Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (2024)

Oct 11, 2016 | Desserts, FOOD, , Recipes | 29 comments


This has been one of the most popular recipes on my blog since 2012. Enjoy! It’s so worth it!

With fall weather kicking in, my sweaters are coming out, right along with my cans of pumpkin, and pots for chili.

Baked goods, which include pumpkin of any kind, are some of my favorites, which is quite ironic, since for many years, I didn’t think I “liked” pumpkin. Oh, to think of all the years of sheer goodness I missed out on, but I am making up for it now.

My friend, Leah, shared her amazing Homemade Pumpkin Cake recipe, and it just oozes moist, yummy pumpkin delight. I think the secret is in the orange juice, it’s a wonderful addition. I tried to have only one piece, but it seriously melted in my mouth, and I just had to go back for more. Some readers haven’t wanted to use that much sugar and have good results with less, but that’s their word for it, not mine. 🙂

The unbelievable thing about this recipe is it’s so easy, and not only that, but it freezes beautifully, so double the recipe and save some for later.

Yes, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake – what can be better than that?

Well, maybe easy, homemade pumpkin cake topped with my easy cream cheese frosting, but that would be almost sinful. These are now right up there with my Easy Pumpkin Bar Recipe, and I didn’t think anything could quite meet that pumpkin inspiration, but this does. They are quite similar, but the cake is just a bit more dense.

Enjoy, and thank me later. 🙂

Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin Cake

Summary: This incredibly moist, homemade pumpkin cake is sure to please any crowd. Double the recipe and freeze extras.

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups flour
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups pumpkin (1 large can)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup oil

Instructions

  1. Mix all the dry ingredients.
  2. Then add eggs, orange juice, oil and pumpkin.
  3. Pour into pan.
  4. Bake at 350 for 45 to an hour (till the fork comes out dry).

This will make enough for a large bundt pan, AND a small loaf, three regular loaves or a 9 x13. Personally, I love it in the bundt pan.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 45 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

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Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (3)

  1. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (4)

    Heather Tothon September 19, 2012 at 10:59 am

    Hi Jen – the recipe doesn’t mention what size pan to use. Based on the picture, I assume this is to be baked in a bundt pan? I want to make sure before I whip one up today. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe, I LOVE pumpkin everything!

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (5)

      Jenon September 19, 2012 at 12:03 pm

      Yes, bundt cake is perfect, but you could probably do it in a 13×9 but the bundt shape is so pretty. 🙂

      Reply

  2. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (6)

    SnoWhite @ Finding Joy in My Kitchen'on September 19, 2012 at 11:23 am

    This looks like a delicious cake — my question… is it overly sweet? 3 C of sugar and 1 C OJ seems like a sugar high! I think if I try it, I’ll reduce the sugar.

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (7)

      Jenon September 19, 2012 at 1:24 pm

      @SnoWhite @ Finding Joy in My Kitchen’, You would be fine with decreasing the sugar. It definitely leans towards a cake sweetness, but I didn’t take a bit and think “way too sweet.” I thought, YUM! 😉 (But by decreasing sugar, you could make it healthier, for sure. I will play with it over the next few months to try and make it more of a breakfast, healthy “cake.”

      Reply

  3. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (9)

    Shannonon September 19, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    Is that a 14oz can of pumpkin?

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (10)

      Jenon September 19, 2012 at 6:30 pm

      @Shannon, Shannon – sorry, I updated the recipe. It’s actually 29 ounces = two cups. It makes a bundt pan, plus another small loaf.

      Reply

      • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (11)

        Sharonon November 25, 2012 at 9:21 pm

        @Jen, Oops! My recipe calls for 2 cups of pumpkin, so I’ve been measuring out 2 cups into a measuring cup vs using the entire 29 oz can!

        Reply

  4. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (13)

    sheri grennilleon September 20, 2012 at 9:58 am

    yes, breakfast healthy cake it is going to be – i’ll toss in a bit of white whole wheat flour, a bit less sugar (i’ve found putting some on the top to sort of caramelize is popular with my family). i love the OJ in it.

    Reply

  5. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (15)

    Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolateson September 28, 2012 at 7:59 pm

    That sounds almost exactly like my pumpkin bread recipe, except for the OJ {yum!}. Based on that, I think you could also make this in 2 good-size loaf pans like we do with our bread and serve it in slices that way.

    Reply

  6. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (16)

    paton October 13, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    I put the entire mixture in the bundt pan, I hope thats not the bedlam!

    Reply

  7. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (17)

    paton October 13, 2012 at 3:14 pm

    I put the entire mixture in the bundt pan, I hope thats not the bedlam! also I changed the juice i put a combination of juices I hope its ok!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (18)

      Jenon October 15, 2012 at 7:45 pm

      You will have to let me know if it worked or not. Typically, that batter should make enough for a bundt pan and then some, but hey, I am all about a really, really large cake. 😉

      Reply

  8. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (19)

    Janison November 4, 2012 at 8:23 pm

    The cake was delicious. I used a bundt pan plus one of those pans that makes 6 small bundt cakes (individual size). It did not seem extremely sweet, but next time I will try to use less sugar.

    Reply

  9. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (20)

    Janison November 4, 2012 at 8:28 pm

    P.S.
    The 15 oz. can of pumpkin is almost enough. I had to open a second can–used the rest to make pumpkin gems (small muffins with cream cheese in the middle).

    Reply

  10. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (21)

    paton November 5, 2012 at 8:22 am

    Hi Jen, cake worked nout fine. I have a large Bundt pan so it was a very large cake …just baked a little longer. Very good

    Reply

  11. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (22)

    Wyndieon November 20, 2012 at 9:37 am

    This may be a silly question but……..do you bake the bundt and the loaf at the same time? I’m going to make this today for our Thanksgiving feast. It sounds yummy! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (23)

      Jenon November 20, 2012 at 10:12 am

      There are never any silly cooking questions. 🙂 Yes, bake them at the same time to save on time and electricity. 😉 I just put them on the same shelves.

      Reply

  12. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (24)

    Wyndieon November 20, 2012 at 10:18 am

    Thanks! One more question….I bought pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin, do I just eliminate the spices?

    Reply

  13. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (25)

    Lindsayon September 4, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    This sounds delicious but I am allergic to orange juice- any suggestions on what I could substitute there? Maybe apple cider?

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (26)

      Jenon September 4, 2013 at 6:25 pm

      @Lindsay, Hmm – trying to think off the top of my head, but I bet that would work fine. It would just be a slightly different taste, but I think that might be a really yummy twist to it. Probably any juice substitute would work but just change the flavor slightly.

      Reply

  14. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (27)

    Luv What You Doon November 22, 2013 at 11:01 pm

    Yum! This looks amazing! I make pumpkin goodies all year long and can’t wait to bake this cake!

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (28)

      Jenon November 22, 2013 at 11:20 pm

      you will love it. It’s by far one of my favorites!

      Reply

  15. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (29)

    Sigrid Houseon February 22, 2016 at 7:30 pm

    I agree with other reviewers about too much sugar. I tend to do 3/4 of the called for amount of white sugar in most recipes. So I used 2 cups sugar. I also cringe at 1 cup oil, that makes this a fattening cake, if you have a pesky gall bladder or need to watch your weight. I did 1/2 cup of oil and substituted 1/2 cup applesauce for the remaining oil, I accidentally did 1/2 the pumpkin and didn’t realize it until it was in the oven but it still tasted great. I also doubled the cinnamon. This cake reminds me so much of the Bob Evans pumpkin cake so if you love that you will love this recipe. Oh, and it tastes even better the next day. Thanks for posting this great find!

    Reply

  16. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (30)

    Brieon October 8, 2020 at 12:18 am

    Hi Jen, I am confused about the pumpkin amount. 2 cups is about 15 ounces. Is it 2 cups or 29 ounces?

    I am looking forward to making this cake!

    Reply

    • Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (31)

      Jen Schmidton December 10, 2020 at 6:22 pm

      I am so very sorry that I didn’t see this early. UGH! I had answered your question to someone else in the comments and clarified. It’s only two cups, but the smaller can is a little under so you’d need the bigger can to make it two.

      Reply

  17. Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (32)

    Janet Graafsmaon September 15, 2022 at 7:36 pm

    Hi Jen. When you say small loaf pan, do you mean a 7.5 x 3.75 or is it smaller than that?
    Is your Bundt pan a 12-cup or 14-cup size?
    When you say regular loaf pan, do you mean a 9 x 5, or an 8.5 x 4.5?
    I just want to make sure I am preparing the right pans.
    And do you grease and flour the pans?
    Thanks! I look forward to trying this.

    Reply

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Homemade Pumpkin Cake, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is canned pumpkin better to use in baking? ›

So, Why Used Canned Pumpkin Instead of Fresh?
  • Canned Pumpkin Saves Time and Effort. “Making pumpkin puree is time-consuming,” says Maggie. ...
  • Canned Pumpkin Delivers Consistent Results. ...
  • Canned Just Tastes Better. ...
  • Canned Pumpkin Is Cost-Effective. ...
  • Canned Pumpkin Is Readily Available.
Nov 21, 2022

Why is my pumpkin cake too moist? ›

If you find that your pumpkin cake is too moist, isn't holding it's shape and is gummy in certain areas, it's usually caused by too much liquid in your recipe.

What is pumpkin cake made of? ›

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp salt. 2. In a second medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: 3 large eggs, 1 cup oil and 1 can pumpkin, until well combined.

What makes a cake made from scratch moist? ›

Seven Bakery Secrets to Incredibly Moist Cakes Every Time
  1. Use Buttermilk Instead of Milk.
  2. Add Vegetable Oil.
  3. Use Instant Clearjel or Instant Pudding Mix.
  4. Use the Right Recipe.
  5. Don't Overbake.
  6. Bake in Sheet Pans Instead of individual Cake Pans.
  7. Use a Simple Syrup or Glaze.
Apr 23, 2021

What can I add to canned pumpkin to make it taste better? ›

How to Do It
  1. ⅓ cup ground cinnamon.
  2. 1½ tablespoons ground ginger.
  3. 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg.
  4. 1½ teaspoons ground cloves.
  5. 1½ teaspoons ground allspice.
Oct 13, 2020

Can I use canned pumpkin instead of fresh pumpkin? ›

When it comes to baking, I think you'd be fine using either canned or fresh. I'll always keep a few cans of regular pumpkin puree in my pantry because I love to bake with the stuff.

What is the secret to baking a moist cake? ›

Use Your Ingredients Wisely
  1. Choose Fresh Leavening. ...
  2. Opt For Full-Fat Dairy. ...
  3. Reach For The Right Flour. ...
  4. Don't Double Down. ...
  5. Use Eggs And Butter At Room Temperature. ...
  6. Measure Accurately. ...
  7. Avoid Over Baking.
Apr 5, 2024

Can I use both butter and oil in cake? ›

Our Favorite Fudge Birthday Cake gets its fork-friendly texture from oil and a bit of Instant ClearJel (a food starch that hangs on to the liquid in the batter to ensure moist texture). Our Classic Birthday Cake recipe calls for both butter and oil for great taste and tender texture.

Which is better, baking soda or baking powder? ›

When to use which one. Baking soda is used in recipes that also include an acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar, buttermilk, or citrus juice. Conversely, baking powder is typically used when the recipe doesn't feature an acidic ingredient, as the powder already includes the acid needed to produce carbon dioxide.

Which pumpkin is best for cakes? ›

Queensland Blue Pumpkins

The QLD blue is perfect in baked dishes and also lends itself really well to boiling, making it great for mashes and soups.

What is Princess cake made of? ›

Swedish Princess Cake (Prinsesstårta) is a classic Scandinavian torte with layers of sponge cake, raspberry jam, vanilla custard, and whipped cream. It is traditionally dome-shaped and covered with a layer of sweet marzipan tinted green. Princess Cake has been on my baking bucket list for ages.

What does adding applesauce to cake do? ›

Applesauce acts much like the fat. It keeps the flour protein from mixing completely with the wet ingredients and forming a rubbery, dense texture. This is what does applesauce do in baking.

What makes a cake more moist, oil or butter? ›

Vegetable oil contributes moistness far more reliably, a result of the fact that oil remains liquid at room temperature while butter solidifies. Liquid contributes to the sensation of moistness, and therefore cakes made with oil often present as moister than their butter-based counterparts.

What makes a cake more moist water or milk? ›

One common ingredient swap that is known to help make cakes remarkably moist is using milk instead of water. Try switching out any water in your recipe for full-fat milk or buttermilk for a moist, decadent texture. Another ingredient that can enhance the moisture of your cake is mayonnaise.

Is canned pumpkin better than fresh for pie? ›

Canned pumpkin is more convenient, helps save time, and isn't as messy as breaking down and de-seeding a large pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin is more fresh-tasting. It can be less expensive (depending on how much pumpkin you're using) and definitely doesn't contain fillers.

Is there a difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling? ›

They are the same product. Both canned pumpkin puree and pie filling are useful, shelf-stable ingredients that can help speed up your kitchen prep time. Just remember that puree is unsweetened, while pie filling contains sugar and spices. This will help you choose the right pumpkin product for your recipes.

Why is pumpkin used in baking? ›

Pumpkin offers a unique, fall flavor that can help replace eggs in many baked goods. Substitute 1 egg with ¼ cup of pumpkin puree. This easy substitute adds great flavor and keeps your baked goods egg and dairy-free.

How does pumpkin affect baking? ›

During the baking process, your various ingredients combine and react with one another to determine the ultimate taste and texture of the final product. Although substituting canned pumpkin for oil and eggs will benefit the overall nutrition of your baked goods, it can also negatively affect the texture.

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