Pumpkin cake with cream cheese is delicious and fluffy, topped with cream cheese and chocolate chips. Perfect dessert for fall, Halloween or Thanksgiving parties!
Why This Recipe Works
One of the only downfalls to being a food blogger is that when you are sick, it is really hard to work. I have not wanted to eat, think about or look at food for nearly four days.
Every time I have opened my computer to look at Pinterest or edit photos, I close it right back up when I realize my favorite things involve food. Now that I’m on the mend, I’m remembering how delicious these bars were.
When Dan took a bite of these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, he said, “You’re getting these out of the house, right?!” They are danger-zone delicious. They turned out much fluffier than I expected them to be, but it was a pleasant surprise. Moist, fluffy and irresistible. The perfect fall fruit treat. (Yes! Pumpkin’s are a fruit, technically).
Bake up a batch of these to share at a fall gatherings or share with someone who deserves a sweet treat. ‘Tis the season for delicious pumpkin everything so if you love pumpkin recipes you have to try these! You will be loved!
Recipe Ingredients
Pumpkin puree – You can purchase a can of pumpkin puree for this recipe. Or consider making your own pumpkin puree in your Instant Pot.
Cream cheese – This recipe calls for softening the cheese so the easiest way to prepare it is to take it out of the paper wrapper, open the block from the packaging and allow it to sit out for 10-15 minutes on the counter. If you press a spoon into it, it should give easily.
Pumpkin pie spice – If you do not have pumpkin pie spice handy, this is a good substitution: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cloves.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with any variety of chips or even a crumb topping!
How To Make Pumpkin Cake With Chocolate and Cream Cheese
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla. Mix until creamy.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well and gradually add to pumpkin batter, stirring until combined. Spread cake batter evenly into prepared pan.
Step 2
Make The Frosting
In a small bowl, prepare frosting mixture: combine cream cheese and pie spice. Mix well and drop in dollops on top of batter in pan.
Using a butter knife, make swirls through the topping. Top with chocolate chips.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares and serve!
Recipe Notes
- If you choose to omit the chocolate chips, a fine layer of powdered sugar over the bars would be beautiful and tasty!
What to Make With Pumpkin Puree
Aside from the obvious (pie!), you might be wondering what to make with pumpkin puree so you can use up all of those scrumptious cans! Read on for some delicious pumpkin puree recipes!
Substitute For Pumpkin Puree
Equal parts of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash is a great substitution and you might not even be able to tell the difference!
Are Canned Pumpkin and Pumpkin Puree The Same Thing?
Canned pumpkin is straight-up pumpkin that has been put into a can. Some pumpkin puree contains other ingredients that flavors it, making it pumpkin-pie ready. Read your labels to see what you’re getting in your next can of pumpkin!
Salted Butter vs Unsalted Butter
Ahh, the great baking debate. Many bakers use unsalted butter in their baked goods in order to avoid over-salting. I, however, believe that there is no such thing as “over-salting.”
I always use salted butter in my baked goods (and for everything else under the sun) because it gives everything I make an extra touch of salty deliciousness. If you go the unsalted route, keep in mind that you may need to add a bit extra salt to the recipe!
FAQ About Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin puree can be eaten raw. However, it is not necessarily delicious until you have added the ingredients to a recipe you are including it in.
Pumpkin puree can be frozen. Add the puree to an air tight container and you can safely freeze it for 4-5 months.
Good news! Pumpkin puree is full of healthy vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It’s low calorie and it’s a benefit to your eyes, heart and skin.
Pumpkin puree can go bad after you open it and remove it from the can. If you don’t need to use up the entire batch with baking, then you can put the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate it for 3-5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze it for 2-3 months in the same container to use it later.
Pumpkin puree is known to be a good addition to a dog’s diet. Fresh pumpkin puree has a lot of water in it so canned pumpkin puree will offer the most fiber, nutrients and vitamins to their diet.
Quick Bread Recipes
- Pumpkin Banana Bread Recipe – Pumpkin AND bananas join forces in this tasty bread! This is a great fall treat and your house has never smelled so good.
- Reese’s Banana Bread – Add Reese’s peanut butter cups to banana bread to make it a delectable treat! You’ll never look at a loaf of banana bread the same ever again.
- Best Beer Bread – This is the easiest, most delicious beer bread recipe you will find! Only a handful of ingredients are required for this no-fail, flavorful loaf of bread.
Perfect Fall Treats
- Best Pumpkin Bars – These bars make the perfect fall dessert. They are moist, irresistible and full of yummy pumpkin flavor. Great for your next fall gathering.
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds – Don’t let those delicious little pumpkin seeds go to waste when carving pumpkins! Learn how to prepare those raw pumpkins seeds. Season and roast them, they’re easy to make!
- Halloween Snack Mix – This sweet and salty Halloween Snack Mix is a great fall snack to have on hand. It is perfect for a handful on the run or a great snack for kiddos after school! It’s also great for fall- or halloween-themed parties!
- Best Apple Crisp – This delicious apple crisp recipe is the best. It is tried, tested and NEVER fails! It is the perfect way to use up apples in the fall.
- Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes – These are the tastiest way to use up apples! Salted caramel oozes over apple cupcakes that are topped with apple-infused icing. These are irresistible!
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Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter softened (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 15 oz pumpkin puree can or homemade
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (substitution: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix until creamy.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well and gradually add to butter-sugar mixture, stirring until combined. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well and drop in dollups on top of batter in pan. Using a butter knife, make swirls through the cream cheese.
- Top with chocolate chips and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares and serve!
Notes
- If you choose to omit the chocolate chips, a fine layer of powdered sugar over the bars would be beautiful and tasty!
Hi there!
I love your video series on food photography. Are we going to be getting the next video in the series any time soon? Trying to learn the ropes myself.
Cheers! 🙂
Hi Mack! So glad you enjoyed the video series. There is definitely more to come soon! Probably not for another few weeks. Stay tuned!!
M
This lil’ snack cake looks incredible! Totally crushing.