Description
Pumpkin Magic Cake is a cozy, crowd-pleasing dessert with layers of yellow cake, spiced pumpkin custard, and whipped frosting. Perfect for holidays and make-ahead gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Layer:
1 box yellow cake mix
Ingredients listed on the box (eggs, oil, water)
Pumpkin Pie Layer:
15 oz pumpkin puree
½ cup evaporated milk
½ cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Frosting:
3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup cold milk
8 oz Cool Whip (thawed)
Instructions
- Preheat & prep pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch cake pan. Set it aside. - Prepare the cake batter
Mix the yellow cake mix following the directions on the box (usually mixture of cake mix + eggs + water + oil). Once mixed, pour the batter into the greased 9×13 inch pan—but do not bake yet. - Make pumpkin pie filling
In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth and fully combined. - Add filling over batter
Gently and slowly pour the pumpkin pie mixture over the unbaked cake batter in the pan. - Bake
Place the full pan into the oven. Bake for 50 –60 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggly and a toothpick inserted into the cake part (not just the pumpkin) comes out clean. Note: the top may look darker than a standard cake, and that’s okay—it still tastes delicious. - Cool
Let the cake rest on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. - Make frosting
In a medium bowl, combine vanilla pudding mix with pumpkin pie spice. Pour in the cold milk, whisking until the pudding begins to thicken. Then gently fold in the thawed Cool Whip until the frosting is fluffy and uniform. - Frost the cake
When the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting evenly over the top. - Chill or serve
You can serve immediately, or better yet, cover and chill in the refrigerator. Chilling helps the flavors meld. Keep frosting covered cake refrigerated, loosely covered, for up to 3 days.
Notes
Cake forms layers on its own while baking—no need to layer manually.
Best served chilled.
Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Use a rimmed baking sheet under the pan to prevent spills.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 378 kcal
- Sugar: 49 g
- Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Protein: 6 g