumpkin, and eggs to a large bowl. Add in the bourbon and cloves if you're using them.
2. Stir the ingredients together with a large spoon until smooth or 1 minute or so on medium speed of an electric mixer.
3. Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the prepared 13x9-inch pan. Smooth the top of the cake batter out.
4. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool (lifted on a wire rack if possible) and top with the cream cheese icing or your favorite topping.

🎥 Video

Just click on the image below if you'd like to see the full length video on YouTube. It opens in a new tab so you won't lose your place here.

🥫 Storage

• Keep the cake refrigerated if you use homemade cream cheese frosting. If you don't then the cake doesn't need to be refrigerated.
• This should be fine at room temperature for 3-4 days or up to a week in the refrigerator.
• Freeze for longer storage - up to three months.

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: Chill the cake for an hour before cutting if you've frosted it. This will keep the squares pretty!

• Be sure you're using pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie mix.
• This batter will also make 2 8-inch layers or 24 cupcakes. Prepare cake pans by greasing and dusting with some of the cake mix. Bake the layers for 20-25 minutes and the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes.
• Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before using.
• If you leave out the bourbon there's no need to replace it. Just continue with the pumpkin cake recipe.
• You can use pumpkin pie spice instead of the cloves use 1 teaspoon.
• Gingersnap crumbs make a pretty (and delicious) garnish for the finished pumpkin spice cake if you've frosted it.

👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

📚 Related recipes

More pumpkin recipes...

• Pumpkin Spice Bread is moist and delicious with lots of pumpkin flavor.
• Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes have all the flavor of your favorite fall pie in cupcake form. SO good.
• Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Bourbon Brown Butter Glaze will have everyone drooling! It's moist and delicious and keeps for days.
• Pumpkin Scones are a copycat Starbucks recipe but I think mine are better. Try them and let me know if you agree.

📞 The last word

I love fall flavors!

I pull this pumpkin sheet cake recipe out of the recipe box just about the time school starts up. It's so good for an after-school snack!

My cream cheese frosting recipe freezes well so I like to cut the chilled cake into servings and flash freeze them on a baking sheet. Then I put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, with wax paper between the layers.

So easy to grab to pack into a lunch!

You may also like this rich spice cake with cream cheese frosting! It's perfect for fall baking.

📖 Recipe

4.78 from 48 votes

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake

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You'll never stress about what to bring to potlucks and office parties again! This moist pumpkin spice cake starts with a boxed mix and has just 3 essential ingredients. Of course, y'all know that I've added optional embellishments, right?

Course Dessert - Cake

Cuisine American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings:12

Calories:176

Author:Marye Audet-White

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

• ▢
  13x9-inch pan

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 15.25 oz spice cake mix
• ▢ 15 oz pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, optional
• ▢ 2 cups cream cheese frosting, or topping of choice

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 13x9-inch pan.
• Add the cake mix, canned pumpkin, and eggs to a large bowl. Add in the bourbon and cloves if you're using them.
• Stir the ingredients together with a large spoon until smooth.
• Spoon into the prepared 13x9-inch pan.
• Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool and top with the cream cheese frosting or your favorite topping.

Notes

The frosting is not figured in to the nutritional information

Expert Tip: Chill the cake for an hour before cutting if you've frosted it. This will keep the squares pretty!

• This batter will also make 2 8-inch layers or 24 cupcakes. Bake the layers for 20-25 minutes and the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes.
• Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before using.
• If you leave out the bourbon there's no need to replace it. Just continue with the recipe.
• Gingersnap crumbs make a pretty (and delicious) garnish for the finished cake if you've frosted it.

Storage

• Keep the cake refrigerated if you use homemade cream cheese frosting. If you don't then the cake doesn't need to be refrigerated.
• This should be fine at room temperature for 3-4 days or up to a week in the refrigerator.
• Freeze for longer storage - up to three months.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 312mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 5515IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

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First published October 15, 2020. Last updated August 2, 2021 for readability.