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I make this pumpkin gooey butter cake every fall. It’s one of my absolute favorites! It’s rich, perfectly spiced, and has the dreamiest gooey texture. Everyone always asks for the recipe. It’s the ultimate fall dessert!
Looking for more gooey butter cakes? Try my lemon gooey butter cake and my peanut butter gooey butter cake.
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This cake is a combination of a pumpkin pie and a vanilla cake. It has a creamy, gooey butter texture and a delicious cookie-like crust made from cake batter! It’s really a fun recipe to bring to Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving and perfect for the holiday season.
And if you’re a pumpkin fan try my popular pumpkin bread, the best pumpkin donuts and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Ingredients
The full recipe and measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Boxed Yellow Cake Mix – This is the mix that creates a delicious crust for the cake.
Eggs – Use whole, organic eggs when possible. The eggs act as a binding agent in this recipe.
Unsalted Butter – Adds to the gooey butter texture.
Canned Pumpkin – Libby’s canned pumpkin is great for this recipe. You can also use an organic canned pumpkin too.
Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is completely soft, you can microwave it for 20 seconds to ensure it has a creamy and soft texture.
Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract to add flavor and also enhance the flavors in the recipe.
Brown Sugar – Use light or dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
Ground Spices – This recipe uses cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to add flavor.
How to Make Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
- Start with a buttery vanilla cake mix crust pressed into the bottom of a pan.
- Whip up the gooey pumpkin filling using cream cheese, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, and warm fall spices.
- Pour the filling over the crust and bake until golden brown and set around the edges.
- Let it cool completely so the gooey center can firm up just enough to slice.
- The final result is rich, soft, and irresistibly gooey—perfect for Thanksgiving or any cozy fall gathering.
Recipe Tips & Variations
Cake Mix Options: Swap yellow cake mix for pumpkin, white, or spice cake mix depending on the flavor you want.
Pumpkin Puree Substitutes: If you’re out of pumpkin puree, try butternut squash puree (our favorite!) or sweet potato puree. Sweet potatoes are a bit sweeter, so you may want to slightly reduce the sugar.
Spice Swaps: Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual ground spices.
Brown Butter Boost: Make brown butter by melting unsalted butter on the stovetop until golden and fragrant, it adds an incredible nutty depth. Use it in place of regular butter for extra flavor.
Extract Ideas: Switch up the flavor with almond extract or pumpkin extract.
Mix-Ins: Fold in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruit for texture and added flavor.
How to Store
This cake can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If you want to keep it longer, store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze
Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cake thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This cake is a great make-ahead dessert. You can bake it a day in advance and store it covered at room temperature or in the fridge. Just make sure it cools completely before covering so the top stays nice and gooey.
Use a springform pan—either 9 or 10 inches—for the best results and easy serving. You can also use a regular 9-inch or 10-inch round cake pan, or even a 9×13-inch rectangular pan if needed.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- The Best Pumpkin Milkshake
- Pumpkin Donut Holes
- Pumpkin Pana Cotta
- Cornbread with Pumpkin
- Pumpkin Olive Oil Graveyard Cake
Also, try my Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie and The Best Peanut Butter Cookies.
Now that you know everything you need to make a perfect pumpkin dessert, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 4 large egg, 1 egg and 3 eggs separate
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, 2 sticks separated and melted
- 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces cream cheese, super soft
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare a springform pan or a round cake pan with parchment paper and cooking spray.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the boxed cake mix, 1 stick melted butter (1/2 cup), and 1 egg and mix well.
- Pour into a prepared 9" or 10" round cake pan or springform pan and press an even layer on the bottom of the pan. This will be a thin layer.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine pumpkin puree, super soft cream cheese, 3 eggs, dark brown sugar, 1 stick melted butter, vanilla extract cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Beat on low until the ingredients are fully mixed. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Pour the pumpkin filling over the cake batter in the pan.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the top of the cake is golden brown. The center should be a little gooey! It's a GOOEY butter cake!
- Let the cake rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Notes
– Don’t overbake—the center should stay gooey!
– Add more time if needed, ovens vary.
– Let the cake cool completely before slicing.
– Prep your pan with spray and parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this cake and it may have been the best thing I have ever made and the best thing I ever tasted. I added some crystallized ginger and mini chocolate chips. AMAZING!! Thank you for this recipe.
Sp glad you loved it! Thank you for the comment!
How should I store my pumpkin gooey butter cake? I will not be cutting it until tomorrow morning.
In the refrigerator!
Want to make this, but wondering about the pan size. Can this be made successfully in a 9 x 13″ pan as mentioned in the directions (which actually would work better for my purposes), or does it have to be made in a 9″ springform pan? thank you!!!
I tried making it with silken tofu instead of cream cheese for my dairy intolerant friends. May decrease the sugar a little and add an extra egg next time, but still good!
I’m wondering if you have alternate baking temp/time for this? I ended up baking it for a full hour because the middle was still so very jiggly. The middle pumpkin mixture tasted perfect, but the extra bake time caused a very crispy, overdone bottom. Thank you!!
What size cake pan?
9″ or 10″ will work! I updated the post too 🙂 Remember this is a gooey cake, so it’s supposed to be gooey in the center! Have fun!
Why do 3 of the eggs need to be separated?
Oh my goodness! That wasn’t very clear! They are not separated… they are just separate, so 1 egg and then 3 eggs since there are two parts to this. I changed it from separated to separate, and I hope that helps!