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Easiest Pumpkin Cake

Easiest Pumpkin Cake 

 This delicious cake is a snap to prepare using a cake mix.  Comes out light and moist with a perfect pumpkin flavor. Everyone will love this cake and so will you!

 

 

Maybe you are like me, I  love using cake mixes and adding my own special ingredients to have it a “homemade” dessert.

This easy cake recipe came to me when I noticed that one of the mixes I had was going to expire very soon.

It happened to be a spice cake mix. How perfect since it’s right around Halloween. 

 

Is This A Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix?

No, this is a spice cake mix. No pumpkin in the mix. You’ll know why I used this instead of a pumpkin cake mix in just a minute. Read on…

But first, here’s my secret to a perfect cake made with a cake mix recipe, seltzer. Yup, you read that right. 

Seltzer makes the cakes light and fluffy. Isn’t that how we like cake? Light, fluffy and don’t forget moist. 

Well, this time around as always, when using a cake mix, this pumpkin cake came out fantastic and was a huge hit with my family and my neighbor Elenore, the perfect taste tester.

Elenore is always honest with me and has the best taste buds. Seriously, she can pick out flavors in a recipe that no one else could. Elenore is a wonderful cook and baker herself. Always cooking and baking for her grandkids that come to visit her regularly. So, she gave me the thumbs up for this cake and so did my hubby and kiddos. 

Now, If you were thinking, why didn’t she just use a pumpkin cake mix? Like I said before, I happen to have a spice cake mix in the pantry that was about to expire. But, after using this flavor, I wouldn’t have done this any other way. The reason? Adding in pumpkin puree from a can gave this cake a brightness and freshness to it since the pumpkin from the can is just that. Pumpkin. Nothing added, no sugar or additives. Just plain pumpkin. 

 

Would You Call This A Dump Cake?

Yes, this could actually be called a dump cake. You just dump all the ingredients into one bowl and then dump into prepared pan and bake. So, when I describe this cake to friends and family after they have had some, I tell them it’s a pumpkin dump cake. 

 

How About A Pumpkin Spice Cake?

Since I used a spice cake mix and pumpkin with a little more pumpkin pie spices. It’s a pumpkin spice cake. One I hope you love like we do. 

Would You Add Cream Cheese Frosting??

The main photo for this recipe does not have any cream cheese frosting. When it was originally baked, I tossed some cinnamon and pumpkin chips on top. Both cinnamon chips or pumpkin chips work for this recipe.

Sometimes I combine the two. (In the ingredients, I tell you where to purchase these kind of chips) Then with a nice sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. A little crunch factor with the moist cake. So delicious.

 But, I did make this exact recipe just the other day in a bundt pan with cream cheese frosting. I’ll post a photo down below. You bake the  bundt cake about the same amount of time as this cake made in a 9 inch cake pan. You know how to test when a cake is done. I tell you in the directions anyway. 

 

Bundt Cakes Made From a Cake Mix

Here is a photo of the bundt cake I made the other day. As you can see I drizzled a lot of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. That’s how my family loves when I make a bundt cake. The more the frosting the better. 

 

This is one beautiful pumpkin cake 

 

Another Bundt Cake Recipe Made With Bisquick 

This bundt cake is made with one of my favorite ingredients of all time, Bisquick. This is another shortcut way of baking cakes using this incredible pantry ingredient. I love making this cake year round but especially around Christmas. We enjoy this for breakfast and dessert. Looks so pretty on a dessert table. By the way, I have been making this recipe for well over 20 years. I started using Bisquick when I was a caterer in Atlanta when I made lots of morning scones for local business when they would have breakfast meetings. This cake is one I would make when friends would come over for Sunday brunch.  It’s double the cranberry deliciousness. 

 

So Simple Double Cranberry Bundt Cake

 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

The cream cheese frosting I most commonly use for cakes and cupcakes is from another delicious recipe

Harvest Cupcakes With Creamy Frosting. It’s made with cream cheese of course but, you must see the other ingredient that makes this frosting so amazing and I must add it’s such an easy recipe. Just click on the link above and you’ll see the frosting recipe along with those delicious harvest cupcakes. Just a note, I didn’t add the cinnamon to the frosting for the pumpkin cake with cake mix this time around. You can add in the cinnamon or not, it’s delicious either way. 

Look how pretty these cupcakes come out and oh boy, they taste so good!

Which cake mix do I use?

Betty Crocker verses Dunkin Hines

It doesn’t really matter what brand you use. The two above are readily available in most grocery stores and oh, I forgot about Pillsbury. They have a spice cake mix too. You may even find a store brand spice cake mix. Especially around Halloween and through Christmas. Use whatever brand you want. After making this cake like a million times, I’ve used all the above and they all work just fine. Again, the secret, seltzer! Also, for this particular cake, pure pumpkin puree.  

 

So, there you have it. Bake one of these beautiful cakes. It’s such a delectable cake recipe! 

 

 

Cakes Made With Cake Mixes and Dump Cakes

 

Here are a few more cakes I make with seltzer. Just to name a few.

Both are also so easy to prepare and come out beyond delicious.  The whole family adores these cake mix cakes. I love to  surprise them with one of these delicious moist cakes and you will too since they are all a snap to prepare.

 

“Strawberry Dump Cake”

“Lemon Lush Dump Cake” 

 

Time to start baking everyone! 

 

 

 

Easiest Pumpkin Cake 

Yields: 12 pieces

 

What Goes Into A Pumpkin Cake With Cake Mix

Of course the first thing is the first star of this recipe, the Spice Cake Mix. The second is my favorite ingredient in all my cake mix recipes and even some that are made from scratch. Seltzer. Club soda is great to  use as well. They are basically the same thing. Sparkling water. However, some sparkling waters don’t have the amount of fizz needed to elevate these cakes. So, I would suggest only using seltzer or club soda. Any brand, no name brands. All work for these cake mix recipes. The third star ingredient is pumpkin puree. I use the pumpkin from the can. But, it should only say pumpkin or pure pumpkin. Don’t get the one that specifically says pumpkin pie mix. That already has so much sugar and ingredients that a pumpkin pie would have in it. So, remember, only pumpkin should be the ingredients on the can. 

 

Those of you that are using fresh pumpkin that you just carved, seeded, cleaned and bake the pumpkin.  Go ahead. Use the same amount that’s in the recipe. I personally don’t have the time to go out and find the right kind of pumpkin to use and all the preparation it takes to make pumpkin puree. The pumpkin puree in the can is pure and perfect in opinion.  

 

On top of all that, this is a shortcut recipe since we are using a cake mix. You can make any cake homemade using a cake mix just by adding your own special touch with a few of your own ingredients. 

 

The rest of the ingredients are in the recipe card down below. You can easily print the whole recipe out and save it for anytime you want to make a delicious pumpkin cake recipe.

 

The Topping, Frosting, Icing of the pumpkin cake

 

I used 1/2 plus another 1/4 cup cinnamon chips or pumpkin spice chips  (The highlighted links are where you can find these chips online) But, Walmart and Target usually sell these chips especially during the holiday season. First check your grocery store in the same place where all chocolate chips are held. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baking A Pumpkin Cake With Cake Mix

 

In the recipe box below, you’ll see how easy-peasy this cake is to make. I used a 9 inch square pan for the recipe but, you can also use an 11 x 7 rectangle pan as well. You will also love that this is a one bowl recipe. Like I said, it’s really considered a dump cake since that’s what you’re doing, dumping all ingredients into one bowl, mix, pour into a baking dish and bake. You’ll know how the cake is done no matter what pan you use down below in the directions that’s in the recipe card. 

Try this recipe both ways, in a baking dish or bundt pan. The taste is the same, delish!

 

Enjoy the pumpkin spice deliciousness!  

 

Don’t forget to print this recipe below. Keep it handy to bake one anytime! 

Pumpkin Cake with Cake Mix

This moist and delicious cake is a snap to prepare. Comes out light and moist with a perfect pumpkin spice flavoring. Everyone will love this cake and so will you!
Course Autumn Dessert, Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Halloween, pumpkin, Pumpkin Dump Cake, Thanksgiving
Servings 12
Author Pam

Ingredients

  • 1 box spiced cake mix
  • 1 can plain seltzer
  • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup, plus 1/4 cup cinnamon chips or pumpkin spice chips
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp sugar, mixed with cinnamon for topping

Instructions

  1. 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees, mist a 9 inch square cake pan or an 11 x 7 rectangle baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

    2.In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except the chips and cinnamon sugar.

    3.Using a hand held mixer, mix until all is combined and batter is fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to dip down deep to get any dry mix, make sure all is completely mixed well. Add the 1/2 cup chips and gently fold in the batter.

    4.Pour batter into pan and smooth out. Toss remaining 1/4 cup chips and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of cake. Enjoy!

    5.Bake around 30 to 40 minutes until cake springs back when lightly touched and toothpick comes out clean or with dry to moist crumbs. Try not to over bake. Check after 30 minutes. Return to oven if needed.

    6.Let cake cool in pan until almost completely cooled. Cut into squares.

Just in case you missed the other two delicious cake mix cakes I mentioned above, here they are again. 

Strawberry Dump Cake

 

 

 

Lemon Lush Dump Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s the delicious pumpkin cake again!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed all the recipes featured today. Please stop by again soon. There’s so many more recipes to see both sweet and savory. New ones too!

In the meantime, if you like what you see, please share with family and friends and have fun pinning on Pinterest. That’s a great way of saving all your favorite recipes for later on. 

 

 

Bye for now!

 

 

 

 

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