This sheet cake is about to blow your mind! My Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Sheet Cake is simply perfect for your Holiday Dessert table, packed with sweet cinnamon cake and pumpkin flavors.
Sheet Cake
You are in for such a treat with my festive pumpkin cake recipe! Making a cinnamon roll recipe might be some of my favorite desserts ever. If you love cinnamon rolls, I think you are going to love my simple “perfect for Thanksgiving” texas sheet cake recipe!
Don’t let the cake mix in the recipe scare you away. I assure you, no one will know this is a jazzed up cake mix recipe. It is gooey and tastes just like a sweet pumpkin cinnamon roll in square cake form.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy To Make. One of the easiest most delicious cakes you’ll make!
- Starts With A Cake Mix! It starts with a cake mix, no one will ever guess.
- Cinnamon Roll Perfect! The cinnamon roll flavors have people coming back for more!
Be sure to follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious sheet cake recipe. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details and instructions.
- Yellow Cake Mix– Head to the baking section of the grocery store and pick out a yellow cake mix.
- Large Eggs– When selecting eggs, use large eggs for consistency. That’s what I’ll use for all of my recipes to keep consistent.
- Canola Oil– Canola or vegetable oil works just fine. Keeps the cake moist and soft.
- Milk or Buttermilk– 2% milk works great or buttermilk added to the cake batter.
- Sour Cream– Sour cream may sound like an odd cake ingredient, but it adds to the cake’s soft texture.
- Heavy Whipping Cream– Heavy whipping cream is found in the dairy department near the milk. It also helps keep the cake moist and soft.
- Pumpkin Puree– When looking for pumpkin puree, make sure you don’t get the canned pumpkin pie filling. They’ll be sold close to each other. Get canned pure pumpkin puree.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix– Make sure your pudding box says instant vanilla pudding. Not the box you have to cook first.
- Butter– Salted or unsalted butter works just fine for this recipe. Just make sure you don’t get margarine.
- Brown Sugar– I use light brown sugar for this recipe. You’ll notice there’s light and dark brown sugar available.
- Ground Cinnamon– Ground cinnamon is found in the spice section of your grocery store. It’s a popular spice in Fall baking. Very aromatic and delicious with pumpkin.
- Powdered Sugar– Powdered sugar is also referred to as confectioners sugar, it’s used to make the icing.
What is a Sheet Cake?
Sheet cakes are simple, one-layer, frosted cakes that are often prepared for celebrations that involve a dozen or more participants. This type of cake has become a popular option for birthday parties, celebrations in the workplace, and family reunions and anniversaries.
How To Make Pumpkin Sheet Cake
Preheat Oven To 350 Degrees F. and spray a half sheet size baking pan (13 x 18 x 1) with non stick cooking spray.
Add Cake Ingredients To Stand Mixer. Place cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream and pumpkin into a stand mixer or electric mixer, beating until well combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Prepare Cinnamon Roll Mixture. Place butter into a microwave safe bowl and melt, about 30-40 seconds. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to bowl, mixing until combined. Drizzle mixture evenly over cake then take a knife and run it through to swirl.
Bake. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through and remove.
What Size Pan Do I Use?
I prefer the half sheet size. A half-sheet cake is typically baked in a 12-inch-by-16-inch pan, but may also be made in a 11-inch-by-15-inch pan. A half sheet typically feeds 40 people. It can be sliced into 32 2-inch-by-3-inch slices or 48 2-inch-by-2-inch pieces.
Prepare Icing. Place powdered sugar and cream into a large bowl and mix until creamy and smooth. Drizzle over warm cake then let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Refrigerate if not serving same day. Enjoy with milk!
Serve. Try serving the sheet cake warm with a small dollop of vanilla ice cream too.
Recipe Tips For Success
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream! Takes it to another delicious level.
- Use a plastic knife to cut the cake into squares, it prevents sticking.
- Drizzle icing over cake while still warm. This keeps the cake nice and gooey.
How To Serve
Serve sheet cake for dessert at any occasion. It’s particularly perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Can be served warm, room temperature or even chilled.
How To Store Leftovers
Refrigerate. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Try More Sheet Cake Recipes!
- Banana Cookies and Cream Sheet Cake
- Cinnamon Roll Banana Bread Sheet Cake
- Best Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
- Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake
Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake
Equipment
- Oven
- mixing bowl or stand mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- half sheet pan
- butter knife for swirling cake batter
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk, or buttermilk
- 3.4 ounce box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 15 ounce can pumpkin
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream start w 1/4 cup and add a little more cream if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a half sheet size baking pan (13 x 18 x 1) with non stick cooking spray.
- Place cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream and pumpkin into a stand mixer or electric mixer, beating until well combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
- Place butter into a microwave safe bowl and melt, about 30-40 seconds. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to bowl, mixing until combined. Drizzle mixture evenly over cake then take a knife and run it through to swirl.
- Bake cake for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through and remove. Place powdered sugar and cream into a large bowl and mix until creamy and smooth. Drizzle over warm cake then let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Refrigerate if not serving same day. Enjoy with milk!
Nutrition
Pin To Your Favorite Recipe Board
Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
Can’t wait to make this for my daughter’s baptism party!
Made this for work a couple weeks ago and it was a big hit…have one in the oven now only this time I added pumpkin pie spice to the cake batter, tastes yummy! Thanks for a great recipe!
Just made this for a family get together. Not only does it bring the most amazing aroma to your home, but it tastes delicious too! Thanks for the awesome recipe that I will be sure to use time and time again 🙂
I made this a couple of days ago and it was delicious. I split the recipe into two pans so I could bring one to a family I was bringing dinner to. I took them out of the oven when they were just pulling away from the side of the pans. Very delicious. I will make again.
Mine came out weird, like the center looks more like pumpkin pie than a cake. Wondering what I did wrong. Maybe not baked long enough. I used Libby’s Pumpkin and large eggs, that’s really the only difference. Oh, and I found this awesome Cinnabon icing recipe. Still taste good though.
This sounds delicious…..can’t wait to try it. I bake every week and take the goodies to my Civil Air Patrol Squadron…..they are gonna love this one!! Thanks for sharing.
This was so good. I made it today with my son and even my super picky eaters liked it! Thanks so much
O this is so good I will make this again and again. So good hot or cold.
I’m off work tomorrow and this is #1 on my (very long) “to do” list. Will be great to sit down for my mid morning break and have a piece with a cup of hot coffee. Looks YUMMY!!!
If you’re going to add all those ingredients, why use a cake mix at all? Why not just flour, sugar, baking powder and salt without all the nasty preservatives and chemicals?
It sounds good, but I’ll have to figure out what real food ingredients to use instead of the mix.
Can I susbtitute something different from a can of pumpkin in the pumpkin-vanilla sheet cake?
I was wondering the same thing I think that some stewed apples would be good
Made it. love it. will make it all the time (thanks for ruining my diet) 😉
I made this tonight. We thought it was very good – a quick, easy recipe at that. Mine though, seemed to be more like a pumpkin pie consistency instead of a drier cake consistency. I baked it 34 mins. We didn’t feel it was underbaked and it was very good, but unlike a cake. Did anyone else notice this? Should I have baked it longer? The toothpic test was clean.
Same thing happened to me and I baked mine for almost 45 mins, I have a small oven.
That looks amazing, I can’t wait to make this!!! Your newest follower, I’m hooked!
Looks delicious but I want to say whats the point of having organic pumpkin if you’re going to use pudding mix and cake mix? 🙂 🙂 Kidding… sorta.
Can you tell me what kind of camera you use? Those are the clearest pics ever!!
My mom made this recipe for Thanksgiving and everyone went nuts for it! It was the first dessert to be completely devoured! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Is there any substitution I could use for heavy cream that you know of?
Hi Paige, you can use milk, but the consistency will be very different.
Quick question- Is there any way that I could make the glaze with just milk? My dad is lactose-intolerant and can’t have heavy cream. Look delicious ~
Jenny, I love love LOVE your blog. Just have to start with that 🙂 All of the receipes I have tried from here I have gotten RAVE reviews. The number one dessert, though, is this one! I have made it a couple of times and everytime people just love it and I tell them your website. So, thank you THANK YOU for all of these wonderful recipes! I can’t wait to make more!
Kasey
I made these for Thanksgiving this past year, and they came out amazingly! My whole family devoured them so quickly! Great recipe. Definitely one of my faves. <3
How large is your sheet cake pan?
What would you think if i substituted cream cheese for the pumpkin ? I personally don’t like pumpkin so I was trying to think of something to use instead of it….do you think it would work with cream cheese instead ? and if so.. how much would I use?
Thanks,
Donna
Jen, found your website by accident when I was searching for a peanut butter Oreo recipe, and I’m so glad I stumbled upon it! I made this cake yesterday, and it was scrumptious!!! Everyone in my family loved it! And that’s saying a lot since I’m not very good at baking. This is the second recipe in a row that I made from your website, and so far it’s been a great success! Your recipes have sparked some confidence in the art of baking 🙂 Thank you!
best cake ive ever had. i made if for my friends birthday and for thanks giving both times it was gone the same day i made it
Hi, quick question, can I replace the yellow cake mix for a box of pumpkin cake/bread mix I have on hand? Will it still work out you think?
I made these today for thanksgiving… There are no words for the perfectness of this! My entire family is now obsessed, with good reason! Definitely will be making an appearance many times this holiday season!
I found this on pintrest and it looks amazing. I am actually making this today for Thanksgiving but I am making a sugar free version so my mother in law who is diabetic can give it a try. I hope it turns out as good as yours looks 🙂
so do you use JUST the cake mix in the bag that comes in the cake mix box? or do you have to also add in all the ingredients that the cake mix box tells you to? Hope that question makes sense! I’m planning on making this for my mother Thanksgiving morning to make all that cooking more enjoyable for her!
im making this for thanksgiving. cant wait but have a question. is the butter melted or soften. thanks!
It’s melted 🙂 Hope you enjoy!!
Just made this dish and let’s just say, delicious! I added a touch of vanilla to the drizzle and instead of just cinnamon added ginger and a dash of nutmeg and cloves. This will be a Thanksgiving hit (if I can stop myself from eating the whole thing)!
Okay, it’s in the oven as we speak….but not after a couple of “senior moments” on my part! I forgot the sour cream and spread the whole batter in the pan and had to scrape it all out to add it….then I put the cake in the oven and realized I didn’t put the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top! LOL What a morning! All crisis has been averted-now I wait until this luscious creation comes out so I can glaze it! Phew!
I love reading recipe blogs but rarely try the recipes. But I read this one and knew I had to make it. You weren’t exagerating . . . they really are THAT good! So delicious. This is going to be a lifetime recipe for me. Thanks so much!
I really wish you had answered that question about what size your jelly roll pan is – I have this in my mixer right now, and I just realized I don’t know what size pan to put it in! I will guess, but please tell!
Hey, love this recipe. I was wondering if this cake would work in a deeper pan or dish? I would love to try this out for thanksgiving!
Yum!! Those look delicious!! I’ll have to make some!! What size pan did you use?