It’s time to end all searches for gluten-free pumpkin cake recipes! This magnificently light, fluffy pumpkin sheet cake is easy to make using gluten-free all purpose flour, avoiding common problems like a dense, heavy crumb. How? Using a simple technique borrowed from sponge cake and less oil makes this homemade cake knock-out airy. Spread on the heavenly whipped cream cheese frosting and you have the best cake recipe ever!
Perfected Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake recipe
The quest to make the absolutely best homemade pumpkin cake using gluten-free flour isn’t as simple is swapping out a GF flour. I mean, you will get something resembling a cake, and because of the sugar and layer of cream cheese frosting, you may even be somewhat satisfied.
But when it comes to gluten-free pumpkin recipes it takes a little more finesse to make an exceptionally textured light, airy crumb. The end game when making my favorite gluten-free cake recipes is always having a spot-on taste and texture as the originals. So how do we do that when making a gluten-free pumpkin cake recipe?
First off, canned pumpkin contains a lot of moisture, which GF starches have a harder time absorbing. When creating this 5-star gluten-free pound cake recipe, the trick was to replace some of the butter with sour cream. For a pumpkin spice cake, I cut back on the amount of oil, by quite a bit. Traditional recipes use on full cup, but that would have left the crumb really dense. Adding only 1/2 cup was the magic mark.
The second trick to making a fluffy, yet still easy pumpkin cake was borrowing a technique from sponge cakes. The recipe starts off with beating the eggs and granulated sugar together until pale, thick, and tripled in volume. This beats in a lot more air into the cake batter, making a loftier rise.
If I lost you on all the baking jargon, just tune into this one important bit – this is the best gluten-free pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting you’ll ever sink your teeth into. The batter comes together in minutes, spread in a 9X13-inch cake pan, whip up the fluffiest, creamy frosting, and dig in to pumpkin spice heaven.
Ingredient tid bits
- Canned pumpkin puree – When making gluten-free pumpkin recipes, I always recommend using Libby’s canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). It’s thicker and contains less moisture than other brands. I especially like it when texture is key, like with this ultra creamy gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake.
- Oil – Using less oil is key to not having a dense, heavy crumb. As for the the type of oil, use whatever floats your boat. I use canola oil, but man oh man, do people have opinions about this. If you don’t want to taste the oil, use something neutral flavored, versus coconut or olive oil.
- Gluten-free all purpose flour – I use and recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour, but this sheet cake is rather forgiving when using other GF flour brands too. If you need a dairy-free recipe, try King Arthur Measure-for-Measure because C4C contains milk powder.
- Granulated sugar – This is another tweak from other homemade pumpkin cake recipes. Instead of using a mixture of brown sugar with white, I use all white. Brown adds more moisture and weighs down the crumb, so I opted to leave it out.
- Spices – Rather than using a pumpkin spice blend, I like to use my own spice combination, which is a lot more spice-y (yep, that’s a real word
![😎]()
). If you want a more subdued spice, don’t have all the spices, or just want to a shortcut, swap out the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg with 3 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend.
). If you want a more subdued spice, don’t have all the spices, or just want to a shortcut, swap out the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg with 3 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend.Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Whisk the dry ingredients (Ugh, really?!)
Typically, I’m all about simplifying. But for a fluffy, sponge-like cake crumb, it’s important to not over mix the batter. So, sorry, you’ll have to take an extra minute and whisk together the GF flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. You got this!
Beat up the eggs and sugar
This is also key to getting a loftier cake rise and creating lots of airy pockets. Place the room temp eggs in a large bowl with the granulated sugar. Use a whisk attachment on a stand mixer or hand mixer and beat the smithereens out of it, like 5-7 minutes worth. It will become really pale, thick, and at least tripled in volume.
Mix, but not too much!
Stick with that whisk attachment and beat in the flour mixture, one half at a time until it just comes together. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be mixed all the way. Once it’s almost mixed in, stop the mixer and use a silicone spoon to fold in the remaining flour. The batter will be really thick.
Spread into a greased 9X13-inch pan (or scroll down for other options) and bake in a 350ºF oven for 30-35 minutes. With GF cakes I like to error on the side of slightly over baking to make sure the moisture has fully evaporated. For best results use a long cake tester to make sure the cake is fully set in the middle.
World’s fluffiest cream cheese frosting
We worked so hard on getting an airy cake crumb, let’s not weigh it down with a really heavy frosting. Here we combine the best of two epic frosting worlds – whipped cream frosting and and cream cheese frosting! This. is. happening.
Knock-out cream cheese frosting
Where you want your cake ingredients to be room temp, the key to this frosting is cold. First beat the chilled cream cheese until it’s creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and combine.
Now it’s time to add the heavy cream (no need to beat separately). Use a whisk attachment and beat it into the cream cheese on low speed to combine. Then kick up the speed and beat until really light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
Spread it on the completely cooled cake. And I already know what you are thinking – this is a lot of frosting! Jjust go with it. Once you dive in you’ll understand…
Using other baking pans
Even though the recipe is made in a 9X13 pan, you have some other options. If you’d like a smaller cake, halve the cake and frosting ingredients and bake in a 8X8 or 9X9-inch pan. The baking time will reduce slightly. Start checking around 25 minutes.
If you’d rather make a pumpkin layer cake, that’s an option too. Divide the batter between two greased 9-inch cake pans. There will also be a slightly reduced baking time, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely and spread with the frosting between the layers, top, and sides.
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Fluffiest Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake Recipe Ever
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1½ cup (300 g) granulated sugar
- 15 ounce canned pumpkin puree Libby's brand recommended
- ½ cup (109 g) oil any preferred
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cup (292 g) gluten-free all purpose flour Cup4Cup gluten-free flour recommended
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Fluffy Whipped Cream Frosting
- 8 ounce (227 g) full-fat cream cheese chilled
- 2 cup (480 g) heavy whipping cream chilled
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9X13-inch baking pan with nonstick cookin spray.
- Use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer fitted with the double beaters. Beat the eggs and sugar together until pale, thick, fluffy and tripled in volume. It should take about 5-7 minutes on a high speed. Meanwhile whisk together dry ingredients in a separate small bowl.4 large eggs, 1½ cup (300 g) granulated sugar, 2 cup (292 g) gluten-free all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground cloves, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the pumpkin puree, oil and vanilla to the egg / sugar mixer. Use whisk attachment to beat until combined.15 ounce canned pumpkin puree, ½ cup (109 g) oil, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients, half at a time, to the egg mixture, beating with the whisk attachment until the flour is just mixed in. Try not to over mix or the cake will be dense. Use a spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides and fold in any unmixed flour. The batter will be thick.
- Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan. Using an offset spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cake middle is set. I like to use a cake tester since this is a higher moisture cake and you want to make sure it's fully baked. Set on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- When the cake is completely cool, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, place the cream cheese and beat with whisk attachment until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until well combined, scraping down bowl halfway through.8 ounce (227 g) full-fat cream cheese, 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the chilled whipping cream. Beat on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form and volume increases, about 3-5 minutes.2 cup (480 g) heavy whipping cream
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. You will question the amount of frosting. Just go with it. It's a thick cake layer and you will be happy about the ratio of frosting to cake once you dive in! Refrigerate leftovers.
Nutrition
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