Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Pumpkin sheet cake is a wonderful fall treat, and our brown butter frosting really sends this delicious sheet cake recipe over the top.
There are so many reasons to love sheet cakes!
Two big perks for me are that sheet cakes are easier to frost and they are easier to cut than regular cakes.
Plus, I love the cake-to-frosting ratio of a classic sheet cake. Have I ever mentioned that I’m a frosting junkie?
Pumpkin sheet cake plus brown butter frosting equals fall dessert heaven in my book.
Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe
This moist pumpkin sheet cake recipe is full of delicious ingredients.
- canned pumpkin
- granulated sugar
- cinnamon
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
It’s pretty easy to tell just from this sampling of ingredients that this is the best pumpkin sheet cake ever.
Brown Butter Frosting Recipe
Don’t even get me started on that brown butter frosting, because it’s just SPECIAL.
Sure, you could also use a cream cheese frosting for this recipe, but if you give my brown butter frosting a whirl I think you’re going to adore it.
Brown Butter Frosting is totally magical!
Browning the butter gives it a nutty, caramel-like flavor that infuses the frosting with so much incredible, rick flavor. It pairs so nicely with the pumpkin sheet cake.
Honestly, this recipe is going to knock your socks off.
If you are a cream cheese frosting afficionado, don’t miss my pumpkin cupcakes and this pumpkin spice cake.
Both feature cream cheese frosting recipes!
You’re going to need a jelly roll pan when you make this pumpkin sheet cake.
This is the one I use. I highly recommend this pan; it will last you a lifetime.
TIP: If you’re planning to serve this pumpkin sheet cake at a party or event, you can pre-cut the cake and place a pumpkin candy in the middle of each piece to add a little extra decorative flair!
Sheet cakes are so easy to make, so why not try this simple and sophisticated pumpkin sheet cake with brown butter frosting this fall?
You’re going to love it and so will your friends and family. I promise!
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Our pumpkin sheet cake with brown butter frosting is loaded with sweet, rich flavor.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- ½ cup butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 x 17 inch jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and the salt; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the pumpkin, sugar, and the oil. Add the eggs and mix well.
- Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and beat until well blended.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely
Frosting
- Mix together the milk and the vanilla and set aside.
- Add the powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and set aside.
- Over medium heat melt the butter stirring constantly. When the butter becomes very frothy and turns brown remove from the heat.
- Add the milk and the vanilla mixture to the powdered sugar. Add the browned butter. Mix with an electric mixer until well combined. Immediately spread on the cooled cake.
Notes
For a thinner frosting add milk a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 pieces Serving Size: 1 pieceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 9.4gSaturated Fat: 4.2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4.5gCholesterol: 45.9mgSodium: 218.6mgCarbohydrates: 43.3gFiber: 1gSugar: 33.8gProtein: 2.5g
I’d love to try this cake, but want to make it in a 13 x 9. I see several people have asked if you can with no response.
Delicious! I only had a 30oz can of pumpkin and didn’t have a jelly roll pan so I doubled the recipe and then split it between two 9×13 pans. Needed to bake longer but turned out great!! Will definitely be making this again
can this be made in a 13 x 9 pan?
Can I use a half sheet cake pan 18×13? Thank you.
Can this be made in a 13×9 pan? I’ve seen this same question a couple times, but no answer. Thank you.
This recipe was heaven! I cannot wait to have it again.
Made this today. It is so good. I changed up the spices a bit. I did 2t cinnamon, 1t ginger, 1/2t ground cloves, and I added a splash of vanilla to the cake. 25mins was perfect bake for my oven. Made the frosting as stated. So good! Thanks for a great recipe! Made this today. It is so good. I changed up the spices a bit. I did 2t cinnamon, 1t ginger, 1/2t ground cloves, and I added a splash of vanilla to the cake. 25mins was perfect bake for my oven. Made the frosting as stated. So good! Thanks for a great recipe!
Tried this recipe tonight and wow it was so delicious, my husband who dows not like pumpkin even liked it 😁 we are making this as one of our desserts for Thanksgiving!! Thank you for sharing!!
I didn’t have a jelly roll pan, so I cut the recipe in half and used an 8×8 Pyrex casserole dish. I didn’t make any other modifications except to cut both the cake and icing recipes in half. Absolutely delicious! Super impressed with this recipe and will definitely make again!
Hi Dear
Firstly, I should thank you for your recipe pumpkin sheet cake because I made it and my family enjoyed from this delicious cake. It was so great! Thank you for your sharing!
Can you make this in a 9×13 pan?
Very happy I tried the brown butter frosting instead of the usual cream cheese frosting. It is perfect with the pumpkin and cinnamon. It’s our dessert today at Thanksgiving. Definitely a keeper and will bake again. I bought the jelly roll
pan you recommended and love it too. It’s made in America.
I’ve never made brown butter frosting so I have to ask can I use dairy free butter to make the frosting? My grandson is allergic to dairy so I would have to use a dairy free milk and butter.
Love these! Second time I’m making them! I do mine as cupcakes though!
Can you replace regular sugar for splenda?
Can you use 9 x 13 inch pan?
This pumpkin sheet cake is amazing I will make again again very yummy !
Loved this cake, so moist and delicious. Tricia is right, I also made one and a half times the icing everyone loved it. Thanks for the recipe.
Can’t wait to make this.. can you make this ahead of time and does it require to be refrigerated? Thanks!
This cake was a big hit and easy. Making again tonight for another party. Thanks for posting it.
I made this cake for work. It was fabulous!!! Very moist. The only thing I would do next time is make one and half times the frosting it almost wasn’t enough for the whole cake.
I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to make this sheet cake! I love pumpkin everything and I thought I had every pumpkin recipe out there! I’ll bet the brown butter icing makes it even better! Can’t wait to try! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for commenting, AnnMarie! If you make it be sure to come back and let us know how it turned out! :)