This copycat Trader Joe’s pumpkin spice mini sheet cake recipe features a moist pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. This is an easy one-bowl pumpkin cake recipe and can be baked in under 30 minutes!
After conducting the pumpkin muffin bake off, I had plans to develop a recipe for my ideal pumpkin muffin (similar to developing my dream pumpkin bread recipe).
But instead, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Trader Joe’s pumpkin spice mini sheet cake that I had recently tried for an assignment. The little tray of cake was so simple yet PERFECT. With a tight yet tender crumb, the moist cake is topped with a satisfyingly thick swoop of tangy cream cheese frosting that perfectly offsets the not-too-sweet, lightly spiced cake. It’s the perfect dessert for fall!
I felt confident I could adapt one of the nine pumpkin muffins recipes to be a close copycat to the pumpkin spice cake. And after a few tests, I think we nailed it!
How I tweaked the original recipe
For the starting baseline, I was torn between two of my favorite pumpkin muffin recipes in the bake off. Lovely Little Kitchen is an easy oil-based recipe that I thought would be quite similar to the Trader Joe’s cake. However, Joy the Baker (with a mix of brown butter and oil) had a slightly tighter crumb that I thought might be a bit closer to the Trader Joe’s cake texture.
Ultimately, the Trader Joe’s cake ingredient list shows just canola oil, so I went with Lovely Little Kitchen to be truer to the original recipe (and also for the ease–no browning butter required!). From there, I just made a few small tweaks:
- 8×8 pan: The most important change was to swap the muffin tin for an 8×8 pan to mimic the sheet cake shape. I also tried this in an eighth sheet pan which will also work, but the cake will be much thinner than the original. A half batch of the original muffin recipe works perfectly in an 8×8 pan.
- Vegetable oil: The original recipe calls for coconut oil. For simplicity, I call for vegetable oil (which I use interchangeably with canola oil or any other neutral oil like grapeseed, avocado, etc.)
- Light brown sugar: Julie uses a mix of granulated and dark brown sugar. I used light brown sugar to more closely mimic the bright orange hue of the Trader Joe’s mini sheet cake.
- More leavener: Borrowing from Joy the Baker’s recipe, I added 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to help with a taller lift.
- Updated the spices: Per the ingredient list for the Trader Joe’s sheet cake, their recipe includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. So I increased the amount of nutmeg slightly and added ginger.
- Cream cheese frosting: My typical cream cheese frosting uses a 1:1 ratio of cream cheese to butter. However, the Trader Joe’s frosting is extremely tangy, so I used a slightly higher ratio of cream cheese in this frosting. And there is plenty of powdered sugar, which leads to a frosting that crusts over slightly (you can probably reduce it by 1/4-1/2 cup if you want it less sweet–taste and adjust!).
Recipe ingredients
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: I used a mix of these to give a lighter color to better mimic the very orange hue of the Trader Joe’s cake. Dark brown sugar can also work–it’ll just make your cake slightly darker.
- Vegetable oil: Any neutral oil will work–canola, avocado, grapeseed, or even olive oil if you don’t mind a hint of olive oil in the cake. If you’re trying to avoid seed oils, you can try replacing this with melted butter but your cake may be a little more dry.
- Pumpkin puree: Libby’s pumpkin puree is my brand of choice, though I also use Trader Joe’s pumpkin puree in a pinch. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix. Double this recipe to use the entire can of pumpkin!
- Cream cheese: I always prefer using full-fat cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia. For the frosting, I usually soften the butter for 10-15 minutes at room temperature, but use cream cheese straight from the fridge. I find using cold cream cheese helps prevent overbeating the cream cheese and causing it to split.
How to make this pumpkin spice mini sheet cake
This pumpkin sheet cake is easy to make in just one bowl. Once I have all the ingredients out, it usually takes me 10 minutes or less to mix everything. Bake for 20-25 minutes and while the cake is cooling, you can get started on the cream cheese frosting.
Make sure the cake is cooled completely before frosting!
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla extract.
Step 2: Whisk the leaveners and spices (you can sub pumpkin spice here if that’s all you have) into the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Fold in the flour.
Step 4: Spread evenly in a greased 8×8 pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Step 5: Cream together the slightly softened butter and cold cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar, cream, vanilla and salt and beat for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 6: Frost the cooled cake with the cream cheese icing and use an offset spatula to trace lines across the top to mimic the original sheet cake. Enjoy!
Storage
This cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Looking for more fall baking inspiration?
You can use any leftover pumpkin puree in these pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes or this pumpkin cottage cheese cheesecake.
- Try this classic pumpkin streusel bread!
- Find your dream apple cake in the apple cake bake off
- Caramel apple cake
Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake (Trader Joe’s copycat)
Video
Ingredients
For the pumpkin cake
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar 100g
- 1/4 cup (53 g) light brown sugar 53g
- 1/4 cup (60 g) vegetable oil 60g
- 7.5 oz (213 g) pumpkin puree (1/2 a 15oz can) 213g
- 1 large (50 g) egg 50g
- 1/2 tsp (2.33 g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp (.66 g) kosher salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- pinch cloves
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (105 g) all-purpose flour 105g
Cream cheese frosting
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, softened slightly 57g
- 6 tbsp (85 g) full-fat cream cheese (softened or cold from the fridge) 85g (3 oz)
- 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar 227g
- 1/2 tsp (2.33 g) vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp (.66 g) kosher salt
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk, optional
Instructions
For the pumpkin cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease an 8×8 pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (53 g) light brown sugar, 1/4 cup (60 g) vegetable oil, 7.5 oz pumpkin puree, 1 large (50 g) egg and 1/2 tsp (2.33 g) vanilla extract until smooth.
- Sprinkle 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp (.66 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp ground ginger over the pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine thoroughly. Finally, fold in 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (105 g) all-purpose flour until fully combined (don't overmix to prevent overdeveloping the gluten–a few lumps are normal and okay!).
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place on the middle rack and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top springs back under your finger and an inserted tester comes out clean. Let cool in the pan completely before frosting.
For the cream cheese frosting
- Add 4 tbsp unsalted butter and 6 tbsp (85 g) full-fat cream cheese (softened or cold from the fridge) tbsp cream cheese to a stand mixer and mix on medium speed until softened and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and a 1/4 tsp (.66 g) kosher salt, then whip on medium-high for 2-3 minutes, or until it lightens in color and is very airy. If the consistency looks thicker than you'd prefer, add 1 tbsp cream or milk and whip for another minute until smooth and billowy. Spread frosting evenly on top of the cake, then use an offset spatula to draw lines on the top of the cake to mimic the Trader Joe's cake. Enjoy!
Heather
I’ve made this cake a few times since discovering the recipe about a month ago, it is absolutely amazing! Was searching for a TJ’s dupe and I’d say this recipe is exact if not superior. The frosting ratio is what makes this cake. It’s gets even better if you leave it sit overnight too!
erika
Aww thank you so much Heather!!
Che
The only pumpkin cake recipe I use. Have made it 5x and always a hit! Very easy too!
erika
Ahhh so glad to hear it, thank you Che!