Pumpkin snack cake uses cinnamon and pumpkin spice make this super moist sheet cake a perfect fall dessert! This EASY recipe creates a soft and fluffy cake that's topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting.

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Has the fall weather arrived where you live? It definitely has in the Pacific Northwest, which means it's time for all the fall baking!

This homemade pumpkin cake is full of warm spices, is quick and easy to make and might taste even better than Grandma's. The cake and light cream cheese frosting are both simple to prepare and give a pure pumpkin spice flavor you will love. And did I mention that the cake is very moist and stays that way for days???

ingredients needed for this snack cake

The following ingredients combine to make a soft and fluffy homemade cake, which is spiced with the perfect pumpkin spice blend.

• All-purpose flour ~ gives the cake structure.
• Cornstarch ~ adds some softness to the cake crumb.
• Baking soda and baking powder ~ add some lift to the cake.
• Pumpkin pie spice ~ if you don't have this, you can make your own. See the notes in the recipe card.
• Ground cinnamon ~ adds more flavor and spice.
• Kosher salt ~ to balance the flavors.
• Pumpkin puree ~ gives the pumpkin flavor and moisture to the cake.
• Vanilla extract ~ for flavor.
• Large eggs ~ adds structure and moisture.
• Brown sugar ~ I prefer dark brown sugar, but you could substitute light brown.
• Granulated sugar ~ just a little to round out the sweetness.
• Oil ~ adds lots of moisture.
• Unsalted butter, cream cheese and confectioners' sugar {not shown} for the frosting.

how to make this super moist pumpkin cake

Start by preheating the oven and preparing an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Then add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spices to a bowl and whisk them together.

In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vanilla and eggs until mostly smooth. Then add the oil and whisk until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.

Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan and bake.

Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

video tutorial for pumpkin snack cake with cream cheese frosting

tips for making this from scratch pumpkin spice cake

• Be sure you are not using pumpkin pie filling as it has already been flavored with spices. Pumpkin puree should only have one ingredient listed on the can, pumpkin.
• If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, see how to make your own in the recipe card.
• Bake until just a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick or cake tester. It may take a few minutes less or more in your oven, so use the baking time as a guide.
• Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. You can speed this process up by placing the cake in the refrigerator after it's cooled on the counter for 30-40 minutes.
• I use an off-set spatula to frost the cake. The sprinkles here are from Sprinkle Pop, here is a current fall mix.

can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

I prefer the flavor and texture of this cake using canned pumpkin puree. If you only have fresh pumpkin, it will work. Make sure to blot as much moisture as you can from the homemade pumpkin puree.

Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.

why is there so little cream cheese in the frosting?

This frosting leans light on the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. It has just enough cream cheese to know the flavor is there, but it's not overwhelming. It's light and airy with just a slight tang. And it's a perfect match for this spiced cake.

is this snack cake dairy free?

Yes, the cake itself is dairy free.

I've not experimented with dairy free frosting recipes, but if you have one that works by all means use it. You could also make a simple glaze with confectioners' sugar and a dairy free milk and vanilla. I would start with a cup of confectioners' sugar, a splash of vanilla and a few teaspoons of milk alternative. Taste and adjust as necessary; more milk if it's too thick and more confectioners' sugar if it's too thin.

how to store pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting

Any left over cake should be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. I like to press the plastic wrap up against the sides of the cake. Although I will tell you I left a piece very lightly covered in the refrigerator for over a week and it was still incredibly moist eight days later...

Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this Pumpkin Snack Cake. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more fall desserts to try ~

• Pumpkin Caramel Spice Bars
• Homemade Apple Spice Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
• Cinnamon Apple Crostata
• White Chocolate Pecan Pie
• No Bake Pumpkin Cookies
• Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies
• Apple Cider Banana Bread

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Yield: 16 slices {8x8 cake}

Pumpkin Snack Cake

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Cinnamon and pumpkin spice make this super moist sheet cake a perfect fall dessert! This EASY recipe creates a soft and fluffy cake that's topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Bake Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

pumpkin cake

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (188g)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (24g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree** (183g)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil (120mL)
• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar*** (100g)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)

cream cheese frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
• 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (56g)
• 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar (180g)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the cake: preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and kosher salt.  Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vanilla and eggs.  Then add the oil and whisk until smooth.  Add the brown and granulated sugars and whisk until fully combined.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just fully combined.  The batter is quite thick. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs.  Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
5. For the cream cheese frosting:  Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high until creamy, about 3-4 minutes.  Scrape up and down the bowl, then add half the confectioners’ sugar.  Mix on low until the sugar is incorporated, then beat on medium high for another 1-2 minutes until the buttercream is smooth.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the remaining confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes more.
6. Spread the frosting over the fully cooled cake (add sprinkles, if desired) and refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.  Briefly chilling the cake helps set the frosting and makes it easier to slice.

Notes

*You can make your own pumpkin pie spice with a ¼ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground all-spice and ground ginger.

**Make sure you are using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.

***Light brown sugar can be substitued if you don't have dark brown sugar.

Any leftover cake can be stored covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 135mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 3g

The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

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Milky Way cake is a rich chocolate and caramel cake; made from scratch with melted Milky Way candy bars and instead of frosting is topped with an easy milk chocolate ganache.

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This candy bar cake is a perfect homemade cake for any kind of celebration. It is a great alternative from a layer cake and bakes up in a bundt pan. It's a perfect birthday cake for someone like my dad or friend Jenny, that don't like a cake with frosting {can't relate, #teamfrostingforlife}!

Little side note ~ this recipe is one Mr. two sugar bugs made for me very early on in our dating days.💗

what is a milky way cake?

A Milky Way cake is the ultimate cake for people who love the nougat, caramel and chocolate flavor of this candy bar! The recipe uses melted candy bars in the cake batter and bakes up to a moist and buttery cake with a tender crumb.

ingredients needed for this candy bar cake

• Milky Way candy bars ~ give the cake the classic chocolate and caramel flavor profile.
• Unsalted butter {divided} ~ helps create the buttery and moist texture.
• Granulated sugar ~ for sweetness and structure.
• Large eggs ~ for structure.
• Buttermilk ~ helps to create the moist and tender crumb. I prefer using store bought buttermilk. You can make your own in a pinch {see this coconut cake recipe for how to}.
• Cake flour ~ contributes to the structure and tenderness of the cake.
• Baking soda ~ just a little to add some leavening.
• Kosher salt ~ to balance the sweet. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
• Vanilla ~ for flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream {not shown} ~ for the ganache.
• Quality milk chocolate bar {not shown} ~ for the ganache. I like Callebaut, but Guittard, Scharffen Berger, Ghirardelli, Lindt and Baker's are other good choices.

how to make a milky way cake

Start by preheating the oven and melting together part of the butter and the milky way bars. It is best to use the double boiler method ~ place a glass {this set is my favorite for the kitchen} or metal bowl over the top of a simmering pot of water on the stovetop.

It takes about 10 minutes for the candy bars to fully melt and incorporate together with the butter. You might think the Milky Ways aren't ever going to give in, but after about 6 minutes, they start to melt. Start stirring consistently at this point and stir until the mixture becomes smooth. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the rest of the batter.

Next, measure the cake flour and THEN sift it together with the baking soda and set aside.

Now place the room temperature butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and cream it together with the kosher salt and granulated sugar. The ratio of sugar to butter is higher on the sugar, so it takes a good 10 minutes for the two ingredients to cream fully. Stop and scrape up and down the mixer bowl as needed.

Next add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next. The batter will start to look quite fluffy after all the eggs have been added.

Then alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk. Do this in three additions of dry and two of wet, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Finally add in the vanilla and the melted milky way bars. When only a few larger pockets of flour are still showing, stop the mixer and use a spatula to finish mixing the batter.

how to prepare a bundt pan

I don't know about you, but I always get a little nervous making anything in a bundt pan! I have one pan that is more intricate and deeper and I have about a 75% rate of getting my bakes out of it successfully.

For this cake, I use a Nordic Ware bundt pan that I bought at Target. I butter the pan, making sure to get every surface covered in a light layer of butter {I use clean fingers to do this part}. Then add a little flour and turn and move the pan around until you get the flour distributed in a light and even layer. You can hold the pan upside down over the sink and tap it all around to remove any excess flour.

Some people swear by using shortening instead of butter. I have always used butter, but if shortening is more your comfort zone; go with it!

I've also found it's best to prepare the bundt pan just before adding the batter.

Next add the Milky Way cake batter to the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

how to remove the cake from a bundt pan

Once the cake is baked, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. This is the sweet spot; the cake has cooled enough to not be too fragile, but not enough that the sugars have firmed up and will stick to the pan.

When the 10 minutes are up, place a wire cooling rack or plate over the bundt pan. Then gently flip the whole thing over while holding the pan and rack/plate over the top. If you are anything like me, you'll feel very awkward at this moment. One hand will be on the bundt pan and one on the rack/plate.

If the pan was greased properly, the cake should just slide right out once it's flipped over.

how to make the easy milk chocolate ganache

Instead of an icing or frosting, we will use an easy milk chocolate ganache for the cake topping.

Once the cake is cooling out of the bundt pan, make the ganache. Start by chopping a milk chocolate baking bar into small pieces and place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl.

Next place the heavy cream into a small sauce pan and heat until warm and just starting to simmer at the edges. Pour the heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes before stirring until a smooth ganache is formed.

Let the ganache sit for a few minutes until it has slightly cooled. Then pour the ganache over the top of the cake. Use a spatula or an off set spatula to lightly push the ganache over the edges. Garnish with some chopped pieces of Milky Way bars, if desired.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this Milky Way Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more cake recipes to enjoy

• Cookie Butter Cake
• Homemade Raspberry Cake
• Chocolate Malt Cake
• Pink Velvet Cake
• Perfect Coconut Cake

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Yield: 16 slices

Milky Way Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache

Print

A rich chocolate and caramel cake; made from scratch with melted Milky Way candy bars and topped with an easy milk chocolate ganache.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Bake Time 50 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

Milky Way Cake

• 5 Milky Way bars, chopped (260*g)
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in cubes (142g)
• 3 cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour (360g)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (142g)
• 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar (450g)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature ( mL)
• 2 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract

milk chocolate ganache**

• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (60mL)
• 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped small (114g)
• 1-2 additional Milky Way candy bars, chopped for garnish, if desired

Instructions

1. For the cake:  preheat the oven to 350°F.  Pull out your bundt pan, but don’t prepare it yet.
2. Melt the chopped Milky Way candy bars and first 10 tablespoons of butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring off and on initially. The candy bars are slow to melt and you may feel like they will never give in!  After about 5-7 minutes the bars start to melt enough that you can see the butter and candy bars coming together; start stirring constantly at this point.  It takes about 10 minutes for the two to fully melt and become cohesive together.  Once melted and combined, remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Measure the cake flour, THEN sift it together with the baking soda.  Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, cream the room temperature butter (10 tablespoons) on medium (speed 6 on KitchenAid) for 2 minutes.  Then scrape up and down the bowl, add the granulated sugar and kosher salt and mix on medium (speed 6) until the mixture gets well incorporated, about 10 minutes.  You will have to stop the mixer every few minutes and scrape the bowl.
5. Once the butter and sugar are well creamed (about 10-12 minutes), add the eggs one at a time on medium-low (speed 4), mixing each egg until incorporated before adding the next.  It takes about 30-45 seconds for each egg to incorporate.
6. With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, then half the buttermilk, followed by the next ⅓ of flour.  Stop and scrape up and down the bowl.  Then add the second half of the buttermilk, followed by the final ⅓ of the flour.  Mix until barely combined and several large streaks of flour remain.  Then add the vanilla and melted Milky Way and butter mixture (give it a quick stir before adding).  Mix on low until the mixture starts to come together, then turn off the mixer and finish stirring with a spatula until combined. I like to do this to avoid over mixing the batter.
7. Generously butter a 12 cup bundt pan, making sure to get the butter on every nook and cranny of the interior surface.  Then dust over the butter with flour (cake or all-purpose works here).  Tap the flour around in the bundt, again making sure every surface of the butter is lightly coated in flour.  You can also use a baking release spray here, if your pan advises it.  I have a Nordic Ware pan and it recommends butter or shortening with flour or a baking spray containing flour, but not regular cooking spray. 
8. Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 45-50 minutes.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes (set a timer!), then place a metal cooling rack over the top of the bundt pan and turn the pan over onto the cooling rack and release the cake.  Allow the cake to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before adding the chocolate ganache.
10. For the milk chocolate ganache: Add the chopped milk chocolate to a heatproof glass or metal bowl. Heat the cream on the stovetop until just simmering around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, making sure it is completely submerged. Let the cream sit for 2 minutes without disturbing it. Gently stir the cream until it is fully combined with the milk chocolate and the result is a smooth ganache. Let the ganache sit for a few minutes, then pour over the top of the cake.  Top with additional chopped Milky Way candy bars, if desired.

Notes

*Milky Way candy bars come in many different sizes; this recipe is based upon a standard size bar, which is about 52g. I provided the weight so you can use whatever variety of bars you have on hand. I bought the "2 packs", which makes each individual bar 51g.

**We like this cake with the glaze not fully covering the entire cake. If you want more glaze use 6 ounces (170g) of chocolate and 3 ounces of heavy cream (80mL).

The cake can be left covered at room temperature for up to two days.  Alternately, you can refrigerate it, covered well, for up to 5-7 days.  This cake also freezes well for 2-3 months; double wrap in plastic wrap and then place in a zip top bag.  I freeze it glazed and with the candy bars on top.  Allow to defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 445Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 190mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 1gSugar: 49gProtein: 5g

The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please make my day and PIN to Pinterest and share a photo on Instagram ~ making sure to tag @twosugarbugs! THANK YOU!!