If you can’t decide between making pumpkin cake and pumpkin cheesecake, now you don’t have to! They’re all in one with this moist, tender and perfectly spiced pumpkin cheesecake cake.
This pumpkin cheesecake cake is pure fall heaven for pumpkin lovers. There is pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice in both layers, plus a cinnamon whipped cream frosting between the layers.
The cake layers are the same as my pumpkin layer cake, but I had to increase the amounts a bit to have enough batter for the layers to be about the same thickness as the cheesecake. It ended up being a little more dense than I wanted, so I made a couple of adjustments (less flour and a little less egg), and it was perfect!
The cheesecake layer is the same as my pumpkin cheesecake, but with 3 eggs instead of 4. Reducing the eggs keeps the cheesecake from being a little too tall.
So basically, you have two of my favorite (and most popular) pumpkin desserts in one. It’s no wonder this cheesecake cake always disappears so quickly!
Why I Make This Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake Every Year
- Two desserts in one. Why choose between pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin cake when you can have both in one slice? This recipe satisfies two dessert cravings and keeps everyone happy.
- Warm pumpkin flavor. The cheesecake and cake layers both feature my favorite blend of warm fall spices, which adds that classic pumpkin spice flavor to every bite. Not to mention the pumpkin puree and brown sugar that help amplify the flavors.
- Great for making ahead. If your fall is as busy as mine, you know how great it is to be able to make dessert a day in advance! Since the layers need to fully cool before assembly, this pumpkin cheesecake cake is ideal for making the day before. Sometimes I’ll just make the layers ahead and sometimes I’ll assemble the entire cake ahead.
Ingredient Notes
Let’s take a look at what’s needed to make this cake and why. Keep in mind that there’s an overlap in many ingredients, like pumpkin and spices. The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cream cheese – Always use full-fat, brick-style (not in a tub) cream cheese and be sure to bring it to room temperature.
- Brown sugar – I use light brown sugar and do prefer it over dark brown sugar, particularly in the cake layers.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure the flour accurately, either with a food scale or the spoon and level technique outlined in my post, How To Properly Measure Flour, particularly for the cake layers. In the cheesecake, the starch prevents the egg proteins from over-coagulating, giving you a creamier texture and helping you prevent any cracks. If you are looking for a gluten free alternative (for the cheesecake only), cornstarch will work too. Use half as much cornstarch as you would flour.
- Pumpkin puree – I recommend canned puree, like Libby’s, over homemade puree. Be sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin with no sweeteners or spices.
- Sour cream – I recommend full-fat sour cream for the creamiest cheesecake.
- Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger add the classic pumpkin pie spice to the cheesecake. You can use pumpkin pie spice if you prefer.
- Eggs – I always use large eggs when baking. They add structure to each layer. Make sure they are at room temperature.
- Vegetable oil – Adds amazing moisture to the cake and works really well in a cheesecake cake. The cake will be refrigerated, but the cake layers won’t firm up as much, since it’s not butter-based.
- Heavy whipping cream – Be sure to keep it cold until you’re ready to use it so that it whips properly.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and stabilizes the frosting.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake
This recipe does take some time to prepare, but much of it is hands-off baking or cooling time. Just remember to leave plenty of time for each layer to cool! The detailed printable instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Make the cheesecake
Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C).
Line the inside of a cake pan with foil, pressing it as flat as possible.
Beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, and flour on low speed until combined.
Mix in the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla, and spices on low speed.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Spread the filling in the pan and prepare the water bath. Bake for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes.
Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes, and then with the door open for 30 minutes.
Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature and then chill until firm. Overnight is ideal, but 5-6 hours is the minimum.
Make the cake layers
Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom.
Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl.
In another bowl, mix the sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between two pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Cool in the pans for 5-8 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting and decorate
To make the cream cheese frosting, mix the cream cheese with a whisk attachment until smooth.
Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream at a time, until it has a thinned out, milky consistency. I added about 2 cups.
Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla, add the remaining heavy cream, and mix until combined. Turn the speed to medium-high and whip to stiff peaks.
If needed, use a serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes. Place the first cake on a serving plate and spread a cup of frosting evenly on top.
Remove the foil from the cheesecake and place it on top of the cake.
Spread a cup of frosting on the cheesecake and top with the next layer of cake.
Frost the outside of the cake and pipe shells around the top edge.
Finish with candy pumpkins, if you’d like. The orange color bleeds in the fridge, so I like to add them just before serving.
Refrigerate the cake until serving but serve cool, not cold from the fridge. I leave mine out for 15-30 minutes before serving.
Tips for the Best Cheesecake Cake
- Make the cheesecake first. This takes the longest to bake and chill, so I recommend making it first. I like to make it the day before putting the cake together. You can even bake the cake layers a day ahead too.
- Use the water bath for the cheesecake! Don’t skip it. You want a nice, flat cheesecake for layering that doesn’t have a crater in the middle. If you don’t use the water bath, your cheesecake will not have a nice, flat top. See my post on how I prepare a water bath for cheesecakes for tips.
- Chill/cool all layers before assembling. While this pumpkin cheesecake cake is not hard to assemble, it does require some time. The cheesecake needs 4 hours or so to firm up, and the cake layers also need to cool completely.
- Prep ahead. One way to make this cake more manageable is to bake the cake layers and cheesecake the day before assembling. Both the cake and the cheesecake hold up very well, so prepping ahead is perfect here.
How to Make Sure The Layers Are The Same Size
The key to making the cheesecake for a cheesecake cake is to bake the cheesecake in the same pan you’ll use for the cakes. Not all 9-inch pans are the same size, so line your cake pan with aluminum foil and press it tightly against the sides. Bake the cheesecake in that pan, let it cool, and use the foil to lift it out of the cake pan. Use the same size pan for the cake layers.
Proper Storage
- Fridge: Store this pumpkin cheesecake cake in the fridge, either in an airtight container like a cake carrier or well-covered with plastic wrap. It’s best if enjoyed within 3-4 days. I think it’s better cool, but not cold, so I like mine to sit on the counter for 15-30 minutes before serving.
- Freezer: The layers of this cheesecake cake can be frozen prior to assembly. You can also freeze individual slices of the assembled cake. Just flash-freeze them until the frosting is hard, wrap in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for a month or two. I’ve never frozen the entire cake but it should freeze well.
More Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer Cake
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Ingredients
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup (225g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (24g) all-purpose flour
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup (58g) sour cream
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
Pumpkin Cake
- 2 cups (450g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups (320ml) vegetable oil
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs
- 2 ⅔ cups (621g) canned pumpkin puree
- 3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour (measured accurately)
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 3 ¼ cups (720ml) heavy whipping cream (cold)
- 1 ½ cups (173g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C). Line the entire inside of a 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil. Press it into the pan to get it as flat as you can. You’ll use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan when it’s baked and cooled.
- In a large mixer bowl, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar and flour together until combined. Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla extract and spices and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Place pan inside another larger pan. Fill the larger pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. Try not to open the oven and release the heat. Keep an eye on it. All ovens are different. You want it to be set around the edges and jiggly in the center couple of inches before moving on.
- Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 30 minutes.
- Crack oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Remove cheesecake from oven, let cool to room temperature, then chill until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight.
Make the cake layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom.
- Add the brown sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, eggs and pumpkin puree to a bowl and mix together until well combined.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, no wetness or moisture. These can be a little deceiving and be under baked by a smidge. You want to see a few moist crumbs.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 5-8 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make the frosting and decorate
- To make the frosting, add the cream cheese to a large mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment and mix until smooth.
- Slowly add the heavy whipping cream to the cream cheese, adding about ¼ cup at a time and mixing until combined before adding more. Continue adding the cream slowly, until the mixture has thinned out to a milky consistency. I added about 2 cups.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining heavy whipping cream and mix until combined, then turn the speed to medium-high and whip the cream mixture to stiff peaks. It will happen fairly quickly.
- Use a long, serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes, if needed. Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate or cardboard cake round. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top of the cake layer.
- Use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake layer out of the pan, remove the foil and place the cheesecake on top of the cake layer.
- Spread another cup of frosting evenly on top of the cheesecake, then add the second layer of cake on top. If the sides don’t line up, use a knife to trim off the excess cake or cheesecake, if you’d like.
- Frost the outside of the cake. Pipe shells of frosting around the top edge of the cake. I used Ateco tip 844.
- Add some candy pumpkins, if desired, just keep in mind that the orange color can bleed a bit in the fridge. You may want to add them just before serving.
- Store the cake well-covered in the fridge. I like to let it sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving to come a little closer to room temperature. Best if eaten within 3-4 days.
Notes
- Cream cheese – Always use full-fat, brick-style (not in a tub) cream cheese and be sure to bring it to room temperature.
- Brown sugar – I use light brown sugar and do prefer it over dark brown sugar, particularly in the cake layers.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Enjoy!
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Cakes and Cupcakes, Christmas, Fall and Holiday Favorites, Holidays, Recipes, Sweets and Treats, Thanksgiving,
