This spiced pumpkin version is one of those recipes that everyone should have in their repertoire. And I bet lots of you do have it in your repertoire. It’s been around forever in old recipe binders in kitchens across the country. My copy is handwritten on an old piece of paper and I genuinely have no idea where it came from. But it’s one of those go-to, everyone-loves-it, can’t-go-wrong recipes. If I have to take something to a family dinner, potluck or party during the months of October or November, this is what I make 90% of the time. So quick, so easy and so, so, so good.
There’s no fuss here. Everything just gets dumped in a bowl and mixed on up.
You can really customize the spices in this cake to your liking. I’ve included the easiest method in the instructions, which is just to use pumpkin pie spice.
Even when I use pumpkin pie spice, I usually add in a little extra nutmeg and cloves. I just eyeball it, but I feel like sometimes the pre-mixed spice jar lacks a little oomph.
Spread the batter out onto a sheet pan and bake it until just done. Since sheet cakes are thin, they can go from perfect to overcooked in just a minute, so make sure you check it and take it out just when moist crumbs are attached.
Now remember that Brown Sugar Caramel Frosting from last week? These were meant for each other. Although if you prefer, you could go for a Cream Cheese Frosting or Brown Butter Frosting. All of those would be amazing here.
Notice I just have a thin layer on this cake. Since sheet cakes are thinner than a traditional cake, you don’t really need to pile it on high or it’s overwhelming. This sweet layer is absolute perfection with the mellow spice cake.
I like to sprinkle a little cinnamon and a teeeeny bit of nutmeg on top. You can serve this with a knife and fork, or also, after it all sets up, these work great as finger food if you cut them smaller.
