Classic Pumpkin Spice Cake with Applesauce

Here is my favorite pumpkin spice cake recipe, with moist applesauce keeping it tender, and all the warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves that make fall baking so special.

This pumpkin spice cake has become our go-to dessert when the weather starts getting cooler. I love how the applesauce makes it extra soft and adds a subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin. Plus, it makes the house smell amazing while it’s baking!

What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?

For this cake, you’ll want to stick with canned pumpkin puree rather than making your own from scratch – it’s much more convenient and gives consistent results every time. Libby’s is a popular choice and works great, but any brand of 100% pure pumpkin puree will do the job. Just make sure you’re grabbing plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices and sugar added. If you only have a larger can, you can save the extra puree in the fridge for a few days or freeze it for your next baking project.

Options for Substitutions

This simple cake recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Pumpkin puree: If you’re out of canned pumpkin, you can use the same amount of sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree. Both will give you that same moist texture and fall flavor.
• Applesauce: No applesauce? Try using ½ cup of vegetable oil or melted butter instead. You can also use mashed banana, though it will add a subtle banana flavor to your cake.
• Spice cake mix: Yellow cake mix works as a substitute – just add an extra ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the batter to make up for the missing spices.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Make your own blend with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves. This works for both the cake and frosting.
• Cream cheese frosting: If you want something lighter, you can skip the frosting entirely and just dust with powdered sugar, or make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and milk.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin spice cake is overmixing the batter once you add the cake mix, which can lead to a tough, dense cake instead of the light, moist texture you’re after – just mix until the ingredients are barely combined.

Another common error is not checking your pumpkin puree consistency, as some brands can be watery and will throw off your cake’s texture, so give it a quick stir and drain any excess liquid if needed.

Don’t skip the toothpick test even though this cake stays moist longer than most – insert it into the center and it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

For the frosting, make sure your cream cheese and butter are truly at room temperature before mixing, otherwise you’ll end up with lumpy frosting that’s impossible to spread smoothly.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Spice Cake?

This moist pumpkin spice cake is perfect on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea for that cozy fall feeling. I love serving it alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, which balances out the warm spices nicely. For a fun autumn gathering, try pairing slices with apple cider or even a glass of cold milk for the kids. The cream cheese frosting makes it rich enough to stand alone as dessert, but adding some toasted pecans or a drizzle of caramel sauce never hurts if you want to make it extra special.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This pumpkin spice cake stays moist and delicious when covered tightly with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cream cheese frosting means you’ll want to pop it in the fridge after the first day, where it’ll keep beautifully for up to a week.

Freeze: You can freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in freezer bags for up to 3 months. I like to freeze some pieces unfrosted and add fresh cream cheese frosting when I’m ready to serve. The whole cake freezes well too if you wrap it tightly!

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. If the cake has been in the fridge, just let it sit out for 15-20 minutes to take the chill off. The flavors actually get better after a day or two as everything melds together!

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	28-33 minutes
Total Time	53-53 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2600-2800
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 65-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 500-530 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 large eggs (room temperature for better mixing)
• 1 box spiced cake mix (such as Betty Crocker)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (adds moisture and reduces fat)
• 1 can pumpkin puree (I use Libby’s for consistent texture)
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend (freshly measured for best flavor)

For the frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp butter (I prefer Kerrygold unsalted)
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice blend

Step 1: Prepare Pan and Preheat Oven

• Baking spray for pan

Heat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch round or square cake pan with baking spray, making sure to coat the bottom and sides evenly.

This prevents sticking and ensures your cake releases cleanly.

While the oven preheats, gather all your ingredients and measure them out so everything is ready when you need it.

Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients and Spices

• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, room temperature eggs, and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice blend.

The applesauce adds moisture and reduces the need for excess fat, which keeps the cake tender without being heavy.

Mix these ingredients together until they’re well combined and smooth, about 1 minute of stirring.

Step 3: Combine with Cake Mix

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 1 box spiced cake mix

Add the spiced cake mix to the wet ingredient mixture from Step 2 and stir until just smooth.

Don’t overmix—stop as soon as you don’t see any dry streaks of cake mix.

This prevents overdeveloping the gluten, which would make the cake tough.

The batter should be thick but pourable.

Step 4: Bake the Cake

• batter from Step 3

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Place the pan in your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 28-33 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

I like to check at 28 minutes since oven temperatures vary, and you want to catch it at the perfect moment when it’s set but still moist.

Step 5: Cool and Release Cake

• baked cake from Step 4

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes—this allows it to set slightly and makes it easier to remove without breaking.

Then carefully flip the cake onto a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely to room temperature, about 1-2 hours.

This complete cooling is essential before frosting, as frosting on a warm cake will melt and slide off.

Step 6: Make the Pumpkin Spice Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice blend

While the cake cools, make the frosting.

In a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together for 2 minutes until creamy and light.

Then add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend.

Continue mixing for another 1-2 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.

I prefer using Kerrygold unsalted butter for a richer, more flavorful frosting.

Step 7: Frost and Serve

• cooled cake from Step 5
• pumpkin spice frosting from Step 6

Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting from Step 6 evenly over the top and sides using a spatula or offset knife.

Slice into wedges and serve.

The combination of moist pumpkin cake and creamy pumpkin spice frosting is perfect on its own, or with a cup of coffee or tea.