This simple and moist Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake is topped with a creamy homemade cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
If there is any seasonal flavor that I look forward to most when fall is on the horizon, it is pumpkin. Yes, I am that “give me all the pumpkin things” person. Give me pumpkin anything even when it is not fall. My pumpkin cravings know no seasonal boundaries.
But as the kids head back to school, and the air becomes a little crisper, and the leaves slowly start to change colors, I know that the rest of the world is ready for the season of pumpkin. And my friends, pumpkin season is indeed here. Let the delicious pumpkin spiced bombardment begin, starting with this simple yet perfect Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake.
The cake recipe itself is crazy easy- just 3 ingredients and you are on your way to pumpkin bliss. But then top it with a creamy homemade cinnamon cream cheese frosting? Heaven, you all. Heaven.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 box of angel food cake mix
- 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 oz of cream cheese softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the angel food cake mix and the pumpkin pie spice. Then stir in the pumpkin puree until well combined. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are slightly golden brown and the centers springs back to the touch.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting
- Once the cake has cooled, prepare your frosting.
- Using a mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until well combined and fluffy. Add in the vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugared and then the cinnamon. Continue to beat until everything is well incorporated and the frosting is fluffy.
- You can either cut the cake into bars and then prettily pipe the frosting on each one or simply spread the frosting over the entire cake.
- Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, you might also like my…
Chocolate Screwdriver Angel Food Cake
Carol says
Looks great can’t wait to try it !!!
Carrie says
Thank you, Carol! 🙂 You will love it!
Marion@Life Tastes Good says
What a great idea! This looks like a delicious way to jazz up a boxed cake mix and angel food cake is so light and perfect! Thanks for sharing!!
Carrie says
Thank you, Marion! 🙂 Boxed cake mixes can be a life saver for busy mamas!
amy says
Do u make the cake mix as directed?
Carrie says
Nope, Amy. Just as directed above in the recipe box up there. You will not follow the directions on the box to make the angel food cake this way. 🙂
kelli says
Thanks for asking that question! I already had it mixed to directions above but wasn’t 100% sure if I should add the water!
Laura godfrey says
I love the fall season. So any fall recipes would be great.
Carrie says
I agree! Fall is definitely my favorite season of the year, Laura. 🙂 And fall recipes? THE BEST.
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Fall is my favorite baking season too especially anything with pumpkin 🙂 This pumpkin cake looks delicious! I love that cinnamon cream cheese frosting!
Carrie says
Thank you, Kelly! 🙂 I am pretty sure fall is my favorite baking season too. Bring on the pumpkin!
Tabitha Walker says
Does it matter that I dont have unsalted butter for the frosting recipe
Carrie says
Hello Tabitha! I usually recommend unsalted butter in all my baking because salted butter does have salt in it (as the name suggests). While the salt content in salted butter isn’t extremely high, it could affect the flavor of the frosting a little but it may not be enough to really notice. You could give it a try if that is all that you have a hand. 🙂
Bella says
I only buy salted butter,and it tastes just as great!
Becca from It's Yummi! says
I’m crazy for ALL things pumpkin, so you KNOW I need to make this as soon as possible! Pinned!
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says
Thank you for the pin, Becca! 🙂 You will definitely want to have this recipe saved somewhere!
April says
Can I make these in cupcake papers? How long would I bake them for?
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says
Hello April! I have not tried baking angel food cake in cupcake liners before, so I am not sure? I would try Googling it or checking to see if there are cupcake directions on the box of angel food cake mix. If you do bake them as cupcakes, please stop back by and let us know how they turned out! 🙂
Patricia King says
I just made the ppl in cake and it was very thin and flat. When making the cake do you add the water the cake mix requires or just the pumpkin and pie spice. I didn’t add the water.
Carrie says
Hello Patricia! Nope, no water. Just the cake mix, pumpkin puree, and spices. I am not sure why your’s came out flat? Do you maybe live at a higher elevation? I know sometimes that can make a difference. Also, if you jostle around the pan too much while baking or right after baking (maybe checking on it or thinking that it needed rotated?), if will cause an angel food cake to fall if it hasn’t had a chance to bake all the way through and set up.
Pat says
There are 2 types of boxed mix; a one-step and a two step. You need to use the 1-step.
If you open your mix and find a separate envelope of powdered egg whites, you have the wrong mix.
Sissy says
What is pumpkin purée?
Carrie says
Hello Sissy! It is basically the canned pumpkin you find in your grocery store. You could also use your own homemade pumpkin puree if you would like in this. 🙂
Beth says
Just the cake mix without everything else like eggs and water?
Carrie says
Hello Beth! Yep. No water or eggs. Typical angel food cake mixes do not call for eggs anyhow, just water. But for this recipe you just need the cake mix, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice- that’s it! 🙂
celeste johnson says
Do you leave out the eggs and water?
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says
Yep! 🙂 Just the angel food cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree. No water, no eggs for this.
Cheryl Dilbone says
could you use pumpkin pie spice also in the frosting
Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says
You certainly could if you would like! 🙂 I think the pumpkin pie spice would work well in the frosting also.
Val says
Would this work with a normal white cake mix?
Carrie says
Hello Val! I would venture to say no… at least not with just the cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree. You would probably still have to add eggs, water, etc if you used a cake mix other than angel food. I couldn’t tell you the exact ingredients for that because you would have to factor in the moisture that the pumpkin puree adds & that would mean cutting back on some of the egg, oil, water, etc that a regular cake mix calls for. I haven’t tried that way myself, to be honest. You can maybe Google adding pumpkin puree to a boxed cake mix and seeing what you can find?
Ann Kress says
I made this recipe just the way you said without water just the angel food mix pumpkin purée & spice & it turned out horrible flat & crumbled up this sure was a disappointment
Carrie says
I am so sorry that it turned out that way, Ann. I have no idea why. I made the one pictured above using the exact recipe instructions I shared in this post, and it turned out wonderful. Did you jostle the pan while baking or shortly after taking it out of the oven? Sometimes that can make an angel food cake fall.
Emily says
I made this for a co-workers birthday and it was a huge hit! Turned out perfect, thanks!
Carrie says
Oh wonderful, Emily! I am glad it turned out perfectly for you. 🙂
debbie says
do you add the condensed milk
Carrie says
Hello Debbie! Condensed milk to what- the cake or the frosting? You wouldn’t normally add that ingredient to either one of those as far as I know. But for this recipe? No condensed milk! 🙂
Mary says
I just made these into cupcakes!!!! Made the cake mix like it said on here and then put it in cupcake papers about 3/4 full in a muffin tin. Then put in in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. They turned out great!!! Can’t wait for people to try them!!!!!
Carrie says
Yay! That is awesome, Mary! 🙂 I am happy to hear that someone tried baking them as cupcakes and it worked. Thank you for stopping back and sharing that info with us all.
aprila says
I made this today and it tastes amazing. I will definitely be making this again
Carrie says
I am so glad, April! 🙂 It really can become your new go-to fall dessert recipe.
Sandra Krytus says
I want to try this in a typical angel food cake tube pan. Are you aware of any reason why this might not work?
Carrie says
It *should* work, Sandra. Just be sure to follow the directions for baking the cake in the tube pan on the box. I know there is a specified time that an angel food cake baked in a traditional pan needs to cool afterwards inverted.
Tracy says
HI Carrie,
I can’t wait to try this! I’m thinking of cutting it horizontally once it’s done baking and then spreading a layer of home made pumpkin puree in between!
Erika says
I made this as a trifle with the cream cheese frosting and pecans as a crunch factor. I followed the directions loosely as I cook better than I bake and got to chatting with my sister. It turned out very good! I love it!!! I ripped up the cake put it in a serving dish, layered it with a small amount of frosting then topped that with pecans and repeated the layers until it was full. I think it will be a big hit for thanksgiving tomorrow. Thanks good recipe!
joyce says
any suggestions for other flavors to add to angel food cake mix?
thanks
Debbie says
plain pumpkin pie just doesn’t stand a chance with this around. can’t wait to try