Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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This Sourdough Pumpkin Cake is filled with pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a perfectly moist cake, then it is topped with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting with a hint of cinnamon for the perfect fall dessert!

This recipe is the best cake for a fall birthday celebration or for any gathering or special occasion this fall season. It is simple to make and has easy cleanup because the batter is made in just one bowl. Plus it uses a whole can of pumpkin so you aren’t left with any leftovers. The pumpkin puree and sourdough discard in the cake batter creates a beautifully moist and soft cake. It is the perfect combination of sweetness from the sugar, spice from cinnamon and nutmeg, and tanginess from the discard and cream cheese frosting.
Fall is the best time for baking! I love all of the warm spices and comforting flavors. One of my favorites is pumpkin, and if you are a pumpkin lover, I have all sorts of pumpkin dessert recipes for you! My Pumpkin Cobbler recipe has a cake-like texture and a delicious caramel sauce, or I have a Sourdough Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Streusel Topping. If you want a cookie recipe this Pumpkin Snickerdoodle recipe is perfect for fall. Or if you want another seasonal cake recipe, try this Sourdough Discard Apple Cake.

Tools to make the Sourdough Pumpkin Cake
Kitchen aid stand mixer or beaters – The cake can be mixed by hand, but you will need to beat the frosting for a smooth and silky texture with hand beaters and a large bowl, or with your stand mixer.
Kitchen scale or Measuring cups and spoons – The recipe has measurements for cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons and also for grams. While you can use cups I always recommend weighing ingredients with a kitchen scale for more accurate measurements.
11×15 pan – I prefer the 11 x15 inch pan as I find a 9×13 inch pan makes the pumpkin cake much thicker but if you don’t want to get an 11×15 a 9×13 will work.

Can this cake be made ahead of time?
If you would like to make this cake for an event ahead of time, you can bake the cake the day before and leave it on the counter overnight covered. Then the next day, you can whip up the cream cheese frosting and add it on top of the cake up to an hour or two before serving.

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?
Yes, you can easily turn this Sourdough Pumpkin Cake recipe into cupcakes! Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and fill with the cake batter about 2/3 of the way full. Then bake in a preheated 350F degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. You can add the frosting on top of the cupcakes with an offset spatula or with a piping bag to add a swirl on top.

Tips for making Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Be careful not to over bake the cake to ensure that it stays nice and moist. The total time for baking can vary depending on your oven so to know if the cake is fully cooked, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean it is fully cooked and ready to be pulled out of the oven.
- Let the cake cool for at least one hour before adding on the frosting to prevent it from melting off of the cake.

Ingredients for Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Eggs – Eggs are used to bind the cake batter.
- Sugars – White granulated sugar and brown sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Pumpkin puree – This cake uses a full 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree so no leftovers! I used canned pumpkin puree, but you can use homemade if you’d like, just be sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Oil – The oil creates a super moist and soft cake. Any oil, such as vegetable oil or olive oil, will work.
- Sourdough discard – The sourdough discard adds tang and moisture that makes this cake so delicious! If you do not have a sourdough starter yet, you can make one in as little as two weeks with just flour and water using my Easy Sourdough Starter recipe!
- Flour- Unbleached all-purpose flour works great.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Used to leaven the cake.
- Salt – Adding salt enhances the flavors in the cake.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg – The spices used to bring the signature pumpkin spice flavor.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Butter– I recommend using salted butter for the frosting so that the salt in the butter will enhance the rest of the flavors.
- Cream cheese – Use softened cream cheese so that it is easier to beat together. To soften, leave the cream cheese on the counter at room temperature for an hour or until soft. Or if you do not have time, you can also put the cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until it is soft. Just be careful not to melt the cream cheese!
- Powdered sugar – Using powdered sugar is what makes the frosting thick and sweet.
- Milk – I use whole milk but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Cinnamon – Another half teaspoon of cinnamon in the frosting really compliments the flavor of the cake and makes the frosting so delicious.

Instructions to make Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Mix the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, oil and discard until smooth. You can use a whisk or hand mixer for this.

Next, add the dry ingredients to the mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until combined.
Pour the cake batter into a greased 11 x 14 inch pan or for a thicker cake use a 9×13 inch pan.
Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting. Add all of the ingredients for the frosting into a medium bowl and using hand beaters, beat until smooth. Alternatively, you can use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed until it is smooth.
Let the cake cool for about an hour or until it is cool to the touch. Top with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles if desired.

How to store Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
I recommend storing the Pumpkin Cake in the refrigerator because the frosting has cream cheese in it. You can cover the cake pan with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. The cake will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge. The cake can be stored on the counter if it does not have the frosting on top.
More sourdough dessert recipes
Recipe Card

Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 eggs 200 grams
- 200 grams sugar 1 cup
- 220 grams brown sugar 1 cup
- 425 grams pumpkin puree (1 15oz can) 1 ¾ cup
- 180 grams oil ¾ cup
- 120 grams sourdough discard ½ cup
- 280 grams all-purpose flour 2 cups
- 9 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
- 5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
- 4 grams cinnamon 2 teaspoons
- 1 gram nutmeg 1 teaspoon
Cream cheese frosting
- 113 grams butter, salted ½ cup
- 225 grams cream cheese 1 cup
- 450 grams powdered sugar 3 ¾ cups
- 30 grams milk 2 Tablespoons
- 1 gram cinnamon ½ teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Mix the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, oil and discard until smooth. You can use a whisk or hand mixer for this. 4 eggs, 200 grams sugar, 220 grams brown sugar, 425 grams pumpkin puree (1 15oz can), 180 grams oil, 120 grams sourdough discard
- Next, add the dry ingredients to the mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until just combined but do not over mix. 280 grams all-purpose flour, 9 grams baking powder, 5 grams baking soda, 3 grams salt, 4 grams cinnamon, 1 gram nutmeg
- Pour the cake batter into a greased 11 x 15 inch pan. You can use a 9 x 13 inch pan if that is all you have just note that the cake will thicker and will need to bake for about 30-35 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting. Add all of the ingredients for the frosting into a medium bowl and using hand beaters, beat until smooth. Alternatively, you can use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed until it is smooth. 113 grams butter, salted, 225 grams cream cheese, 450 grams powdered sugar, 30 grams milk, 1 gram cinnamon
- Let the cake cool for about an hour or until it is cool to the touch. Top with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles if desired.
Notes
- You can make this in a sheet cake pan for a
- Be careful not to over bake the cake to ensure that it stays nice and moist.
- Let the cake cool for at least one hour before adding on the frosting to prevent it from melting off of the cake.
- To make into cupcakes: Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and fill with the cake batter about 2/3 of the way full. Then bake in a preheated 350F degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Is there a good swap out for the eggs? Our house can’t eat eggs.
I haven’t tried it but this article has some tips on swapping eggs: https://www.pccmarkets.com/taste/2013-03/egg_substitutes/
Also I know it’s not a cake but I do have 3 pumpkin dessert recipes without eggs you can find here:
pumpkin cobbler- https://countryroadssourdough.com/sourdough-pumpkin-cobbler/
Pumpkin snickerdoodles- https://countryroadssourdough.com/sourdough-pumpkin-snickerdoodle-cookies/
pumpkin cinnamon roll focaccia- https://countryroadssourdough.com/sourdough-pumpkin-cinnamon-roll-focaccia/
can this cake be long fermented before baking? I have made sourdough bread for awhile, just starting into other recipes, can you explain when things can be long fermented and when its not a good idea? Most cookies do well with it , but I am unsure with batters. Thank so much , and thoughts are appreciated.
If you use a double acting baking powder it should be fine to let the batter long ferment in the fridge.
Are you able to use active starter in place of discard?
Yes that’s fine!