Description
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake is the decadent love child of pumpkin pie and cheesecake—rich, buttery, and custardy in the center with a soft cake crust. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, this fall dessert is indulgent, festive, and guaranteed to steal the spotlight at your Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients
-
1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
-
4 large eggs, divided (1 for crust, 3 for filling)
-
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and divided
-
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
-
8 oz cream cheese, very soft
-
1 tbsp vanilla extract
-
1 cup dark brown sugar
-
1 tsp ground cinnamon
-
1 tsp ground nutmeg
-
¼ tsp ground ginger
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9–10-inch round cake pan (or springform pan) with parchment and grease lightly.
-
Crust: Mix cake mix, 1 egg, and ½ cup melted butter. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan.
-
Filling: In a bowl, combine pumpkin puree, cream cheese, 3 eggs, brown sugar, remaining ½ cup melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Beat until smooth.
-
Pour filling over the crust and spread evenly.
-
Bake 40–50 minutes, until the top is golden but the center still jiggles slightly (gooey is the goal).
-
Cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Don’t overbake—gooey center is key.
Use softened cream cheese for a smooth filling.
Swap in pumpkin pie spice for convenience.
Springform pans make slicing cleaner, but any cake pan works.
Garnish with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or caramel drizzle for extra flair.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooling Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40–50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American