2-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Cake

Get all the autumn vibes and flavors of fall with this super easy 2 ingredient pumpkin cake. Just mix, bake, and top with your favorite frosting. It’ll become your favorite fall treat. Perfect for Thanksgiving or whenever you are craving some Fall flavor.

Looking for an easy recipe that you can whip up in a flash to satisfy your sweet tooth? Try this simple 2-ingredient pumpkin cake made with just a box of cake mix and a can of pumpkin puree. It’s moist, delicious, and couldn’t be easier to make. Plus, it tastes amazing whether it’s room temperature, chilled, or warmed in the microwave.

The spice cake mix has all the warm fall spices you need, like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice, so there’s no digging through the spice rack to find what you need. In fact, buy a few boxes of spice cake mix because you’ll want to make these spice cake bars and this simple apple crisp with cake mix this fall, too.

You also don’t have to worry about oil, butter, milk, or eggs because the pumpkin puree provides all the moisture you need for a yummy cake.

Top it with frosting, your favorite glaze, or Cool Whip or eat it as-is. You really can’t go wrong with this 2-ingredient treat for pumpkin season.

Ready to make it? Let’s get started!

Ingredients for 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Cake

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

• Spice Cake Mix — The flavors of the boxed cake mix pair perfectly with the pumpkin puree to give this cake the flavor of pumpkin pie. However, you can make it with a yellow, vanilla, or chocolate cake mix, too.
• Pure Pumpkin Purée — Make sure you get pure pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. The spice cake mix has all the warming spices you need for the perfect flavor.

Equipment You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to bake your pumpkin spice cake:

• 8×8 inch cake pan
• parchment paper or cooking spray
• mixing bowl
• electric hand mixer
• cake tester or toothpick

How to Make Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below. 

Step 1 — Prep: Heat the oven to 350°F. While it’s warming, grease your cake pan with non-stick cooking spray or line the pan with parchment paper and set it aside for now.

Step 2 — Mix it up: Combine cake mix and pumpkin puree in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer. Do not follow the instructions on the cake mix box. You only need the two ingredients mentioned (cake mix and pumpkin).

Step 3 — Bake the cake: Pour the prepared cake batter into the cake pan (it will be thick) and bake at 350°F for 25-28 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost entirely clean. A few crumbs are okay. Do not overbake.

Step 4 — Let it cool: Allow the cake to sit at room temperature until completely cooled before frosting. You don’t have to frost it, but a cream cheese frosting or simple vanilla glaze can take this cake to the next level.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this easy pumpkin cake topped with vanilla or cream cheese frosting, a glaze, or a big dollop of whipped cream. It also goes great with a cup of coffee or some hot chocolate!

Storage and Freezing

Room Temperature: Store pumpkin spice cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Refrigerator: To prolong freshness, store leftover pumpkin cake in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Freezer: This cake freezes beautifully! Place it in a freezer safe container or wrap individual pieces with plastic wrap and stash in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months.

Pumpkin Cake Recipe Tips and Tricks

• The batter will be very thick instead of pourable like cake mix when it’s prepared the usual way. Don’t worry — it’ll bake up just fine!
• If it’s too difficult to mix, or if you’d like for the cake to be a little fluffier, you can mix in 2 eggs with the pumpkin puree and dry cake mix.
• Serve this cake room temperature, chilled, or warmed in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. It’s delicious any way you slice it.
• Bake up a batch of pumpkin muffins by adding the batter to muffin tins instead of a cake pan.

Additions and Variations

Add mix-ins. Add some texture, crunch, or flavor by mixing in some nuts (walnuts or pecans), chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or raisins with this two-ingredient cake.

Swap out the cake mix. Not a fan of spice cake mix? Can’t find it at your stores? Swap it out for a yellow cake mix, vanilla cake mix, or chocolate cake mix. You’ll need to add 2-3 teaspoons of pumpkin spice to these to get a similar flavor, though.

Top with icing. Although it’s delicious as is, this cake is even more scrumptious when you add a layer of cream cheese frosting or a simple vanilla glaze. You could also sprinkle some candied pecans and almonds on top to dress the cake up a bit and add some sweet crunch.

Add vanilla extract. A splash of vanilla gives this cake more of a bakery flavor.

Make it gluten-free. To make a gluten-free pumpkin cake, use a gluten-free spice cake mix. If the amount of dry mix is different than 15.25 ounces, you may need to reduce the amount of pumpkin puree a little.

Pumpkin Spice Cake FAQ

More Easy Pumpkin Recipes

Craving pumpkin everything this fall? Here are a few more of my favorite easy pumpkin desserts.

• Pumpkin fluff dip — Five simple ingredients to make a perfectly yummy pumpkin-flavored dip for cookies or homemade ice cream sandwiches.
• Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies — What’s better than chocolate chip cookies? Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! You’ll love this fall twist on a classic.
• No-bake pumpkin layered dessert — This creamy dessert is perfect for all your holiday gatherings.
• Pumpkin cake roll with cream cheese filling — Make this for Thanksgiving or gift it to friends and neighbors as a gift for Christmas. It’s always a hit.
• Crockpot pumpkin spice latte — The perfect hot drink for Fall, packed with pumpkin pie spice flavor.