With 400,000 pageviews and counting, this pumpkin cake has been made in hundreds of homes. It’s the easiest pumpkin cake recipe you’ll ever make, and will be your new favorite pumpkin dessert.
Reader Elaine Says “I make this cake recipe all the time now. It is the most delicious pumpkin cake recipe I have found. It is extremely moist and flavorful. I use a bundt pan and put non melting confectioner’s sugar on the top.” ★★★★★
You’ll Love this Super Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe!
There are hundreds of pumpkin cake recipes, and this one is perfect when you need something quick and easy, or if you’re nervous to make a homemade cake for the first time.
It’s a simple cake that starts with a yellow cake mix with a few extra ingredients added in, to make an amazing moist, warmly spiced, pumpkin cake. Take it to your next event and no one will ever guess it started with a yellow cake mix from the store.
Why You’ll love this Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe:
- Quick and Easy – Only a few ingredients, and starting with a dry cake mix, this cake couldn’t be easier to make!
- Soft and Moist – The fluffiest, softest pumpkin cake you’ll ever have
- Warm Spices – With the addition of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, this cake is bursting with a perfect blend of warm spices in every bite.
Easy Pumpkin Cake Ingredients:
- dry yellow cake mix – this is the bulk of the recipe. This keeps you from needing flour, baking soda, salt, etc. You can also substitute a white cake mix, or a spice cake mix, if desired. Leave out the pumpkin pie spice if you don’t want to strong of a flavor.
- granulated sugar – this adds just a little extra sweetness since we are adding extra ingredients, it can be skipped
- vegetable oil – this adds more moisture to the cake.
- water – this adds moisture the cake. You can also substitute milk, if desired.
- large eggs – these will hold your cake ingredients together, give it moisture, and help give the cake a little lift.
- pumpkin puree – this gives the cake moisture, and the best pumpkin flavor. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling as that has other ingredients mixed in, and not just pumpkin.
- pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon – these add flavor and seasoning to the cake, giving it that true fall flavor.
How to make this pumpkin cake recipe with cake mix
- This cake starts with a dry yellow cake mix. You’ll add in oil, water, and eggs, like you would with a normal cake mix, but the amounts are a little different.
- Then you’ll also add in pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), a little sugar, and cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to give the cake the full pumpkin flavor.
- You’ll bake it up just like you would if you were making the cake mix according to the package.
- Top it with your favorite frosting, I recommend cream cheese frosting – because it pairs perfectly with pumpkin and voila.
A delicious pumpkin cake, and no one will ever know that it started with a cake mix.
This pumpkin cake is so easy to make, and can be whipped up in just minutes. It’s the perfect fall dessert, and might just become your new favorite!
Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe Storage
If you add cream cheese frosting to this cake then the cake needs to be stored in the fridge. It can store in the fridge for up to 4 days, to maintain its peak flavor and texture.
If you leave the frosting off the cake, it can be stored in a container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
The unfrosted cake can also be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, then slice it up and serve.
Pumpkin Cake with Yellow Cake Mix Recipe FAQs
A cake can be too moist if there is a wrong ratio of wet to dry ingredients. That should not be an issue in this recipe, because it has been tried and tested to get the best results.
If your cake is baking up and is still moist in the middle after the required bake time in the recipe, you can bake it in additional 5 minute increments, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake, or only with a few crumbs.
A 15 oz can of pumpkin is just shy of 2 cups of pumpkin puree. Two full cups would be 16 oz, so that means a 15 oz can is about 1 cup and 3/4 cup + 2 TBS of pumpkin, or 2 TBS shy of 2 cups.
Canned pumpkin and a canned pumpkin puree are the same. The only ingredient listed on the canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree should be pumpkin. That is what you want to use in this recipe.
If you see canned pumpkin pie mix, that will have other ingredients in the mix and will be seasoned for pumpkin pie, and is not what you want to use for this recipe.
Take this delicious cake to a fall party, or have some friends over for dinner. Every one will be impressed by your delicious cake and will never guess that it all started with a yellow cake mix from a box.
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Pumpkin Cake Recipe (with Cake Mix)
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 15 oz pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together the cake mix, sugar, oil, water, eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon.
- Stir for 2 minutes until the batter is super smooth.
- Pour the batter into a greased cake pan and bake until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- For a 9×13 pan, bake for 25-30 minutes
- For a 10inch bundt cake, bake for 30-40 minutes
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Top with powdered sugar, vanilla icing, or cream cheese frosting.
Aimee says
The extra sugar is to sweeten the pumpkin, since you are adding almost 2 cups of something that isn’t typically in the cake mix. If you want it without it should be fine.
Eliza says
The moisture and texture is spot on, but the flavor is pretty mid for a cake. It definitely tastes of pumpkin, but it needs more spice and sugar to complement the pumpkin and offset its savory nature. I baked it in a Bundt pan and used a vanilla glaze.
Aimee says
More sugar would change the texture, but you can definitely up the spice level with more cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
Dottie Caul. says
Excellent recipe. Also subbed oil for butter and usrd buttermilk instead of water. Thank you
JAN says
I plan to make this cake soon; with the following changes, 1/2 sour cream and applesauce for the oil.
Aimee says
Let me know how it goes!
Molly says
I have made this recipe several times and always get delicious results! Most recently, I altered it a little to make mini bundt cakes (the Wilton pan that makes 20). I used Betty Crocker spice cake mix, which has gone to a 13.25 oz box (ugh). I used slighlty cooled melted butter instead of oil, milk instead of water, reduced the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to 1/2 tsp, and added 1/4 cup AP flour. I was able to get 20 cakes out of and then piped a little cream cheese frosting in the middle for a perfect little fall dessert!
Christine Jirak says
Excellent cake!!
Trisha Jameson says
I used a Zero Sugar cake mix. I did not add the extra sugar. I did add some sugar free chocolate chips and a zero sugar chocolate frosting drizzle.. out of this world! for those of us that can’t do the sugar <3
Aimee says
So glad you made it work! Awesome tips!
Sandy Gotter says
Hi, can I use cake mix with pudding In it? Thanks
Marcia says
Can I substitute a GF cake mix?
Aimee says
It should work fine
Jackie S Weatherford says
No substitutions! Made to the recipe, cream cheese icing. My family loves it!! My granddaughter’s first attempt at baking so it is now referred to as Josie cake, we hope you don’t mind😁
Ellen says
That’s great.
Kim says
Making it now, just sub the oil for butter and used butter milk. And a teaspoon of maple extract. Smells great in the oven. I’m making a pumpkin cream cheese frosting to top it.
Aimee says
Hope you love it!!
Kathleen A Littleton smith says
Very delicious will make it for Thanksgiving thanksgiving, thank you.
Debbie says
Does this recipe use the current size cake mix? 14.75 ounces
Aimee says
I’ve used a 15 or 16oz cake mix so that size should be close enough to work. As far as I can see some brands still sell 15.25oz mixes
Juli Dodd says
Since I’m diabetic, I used a Keto yellow cake mix, did not add any sugar, added extra pumpkin and a little bit of baking soda. I used a mini bundt cake pan and it made 6 cakes. In the oven now! I will make some keto/sugar free cream cheese frosting and drizzle it on the top for a “nothing bundt cake look”. The batter tasted good, so I’m sure the cake will taste good too! 🙂
Aimee says
So glad that worked for you!
Karen says
Thank you for your tips for diabetic and I use Keto yellow and chocolate fudge cake mixes when I want a sweet treat. Love them. I thought I’d make this using my yellow cake mis by Keto. I make half a recipe. Wish me luck 🍀🥰
Betty says
I only used 1/8 c. sugar & added 2 heaping tablespoons of sour cream to the batter! Rich flavor, not too sweet- balanced out the sweetness of cream cheese frosting! This will be a go-to recipe!
Aimee says
So glad it was a hit!
Judy G says
I made the cake for a Bake Sale, in 2 – 8 x 8 pans.
I then adapted a powdered sugar / butter frosting recipe by adding pumpkin pie spice.
Debbie says
How long would you bake this cupcakes?
Aimee says
usually 15-20 minutes, check them at 15 first.
Cindy says
Delicious! Used a spice cake mix and subbed milk for water, and, mayo for oil. Mmm —-my family loved the flavor and the rich moist texture. Used the cinnamon and Pumpkin spices in the amounts as listed. Some might think to cut back with spice cake – but it just enhances the Pumpkin. Thanks for the recipe!
Aimee says
Sounds perfect Cindy, so glad you loved it!
Alder Woods says
Changed it up a little bit – cut the oil in half added 1/4 cup butter, replaced the water with heavy whipping cream, added two more egg yolks – with a touch more cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Next time I’m going to add some vanilla.
This recipe is for the True – Corn Fed Banquet that we all live in today. ENJOY – GREAT RECIPE…
Jennifer says
I did in a sheet pan and it took 27 minutes in my oven. Melted the cream cheese frosting in the microwave for 20 seconds . I added a little nutmeg over the frosting because that’s how my momma usually did cream cheese icing. Very easy and good. Thanks for my new pumpkin cake go to recipe:)
Aimee says
Yay! I’m so glad to hear you loved it.
Elaine says
I make this cake recipe all the time now. It is the most delicious pumpkin cake recipe I have found. It is extremely moist and flavorful. I use a bundt pan and put non melting confectioner’s sugar from King Arthur Flour company on the top.