To get started with this pumpkin sheet cake, you’ll cream together the butter, sugar and a little bit of vegetable oil. Butter for flavor and oil for some extra moisture. Your dry ingredients are added next and here we use all-purpose flour and a little baking powder, spices of the season – cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

When the cake has baked and cooled, it’s covered in a light cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It’s just the right amount of frosting to not overwhelm the cake and it all goes perfectly together. This pumpkin sheet cake recipe uses just 3/4 cup of pumpkin, leaving you with one full cup leftover from the can with which to bake another pumpkin dessert for two. You’ll also have al leftover egg yolk, as this recipe only uses the egg white.

Ingredients;

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
    For the brown butter cream cheese frosting;
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, divided
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions;

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 18″ X 13″ jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and set aside.
  2. Place the butter in a medium skillet. Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling it in the pan occasionally. The butter will foam and pop, so be careful.
  3. While the butter is cooling, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the brown butter and sugar together with the beater blade on medium speed. Mix until smooth.
  5. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Beat in the pumpkin and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
  6. Turn the mixer to low and add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, don’t over mix. Stir the batter with a spatula to make sure all of the ingredients are combined.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to make sure it is evenly spread out. Bake the cake for 18-24 minutes or until the cake springs back lightly when touched, is golden brown around the edges, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. While the cake is cooling, make the brown butter cream cheese frosting. First, brown 1/2 cup of the butter. Only brown half of the butter for the frosting. Cut 1/2 cup of the butter into tablespoons and place it in a medium skillet.
  9. Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling it in the pan occasionally. The butter will foam and pop, so be careful. Continue to swirl the pan often.
  10. Remove pan from heat once the butter starts to brown and smells nutty. There will be small brown bits on the bottom. The butter should be an amber color.
  11. Pour batter into a small bowl and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes. You want it to solidify a little.
    In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cooled brown butter, regular butter, and cream cheese.
  12. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and pinch of salt and beat again.
  13. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  14. Frost the cooled pumpkin cake with the brown butter cream cheese frosting. Serve!