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Cheesecake Pumpkin Cake

Featured in Irresistible Sweet Treats.

This amazing dessert merges two crowd-pleasers: spiced pumpkin-flavored cake and creamy cheesecake. The triple-layer beauty has cheesecake sandwiched between moist pumpkin layers, topped with smooth frosting.

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A woman in a white chef's outfit with a chef's hat and apron.
Updated on Sun, 13 Apr 2025 10:58:40 GMT
A layered pumpkin dessert with creamy frosting topped with mini pumpkins, displayed on a white stand. Pin it
A layered pumpkin dessert with creamy frosting topped with mini pumpkins, displayed on a white stand. | cuisinegenial.com

This mouthwatering Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake won't take much effort but will surely wow everyone who sees it. It's perfect for birthday celebrations, autumn gatherings, or any holiday feast. We've got two soft spiced pumpkin cakes sandwiching a thick, luscious cheesecake middle, all covered with velvety cream cheese frosting and topped with cute pumpkin candies. Once you try this showstopper, it'll become your go-to fall treat!

What Makes This Cake Special

Any pumpkin fan will go crazy for this Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake. It brings together fluffy pumpkin cake with a smooth cheesecake filling and creamy cheese frosting. Don't let its fancy looks fool you—this cake comes together with basic ingredients and simple steps anyone can follow. Whether you're hosting Thanksgiving or marking a special day, everyone will ask for seconds!

What You'll Need

  • Cheesecake Middle:
    • 32 oz (4 packs) softened cream cheese
    • 1 cup white sugar
    • 4 large eggs at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup sour cream
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pumpkin Cake Parts:
    • 2 boxes vanilla cake mix
    • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
    • 1 cup vegetable oil
    • 6 large eggs
    • 2/3 cup water
    • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon ginger
    • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • Cream Cheese Frosting:
    • 24 oz softened cream cheese
    • 1 cup softened unsalted butter
    • 6 cups sifted powdered sugar
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Garnishes:
    • Pumpkin shaped candies
    • Cinnamon for sprinkling
    • Orange and brown food coloring (if you want)

Step-By-Step Instructions

Creating Your Cheesecake
Set your oven to 325°F (165°C). Cover a 9-inch springform pan with parchment and wrap foil around the outside. Mix cream cheese until completely smooth for about 3 minutes. While beating, slowly pour in sugar until the mixture gets fluffy. Add eggs one by one on low speed. Gently fold in sour cream and vanilla. Pour this mixture into your pan. Put it in a water bath and bake for an hour or until it's nearly set in the middle. Leave it cooling in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open for an hour. Then put it in the fridge overnight.
Baking Pumpkin Cakes
Turn your oven up to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line them with parchment. Combine cake mix, pumpkin, oil, eggs, water, and all your spices. Beat for 2 minutes on medium. Split the batter evenly between pans (weighing helps get it exact). Bake for 25-30 minutes until you can stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean. Let them cool in their pans for 10 minutes before moving to cooling racks.
Whipping Up Frosting
Beat the cream cheese with butter until they're light and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar bit by bit, along with vanilla and salt. Keep beating until it's super fluffy, about 3 minutes more. If it seems too thick, add a tablespoon of cream at a time.
Putting It All Together - Start
If your cakes have domes, trim them flat. Place your first cake on a board and brush with simple syrup if you'd like. Spread 1 cup of frosting evenly on top. Take your cheesecake out of its pan and center it on the frosting. Add another cup of frosting on top of the cheesecake.
Putting It All Together - Finish
Top everything with your second cake layer. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting as a crumb coat and chill for 15 minutes. Then add the final coat, using a bench scraper to smooth the sides. Chill for another hour before adding final touches.
Adding Final Touches
You can color leftover frosting orange and brown if you want. Use a star tip to pipe swirls around the top edge. Place pumpkin candies between the swirls. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Keep chilled until about an hour before you're ready to serve.

Finishing Touches & Storage

Grab some parchment, an offset spatula, and a piping bag with star tip to make decorating super easy. When you've got leftovers, wrap them up tight and stick them in the fridge—they'll stay good for 5 days. Want to save it longer? Wrap the whole cake in plastic and freeze it for up to 2 months. Just let it warm up on the counter before serving.

A three-layer pumpkin cake with cream frosting, topped with miniature orange pumpkins, is partially sliced on a white plate. Pin it
A three-layer pumpkin cake with cream frosting, topped with miniature orange pumpkins, is partially sliced on a white plate. | cuisinegenial.com

Planning Ahead

You can break up the work by making different parts early. The cheesecake layer can be baked up to 3 days before and kept cold in the fridge. You can make the pumpkin cakes a day ahead—just wrap them tightly in plastic. The frosting tastes best when fresh, but you can make it a day early and refrigerate it. Just bring it to room temp and whip it again before using. For the best flavor, put the whole cake together the day before you'll serve it.

Common Problems Solved

Got cracks in your cheesecake? Don't worry—just hide them with frosting or decorations. For really smooth sides on your cake, dip your bench scraper in hot water between passes. If your frosting gets too soft while you're working, pop both the cake and bowl of frosting in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. To stop butter from bleeding through, make sure everything's room temperature before mixing. If your cake layers puff up too much in the middle, wait till they're totally cool then trim them flat with a serrated knife.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I prep this cake early?

Totally! You can make the cheesecake layer a day before. Just chill it in the fridge. The cake layers can be done ahead too—store them wrapped tightly at room temp for a day or freeze them for longer storage.

→ Why use a water bath for my cheesecake?

A water bath keeps the cheesecake cooking evenly and helps prevent cracks. It adds moisture and ensures the texture stays creamy and smooth.

→ What’s a crumb layer, and why’s it needed?

A crumb coat is a super-thin frosting layer that catches loose crumbs. Chill this layer before finishing with another coat for a neat, clean look.

→ How do I keep this cake fresh?

Because it’s got cheesecake and cream cheese frosting, pop it in the fridge. Covered well, it’ll be good for up to 5 days.

→ Is it OK to freeze leftovers?

You sure can! Wrap individual slices in plastic and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Just leave it in the fridge overnight to thaw.

Conclusion

A luscious dessert combining pumpkin-spiced cake and a creamy cheesecake middle—perfect to share during fall festivities.

Cheesecake Pumpkin Cake

An irresistible mashup of two layers of pumpkin-flavored cake and a full cheesecake, all covered with creamy and tasty frosting.

Prep Time
60 Minutes
Cook Time
80 Minutes
Total Time
140 Minutes
By: Ferdaous

Category: Desserts

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: American

Yield: 12 Servings (1 layered cake with 3 parts)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 Three blocks (24 oz) of softened cream cheese.
02 1 cup of regular white sugar.
03 A tablespoon of vanilla flavoring.
04 3 eggs, whole.
05 Half a cup of sour cream.
06 One box (15.25 oz) of vanilla-flavored cake mix.
07 Half a cup of water.
08 1/3 cup of vegetable oil.
09 4 whole eggs.
10 1 cup of pumpkin purée.
11 A teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
12 Half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
13 A quarter teaspoon of powdered cloves.
14 Quarter teaspoon of ginger powder.
15 12 oz of softened cream cheese.
16 3/4 cup of softened salted butter.
17 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
18 1.5 pounds of powdered sugar (around 5 1/4 cups).

Instructions

Step 01

Use a big bowl to beat the cream cheese until it’s fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, mixing well and scraping the sides. Blend in the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and stir in sour cream until the batter is silky smooth.

Step 02

Pour batter into an 8-inch cake pan and set it in a larger roasting pan. Add hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake at 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center is nearly set and the top is just starting to turn golden. Let it cool, take out of the water bath, dry the pan, and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Step 03

Combine the cake mix, pumpkin, water, spices, oil, and eggs until smooth. Split the batter evenly between two 8-inch pans. Bake for about 20–30 minutes at 350°F, checking with a toothpick to make sure it’s done.

Step 04

Whip together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until everything is creamy. Slowly mix in powdered sugar until the frosting thickens up to your liking.

Step 05

Stack one pumpkin layer, the cheesecake layer, and the second pumpkin layer. Coat the whole thing with the cream cheese frosting you made.

Notes

  1. You can make the cheesecake layer a day ahead if needed.
  2. Always store this cake in the fridge.
  3. Freeze leftover slices individually for easier storage.

Tools You'll Need

  • Two 8-inch round pans.
  • A roasting dish for the water bath method.
  • Mixer, electric preferred.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Milk-based products.
  • Contains eggs.
  • Made with wheat.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: ~
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~