Pumpkin Sheet Cake |Cooking With Amanda

Would you believe me if I told you that there are scientific studies to back up this seemingly odd flavor combo?

It's true! In a study to discover the most alluring scents to men (for the purpose of perfume), pumpkin pie + lavender, together, came out on top! Which is interesting, because I had this idea planned out long before I knew of its tantalizing properties.

You see, it's really no secret that pumpkin and lavender are my two very favorite flavors, ever, so it's only natural that I would eventually combine them!

The outcome is something amazing---it's calming and comforting, and just crazy delicious. The cake is soft, super moist, and full of big pumpkin flavor that is enhanced by a touch of cinnamon. The frosting is fluffy, impossibly light, tangy, silky-smooth, and beautifully scented with just enough lavender. I'm actually shocked I hadn't tried this combo sooner!

Oh, and this cake couldn't be simpler to throw together! It's a sheet cake, which mean no leveling, layer stacking, or worrying about getting that frosting spread on just right. What this cake lacks in fancy appearance, it more than makes up for in sophisticated flavor.

While this cake makes an incredible dessert, it's not overly sweet, so it can also pair perfectly with tea or coffee. Yes, I'm 100% guilty of eating it for breakfast, and I don't even feel bad about it!

Frosting for breakfast should be a regular thing, don't you think? I mean, what easier way to make a random Tuesday special?

This easily serves a crowd, and I imagine it would be wonderful for a ladies' brunch (wait, do people still have these?!), but I can assure you that the dudes will like it, too! Mikey, my boyfriend, ate an entire piece in under 1 minute. That's always a good sign :)

Need a few more ridiculously good dessert ideas? Try my super stuffed chocolate chip cookies or old fashioned pumpkin spice doughnuts!

Print Save

Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe

Embed

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Frosting:

2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tablespoon lavender flower buds
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 15" x 10" x 1" jelly roll pan with butter; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the pumpkin, butter, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Add in the eggs and mix to combine. Add in the dry ingredients, and beat until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to fully cool.

For the Frosting:

In a food processor, process together the sugar and lavender, until the lavender is ground, and the sugar is fragrant.
Add the lavender sugar, and the rest of the ingredients to the bowl on an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for 5-8 minutes until light and fluffy.
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, slice, and enjoy!