Name: Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: PT-489266H27M46S
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 packages spice cake mix (regular size); 6 large eggs, room temperature; 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin; 2/3 cup canola oil; 2/3 cup evaporated milk; 2 cups white baking chips; 2 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting; Red, yellow, and green paste or liquid food coloring; 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert that screams fall, I can’t wait to share this fan-freaking-tastic Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe with you. It’s got that cozy pumpkin flavor, a touch of warm spices, and a clever way of turning simple cake mixes into a stunning pumpkin-shaped masterpiece. Trust me, once you try this, it’ll probably become your go-to for holiday gatherings!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy and Quick: Using prepared cake mix and simple ingredients, this recipe is hassle-free but yields a stunning dessert.
Perfect Fall Flavor: Pumpkin and spice come together to deliver that classic Thanksgiving warmth everyone craves.
Fun Presentation: It’s shaped like a pumpkin, making it a festive centerpiece that’ll wow your guests.
Family Favorite: My family goes absolutely crazy for this cake every year, and I know yours will too!

The dish is a round cake shaped like a pumpkin with a smooth, ridged layer of bright orange frosting covering the whole top and sides. In the center, there is a small green cylindrical shape made of frosting, representing the pumpkin's stem. Curly green frosting vines and two leaf shapes decorate the top, trailing out from the stem and curling around the pumpkin. The cake sits on a bed of finely shredded green coconut or similar garnish that looks like grass, all placed on a white plate. The background is a white marbled surface, and a knife with a brown handle lies beside the plate. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients here come together to create moist, spiced pumpkin cake with just the right balance of sweetness and fall flavors. I find the white baking chips especially add a nice surprise melty texture, so don’t skip them!

Spice cake mix: Choose regular size packages for best results; the spice combo in the mix lends depth without extra effort.
Large eggs: Room temperature eggs help the batter blend smoothly and add structure to the cake.
Canned pumpkin: Not pumpkin pie mix – pure pumpkin gives that vibrant color and natural flavor.
Canola oil: Keeps the cake moist without heavy butter taste.
Evaporated milk: Adds richness and slightly caramel notes to the batter.
White baking chips: Melted chunks in the cake add subtle bursts of sweetness and fun texture.
Vanilla frosting: Two cans – one batch is tinted orange to make the pumpkin skin, the other green for leaves and vines.
Red, yellow, and green food coloring: Mix red and yellow for a vibrant pumpkin orange, green for foliage details.
Sweetened shredded coconut: Dyed green to mimic grass and add a lovely texture around the cake base.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love how versatile this Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe is — you can easily tweak it to fit your family’s tastes or dietary needs. Feel free to mix and match frosting colors or swap ingredients to make it your own.

Dairy-Free Variation: I once swapped evaporated milk for coconut milk and used dairy-free frosting; the texture stayed luscious and the flavor was incredible.
Nutty Upgrade: Adding chopped toasted pecans inside the batter gives a lovely crunch that my husband raves about.
Spice Boost: Sometimes I add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter for an extra warm spice kick that really highlights the pumpkin.
Mini Pumpkin Cake: Consider making cupcakes-only to skip the pumpkin shape if you’re short on time or want easy individual servings.

How to Make Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe

Step 1: Whip Up Your Spiced Pumpkin Batter

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F—making sure it’s fully warmed helps your cakes bake evenly. In a large bowl, combine both packages of spice cake mix with eggs, canned pumpkin, canola oil, and evaporated milk. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds to combine, then switch to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. This two-stage mixing helps achieve a perfectly smooth batter without overmixing. Stir in the white baking chips last by hand — these add delightful pockets of sweetness when baked.

Step 2: Bake Your Pumpkin Cakes and Cupcakes

Grease two 12-cup fluted tube pans and also prepare two muffin tins for the cupcakes — don’t forget to grease these well! Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full, then pour the remaining batter evenly into the tube pans. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes, and the tube pans for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I always keep a close eye near the end to avoid overbaking, which can make cakes dry. Once done, cool the cakes in their pans for 25 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Step 3: Assemble and Frost Your Pumpkin

Level the bottoms of each round cake by trimming off any rounded edges — this helps the cakes fit snugly together. Spread a layer of vanilla frosting on one cake bottom and gently press the second cake bottom on top to create the pumpkin body. Now for the fun part: mixing your frosting colors. Blend red and yellow food coloring to get a bright orange shade for most of the frosting, and tint the remaining frosting green for the stem, vines, and leaves.

Place one cupcake right side up in the cake’s center to act as the pumpkin stem’s base. Dollop some green frosting on top of that cupcake and invert the other cupcake on it to form a pumpkin stem. Frost the entire cake with the orange frosting first, then pipe curly green vines and leaves around the pumpkin using the green frosting. Lastly, stir green food coloring into shredded coconut and sprinkle around the base of the cake for a realistic grassy effect.

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Pro Tips for Making Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe

Use Room Temperature Eggs: I learned this makes the batter whip up better and results in fluffier cakes.
Don’t Skip Leveling Your Cakes: Trimming the bottoms ensures your pumpkin stacks nicely without wobbling, which really impresses guests.
Color Your Frosting in Advance: Mixing and tinting frosting early saves time during assembly and lets the colors deepen perfectly.
Avoid Overbaking: Start checking cakes 5 minutes before time’s up—you want moist, soft layers, not dry crumbly ones.

How to Serve Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe

This image shows a round, pumpkin-shaped cake on a white plate sitting on a white marbled surface. The cake has a smooth orange layer of frosting with petal-like swipes creating vertical ridges around the sides, giving it the look of a pumpkin. The center is topped with a thick green frosting circle that represents the pumpkin stem, and green frosting vines and leaves curl playfully over the orange surface. Around the base of the cake, there is a ring of bright green shredded decoration that looks like grass. The scene also includes a knife with a wooden handle on the left side and a folded orange and yellow checkered cloth beneath the plate. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

For garnishes, I’m all about keeping it seasonal and simple: lightly sprinkle extra green-tinted coconut around the plate to look like grass and add a few candied pecans or roasted pumpkin seeds on the side for crunch. A dusting of cinnamon or a drizzle of caramel sauce makes for a cozy finish too, especially if you’re serving this warm.

Side Dishes

This cake shines as a dessert after classic Thanksgiving mains like roast turkey, mashed potatoes, or glazed carrots. It’s so rich and flavorful, some apple cider or a hot cup of spiced chai pairs beautifully and rounds out the meal without overpowering.

Creative Ways to Present

On more festive occasions, I’ve added edible gold leaf accents or piped extra detailed leaves and vines using a small piping tip for more artistic flair. You can also serve the cake on a rustic wooden board surrounded by mini pumpkins and autumn leaves for that perfect Instagram-worthy pumpkin patch vibe.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftovers (and you probably will!), store the cake tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge. I usually leave it out for a couple of hours after baking before refrigerating, which keeps the frosting firm but the cake moist. It stays delicious for up to 4 days.

Freezing

I’ve frozen this cake a few times by wrapping it carefully in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn. When thawed overnight in the fridge, the texture and flavor hold up surprisingly well — perfect for prepping your Thanksgiving dessert ahead of time!

Reheating

For best results, take leftovers out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to let the frosting soften slightly. If you want it warm, 10-15 seconds in the microwave usually works wonders without melting the frosting completely.

FAQs

Can I make this Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe without using cake mix?

Absolutely! While using spice cake mix simplifies the recipe, you can make your own spiced pumpkin cake batter from scratch with flour, baking powder, spices, and pumpkin puree. Just be mindful that the texture and baking time might vary slightly.
What kind of frosting works best for this cake?

Vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin and spice flavors. I recommend the vanilla frosting as in the recipe for ease, but cream cheese frosting adds a tangy richness if you want to mix things up.
Can I prepare this cake a day ahead for Thanksgiving?

Yes! This cake actually benefits from sitting overnight, as it lets the flavors meld beautifully. Just keep it refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.
How do I make the frosting colors look vibrant and even?

Use gel or paste food coloring for more vivid hues and add color gradually to get the perfect shade. Mixing the orange frosting an hour ahead helps the color deepen and smooth out, making your pumpkin cake really pop visually.

Final Thoughts

This Thanksgiving Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe has quickly become a heartfelt tradition in my home. It’s such a joy to make — simple ingredients, straightforward steps, and that whimsical pumpkin shape that always surprises people. When you serve it, you’re not just offering a dessert; you’re sharing warmth, memories, and fall magic on a plate. So grab your mixing bowl and give this one a try — I promise, your family and friends will be asking for it every year!