This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is moist, tender and warmly spiced, with a thick layer of tangy, creamy icing on top. It bakes in a single 6-inch round pan, so two people get about four generous slices instead of a big sheet cake that lingers in the refrigerator for a week. The batter is a quarter of a classic full-size recipe, which works out to exactly one egg and keeps the cake just as tall as the original. I wanted a small fall cake that still feels like a proper dessert, the kind you can bake on a quiet Sunday and share over two evenings.
Why you’ll like it
- Made for two: about four slices, one each tonight and one each tomorrow.
- One egg, one bowl of batter: the batter is simply whisked, with no mixer needed until the frosting.
- Moist from oil: the crumb stays soft for days in the refrigerator.
- Warm pumpkin spice: cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice give a cozy flavor without a long spice list.
- Tangy cream cheese icing: a small bowl of frosting covers the top with a thick, creamy layer.
What makes it work
An oil-based batter. Oil stays liquid at refrigerator temperature, so an oil cake stays soft even when it is served chilled, which matters for a cake with cream cheese frosting that lives in the refrigerator. It also means the batter comes together with just a whisk.
Brown sugar and pumpkin for moisture. Brown sugar holds on to moisture and adds a gentle caramel note, and the pumpkin keeps the crumb tender and deeply colored.
A pan matched to the batter. A 6-inch round pan has about a quarter of the area of a standard large rectangular cake pan. With a quarter of the batter, the cake ends up the same depth as the full-size version, so it bakes evenly and on a familiar schedule instead of drying out in a pan that is too big.
How it’s sized for two
Most pumpkin cakes are baked as a large sheet cake that serves a dozen or more. That is perfect for a party and a lot for a two-person kitchen. This recipe divides that kind of batter by four, and the numbers work out neatly: a classic batter with four eggs becomes a small batter with exactly one.
The only ingredient that does not divide perfectly is the pumpkin. A quarter of a standard can is a little under 1/2 cup, so measure a slightly scant 1/2 cup and refrigerate the rest of the can in a covered container for another recipe.
Because the batter depth matches the full-size cake, the bake time stays close to the original, about 30 minutes. Small pans and home ovens vary, so start checking at 25 minutes.
Ingredients for pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting
The exact amounts are in the recipe card below. These are the choices that make a difference.
- Pure pumpkin puree: use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
- Vegetable oil: any neutral oil works. It gives a softer crumb than butter in this cake.
- Light brown sugar: packed into the measuring cup, it adds moisture and a mellow sweetness alongside a little granulated sugar.
- Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon: the blend brings ginger, nutmeg and clove, and the cinnamon rounds it out. Fresh spices make the biggest difference in a small cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda: both are used for a light, even rise. Measure them level, because small amounts matter in a small batter.
- Cream cheese and butter: use full-fat block cream cheese and unsalted butter, both softened, for a smooth frosting with no lumps.
- Powdered sugar: it sweetens and thickens the frosting. Sift it if it looks lumpy.
How to make pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting
- Heat the oven to 350°F and grease and line a 6-inch round pan.
- Whisk the flour, leaveners, salt and spices.
- Whisk the oil, egg, sugars, pumpkin and vanilla, then add the dry ingredients.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then completely on a rack.
- Beat the cream cheese frosting.
- Frost the top of the cooled cake and slice.
Step-by-step notes
Preparing the pan. Grease the pan, then press a circle of parchment paper into the bottom. The parchment guarantees the small cake turns out cleanly in one piece.
Mixing the batter. Whisk the wet ingredients until the brown sugar has no lumps and the mixture looks glossy. Add the dry ingredients and whisk only until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick and smooth.
Baking. Check the cake at 25 minutes. It is done when the top springs back when you press it lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If it needs more time, give it a few minutes at a time, up to 35 minutes. If the top is browning quickly, lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan.
Cooling. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge, turn it out, peel off the parchment and set it right side up on the rack. Give it about 60 minutes to cool completely. A cool cake is what keeps the frosting thick and neat.
Frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until completely smooth before adding the powdered sugar. Then beat on low speed until the sugar is absorbed, and on medium until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
Tips for the best pumpkin cake
- Soften the dairy early. Set the cream cheese and butter on the counter while you mix and bake the cake.
- Measure the pumpkin slightly scant. A quarter of the can is just under 1/2 cup, and that small difference keeps the crumb from turning heavy.
- Trust the spring-back test. A top that springs back and a clean toothpick are the most reliable cues in a small pan.
- Make the frosting while the cake cools. The timing works out, and both are ready together.
- Swirl the top. Spread the frosting thickly and use the back of a spoon to make soft swirls for a bakery look.
Variations
- All granulated sugar: replace the brown sugar with granulated sugar for a lighter color and a slightly less caramel flavor. The bake time stays the same.
- Cinnamon only: if you have no pumpkin pie spice, use cinnamon alone for a gentler spice.
- A spiced finish: dust the frosted top with a pinch of cinnamon for color.
How to serve it
A small frosted cake on the table makes an ordinary weeknight feel like an occasion, and with only four slices, there is no pressure to finish it in one go.
- Serve chilled or let slices sit out for a few minutes for a softer frosting.
- Pair a slice with hot coffee, tea or a glass of cold milk.
- End a fall dinner, such as a bowl of creamy pumpkin tortellini soup, with dessert for two.
- Save the second pair of slices for the next evening.
Storage
Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake belongs in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the frosted cake within 2 hours, covered well, and enjoy it within 5 days. The oil-based crumb stays soft even when chilled.
If you want to bake ahead, the unfrosted cake can be wrapped once it is completely cool and frosted later the same day or the next.
A little 6-inch pumpkin cake with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting is a sweet way to celebrate the season for just the two of you. Cut the first slices and save the rest for tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when pumpkin cake is done?
The top springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. In a 6-inch pan, that usually happens around 30 minutes, so start checking at 25.
Does pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Cream cheese frosting is perishable, so refrigerate the cake within 2 hours and keep it covered for up to 5 days.
Can I make the cake a day ahead?
Yes. Bake and cool the cake completely, wrap it well, and frost it the next day; a frosted cake also keeps well covered in the refrigerator.
Print
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting for Two
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: one 6-inch cake (4 slices)
Description
A moist, spiced 6-inch pumpkin cake with tangy cream cheese frosting, sized for two.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree, slightly scant
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the frosting
- 1 pinch salt, for the frosting
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a larger bowl, whisk the oil, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until no dry flour remains.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, checking from 25 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Give it up to 35 minutes if needed.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge, turn it out, peel off the parchment and cool completely right side up, about 60 minutes.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, the 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and the pinch of salt and beat on low, then on medium, until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the completely cooled cake, slice and serve.
Notes
Equipment: 6-inch round cake pan, parchment paper, two mixing bowls, whisk, electric hand mixer, toothpick, wire rack, offset spatula or butter knife
- If the top browns quickly, cover the pan loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
- A 15-ounce can of pumpkin holds about four times what this cake needs; refrigerate the rest in a covered container.
- Doneness: The cake is done when the top springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Doneness: Frost only when the cake is completely cool to the touch.
- Cover the frosted cake and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate the frosted cake within 2 hours, because the frosting is made with cream cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rest Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
