8 Classic Pumpkin Cakes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving desserts feel extra special when pumpkin takes the spotlight, and these eight classic pumpkin cakes bring warm spice, cozy sweetness, and nostalgic fall flavors to the table. This list keeps everything conversational, fully detailed, search-optimized, and structured so readers get value instantly.

Quick Summary

This list covers eight Thanksgiving-ready pumpkin cake recipes, each written with concise factual intros, semantically rich keywords, and easy-to-follow instructions. You’ll find layer cakes, Bundt cakes, loaf cakes, sheet cakes, and flavored options like bourbon glaze, caramel topping, chocolate chips, gingerbread spices, pecans, walnuts, and cream cheese swirls. Each recipe includes ingredients, steps, and friendly wording to help readers get quick value while also ranking well on Google and generative engines.

1. Pumpkin Spice Layer Thanksgiving Cake

A Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake brings classic fall flavors, soft texture, and warm holiday spices in every bite. This version stays tender and aromatic thanks to cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves paired with a creamy frosting that ties everything together.

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Frosting:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 3–4 tbsp milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt.
  3. In another bowl, mix sugars, oil, pumpkin, and eggs until smooth.
  4. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing until just combined.
  5. Pour into pans and bake 25–30 minutes.
  6. Cool completely and frost with whipped vanilla buttercream.

2. Cream Cheese Swirl Pumpkin Bundt Thanksgiving Cake

A Cream Cheese Swirl Pumpkin Bundt Cake delivers a velvety, cheesecake-like ribbon baked right into a spiced pumpkin batter. The contrast of tangy cream cheese and sweet pumpkin creates a beautifully balanced Thanksgiving dessert.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Batter:

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

Cream Cheese Swirl:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a Bundt pan.
  2. Prepare pumpkin batter by mixing wet and dry ingredients separately, then combining.
  3. In another bowl, blend cream cheese swirl ingredients until smooth.
  4. Pour half the batter into the pan, spoon the swirl mixture on top, then cover with remaining batter.
  5. Bake 45–55 minutes.
  6. Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.

3. Pumpkin Pecan Sheet Thanksgiving Cake

A Pumpkin Pecan Sheet Cake offers tender pumpkin crumb topped with crunchy toasted pecans for a crowd-friendly dessert. This cake fits perfectly on a Thanksgiving dessert table and slices effortlessly for sharing.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • ¾ cup neutral oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 pan.
  2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
  3. Mix wet ingredients in another. Combine both.
  4. Stir in pecans.
  5. Pour into pan and bake 28–32 minutes.
  6. Frost when cooled with creamy frosting.

4. Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf Thanksgiving Cake

A Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf blends cozy pumpkin flavors with deep molasses and ginger spice notes. The warm aroma alone feels like Thanksgiving morning.

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • ½ cup molasses
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan.
  2. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another bowl, whisk pumpkin, molasses, sugar, butter, and eggs.
  4. Combine both mixtures until smooth.
  5. Bake 50–60 minutes.
  6. Cool completely before slicing.

5. Pumpkin Caramel Upside-Down Thanksgiving Cake

A Pumpkin Caramel Upside-Down Cake creates a gooey caramel layer that melts right into the pumpkin base. Once flipped, the glossy caramel top becomes the star of the show.

Ingredients

Caramel Layer:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar

Cake Batter:

  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Pour into a 9-inch round pan.
  2. Whisk cake batter ingredients together.
  3. Pour batter over caramel layer.
  4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35–40 minutes.
  5. Flip onto a plate while still warm.

6. Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Thanksgiving Cake

A Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake mixes rich chocolate with soft pumpkin batter to create a cozy, family-friendly favorite. Every slice feels nostalgic, warm, and comforting.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 pan.
  2. Mix dry ingredients.
  3. Mix wet ingredients. Combine both.
  4. Fold in chocolate chips.
  5. Bake 28–32 minutes.

7. Pumpkin Walnut Coffee Thanksgiving Cake

A Pumpkin Walnut Coffee Cake adds crunchy walnut streusel to a moist pumpkin base for a breakfast-friendly Thanksgiving treat. The cinnamon-sugar topping gives every bite a sweet, nutty finish.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

Walnut Streusel:

  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 pan.
  2. Mix cake batter ingredients until smooth.
  3. Mix streusel ingredients in a separate bowl.
  4. Pour batter into pan and sprinkle streusel over the top.
  5. Bake 30–35 minutes.

8. Pumpkin Bourbon Glazed Thanksgiving Cake

A Pumpkin Bourbon Glazed Cake offers warm holiday spices paired with a silky bourbon glaze that adds depth and sweetness. This dessert feels elegant yet approachable for any Thanksgiving dessert spread.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt

Bourbon Glaze:

  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf or Bundt pan.
  2. Mix cake ingredients until smooth.
  3. Pour into pan and bake 40–50 minutes.
  4. Whisk glaze ingredients and drizzle over warm cake.