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You are here: Home / Family Life / Around the House / Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

By Dianna Kennedy 37 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray.

As the holidays approach, your calendar may be filling up with many parties and potluck dinners. You’ll have to expand your grocery list and start adding items for baking and creating dishes for the holiday season.

When I’m thinking about signature dishes to bring along to a holiday dinner, I put my kids to work. I let them peruse my Pinterest boards, and set them on a mission to find a dish that is easy, but a crowd pleaser.

My kids love desserts made with pumpkin, so we decided on this Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cake. We modified it to our own tastes and added our Cream Cheese Icing, since my kids requested it!

easy pumpkin cake

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Things you need:
PAM ยฎ Cooking Spray
Box of yellow cake mix (pudding variety)
1 cup canned pumpkin (we use the pumpkin pie filling, since it has some spices included)
1/2 to 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice to taste
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350ยฐF.

kids in the kitchen tips

Spray 13×9-inch baking pan with PAMยฎ cooking spray.

easy pumpkin cake

Combine cake mix,eggs,canned pumpkin, water, spice and sour cream in large bowl.

Beat with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened.

kids in the kitchen

Beat on high speed 2 minutes.

kids in the kitchen

Pour into prepared baking pan.

kids in the kitchen

Bake 25 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. When cake is completely cool, apply icing.

cream cheese icing

Easy Cream Cheese Icing

1 block of cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Let cream cheese soften, then cream the cream cheese. Add vanilla and milk, mixing well. Slowly fold in powdered sugar. Icing will have to be refrigerated.

I’ve had some recipe disasters in the past, like cheesecakes that don’t ‘set up’, or lemon bars that we had to chisel out of the pan. As a busy mom, here are my Smart Tips for making your holiday dishes a success, so you can spend more time with your family.

Smart Tips for Holiday Baking from a Mom of Six

Start early
I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to take to Thanksgiving dinner for about 3 weeks. We’re planning on going to my sister-in-law’s, and since we tend to run later, we bring desserts

Read through the recipes twice or three times
I can’t tell you how many times gotten halfway through a recipe and realized that I don’t have enough eggs, I’m out of vanilla, or the kids have eaten half of the cream cheese. Double and triple check the recipes and your ingredient list BEFORE you get started.

kids in the kitchen

Get your kids involved
My children ADORE helping me in the kitchen, but I have to set up rules and boundaries. Instead of having three children clamoring and fighting for a task, I assign them before we get started. Someone is responsible for helping me mix, someone is responsible for greasing the pans, while another child helps pour the batter or assemble the meal.

This system helps me to stay sane, while making sure everyone gets involved and has some individual time with me.

smart tips for holiday baking

Keep the tiny ones busy
I can’t cook with Maeve underfoot, so I need to make sure I have her occupied before we begin. I set her up with special toys or wear her on my back, so that she can see what’s going on, but not get hurt.

Don’t forget the pans
We made Lemon Bars last summer, which turned out to be a flop. Somehow, I managed to forget to grease the pan with non-stick cooking spray. The lemon bars were delicious, but we just ate them out of a pan with a fork. Argh.

kids in the kitchen 3

Rachel has always been in charge of greasing the pans for casseroles, cakes and muffins. She was thrilled to see the PAM spray, since it meant she didn’t have to get butter on her hands!

PAMยฎ has been a baking staple in my house since I was a little girl – I’ve even bought giant multipacks from warehouse stores for holiday baking! Today, PAMยฎ has seven specifically formulated non-stick cooking sprays to make every meal a success!

The Original, Baking, and Butter spray varieties leave 99% less residue than margarine based or bargain brand cooking sprays. This means your dishes won’t stick, and you’ll spend less time soaking and scrubbing dishes! An added bonus? Zero calories for those who are dieting.

PAM Cooking Spray

We’ll be linking up to our favorite linky parties this week. Go take a look!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray.ย For more information, visit PAMยฎ Cooking Spray

FeedingFamily

Filed Under: Around the House, Family Life Tagged With: #SmartTips, food, kids in the kitchen, PAMยฎ Cooking Spray, recipes

Comments

  1. Joy says

    November 22, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    I always love baking a pecan pie and a pumpkin for Thanksgiving. I also love to have cornbread dressing. It is a recipe that my mom has made for many years.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:01 pm

      YUM — I’m a big fan of cornbread dressing, too. Great to see you, Joy!

      Reply
  2. Ashley Suzanne says

    November 22, 2013 at 11:45 pm

    I am the master pumpkin pie maker over here!

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:01 pm

      My kids adore pumpkin pie — I don’t mind making it, either ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Jimmie says

    November 23, 2013 at 3:28 pm

    Win a pie dish! You didn’t say this post had a prize! Woot! My family loves a chocolate pecan pie. But my favorite holiday dish is a cranberry salad with fresh cranberries, celery, walnuts, fresh orange, and pineapple.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:02 pm

      Chocolate pecan pie — I believe that’s better referred to as a Derby Pie (at least here in Louisville). ๐Ÿ™‚ I love Derby Pie so much I ask for it for my birthday ‘cake’.

      I think your cranberry salad sounds delicious.

      Reply
  4. Ami says

    November 23, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    A pie dish? That would be so wonderful! Okay, let see . . . favorite holiday dish? Apple pie. With fresh vanilla whipping cream on top. ๐Ÿ™‚ Yum.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:03 pm

      I’ve never made an apple pie — hanging my head in shame. I HAVE made fresh whipped cream, and it’s delicious!

      Reply
  5. Alisha says

    November 23, 2013 at 5:45 pm

    Ooh! I’d love to win this since I’m the designated “pie maker” in my extended family! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Our family favorites are pecan pie, chocolate pie, coconut cream pie, and of course, pumpkin pie!

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:03 pm

      Girl! I’m not surprised in the least that you’re the master pie maker! You’re quite the cook!

      Reply
  6. David says

    November 23, 2013 at 8:26 pm

    My favorite holiday dish is sweet potato pie. You can hardly tell the difference between that and pumpkin, but I like sweet potato more.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:05 pm

      That’s a new idea! I’ll have to give that a try! My sister in law makes sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving that are more like a dessert, too. Thanks for coming by!

      Reply
  7. Michelle Cannon says

    November 23, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    Oh my gosh! I love any dessert that contains cream cheese! lol

    Just a tip if you’re ever coming over for coffee. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:06 pm

      Cream cheese is like garlic — everything is better with it! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  8. Judy says

    November 23, 2013 at 8:00 pm

    I think my favorite Thanksgiving dish would probably be Pumpkin Dump Cake, a recipe I got from another homeschool mom.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:04 pm

      All right. You’re going to have to share this recipe.

      Reply
  9. Amy says

    November 23, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    The first thing that came to my mind was a pecan pie, too! My dad always loved that one, so we made it often for the holidays. Thanks for the chance!

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:04 pm

      Amazingly, I don’t like pecan pie, per se, but I do love Derby Pie, which, like Jimmie shared, is a chocolate pecan pie. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  10. Karyn says

    November 24, 2013 at 9:52 am

    We have a traditional cookie that my family has literally been making for generations called Welsh Cakes. I love them & get excited to have them at the holidays ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 11:59 am

      WHOOP! Congratulations, Karyn! You’re my winner!!! ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ll be emailing you!

      Reply
  11. Joann Calderone says

    November 24, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    Two holiday favorites, sweet potatoes minus the marshmallows, and pumpkin pie with losts of whipped cream.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:07 pm

      What? No marshmallows? I love marshmallows!

      Thanks for coming by, JOann!

      Reply
  12. Robin Wilson says

    November 24, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    First ~ your kids are absolutely super cute! I love Pumpkin Pie with lots of real whipped topping this time of year and eat lots of it! Never had pumpkin cake but this looks yummy! Easy peasy too!

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:09 pm

      Thanks so much, Robin! We’re pretty proud of them!

      My kids LOVE the pumpkin cake!

      Reply
  13. D SCHMIDT says

    November 24, 2013 at 9:40 pm

    My favorite holiday dish is sage and onion stuffing.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:09 pm

      I’m a huge stuffing fan, as well! Yum!

      Reply
  14. Clarissa Hooper says

    November 25, 2013 at 1:50 am

    My favorite holiday recipe is pumpkin pie!! I look forward to it all year long ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:09 pm

      I know! They should have pumpkin pie all year round!

      Reply
  15. Leah Wall says

    November 25, 2013 at 10:29 am

    I love my mom’s apple pie. Not kidding. It’s the best.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:10 pm

      My kids love apple pie, but not me. I should learn how to make it for them!

      Reply
  16. Juliea says

    November 25, 2013 at 10:42 am

    i love stuffing.thanks

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:10 pm

      I love stuffing too!

      Reply
  17. A says

    November 25, 2013 at 11:47 am

    Thanks so much for the opportunity to win a pie plate from one of my favorite cookware manufacturers.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:10 pm

      Thanks for coming by!

      Reply
  18. Rust says

    November 26, 2013 at 1:26 pm

    My favorite is Italian Cream Cake with lots of pecans.

    Reply
    • Dianna Kennedy says

      November 28, 2013 at 4:11 pm

      Italian Cream Cake is a favorite of a lot of my friends, too!

      Reply
  19. Adrienne says

    November 30, 2013 at 11:22 pm

    Yummo! That cake looks so good.

    Reply

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