There’s something so comforting about the combination of pumpkin and warm spices as the autumn leaves begin to fall and the air turns cool and crisp. This Pumpkin Cake With Sour Cream From Box Cake Mix is the perfect treat to welcome pumpkin season, with its moist texture, crunchy walnut layer, and a sweet glaze to finish it off. Whether you’re serving this simple cake at a family gathering, holiday party, or simply crave a delicious fall dessert, this easy pumpkin cake recipe is sure to bring comfort and smiles to everyone.

Ingredients

• Yellow Cake Mix – A simple boxed yellow cake mix provides the base of this cake and a delicious vanilla flavor to balance out the pumpkin flavor and spices. Using a box of yellow cake mix is a huge time-saver, but don’t worry—it doesn’t taste like a shortcut! If you’re in the mood to experiment, you can swap in a white cake mix for a lighter flavor.
• Pumpkin Puree – Pumpkin puree adds moisture, density, and an earthy sweetness to the cake. The can of pumpkin puree also helps give the cake its signature orange color. Make sure to check the label and use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix, which is already sweetened and spiced.
• Chopped Walnuts – Crunchy walnuts add another level of flavor and texture to this soft cake. If you’re not a fan of walnuts, pecans are a fantastic alternative. You can also skip the nuts entirely and still get a fabulous cake.
• Brown Sugar – The brown sugar in the middle of the cake caramelizes as it bakes, creating a gooey swirl that is out of this world. Brown sugar’s molasses content gives the cake a richer flavor than white sugar would.
• Vegetable Oil – Whether you choose vegetable or canola oil, it serves to keep the cake moist and soft. If you want a richer flavor, melted butter can be substituted, but the cake might end up a little denser.
• Sour Cream – Tangy sour cream enhances the flavor of the cake and helps it to stay moist.
• Eggs – Four eggs might seem like a lot, but they are the key to creating a fluffy texture to balance out the denser pumpkin puree.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – The classic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves brings out the best in the pumpkin. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand or can’t find it in the store, it’s easy to make your own using equal parts cinnamon and nutmeg with a pinch of cloves and ginger.

See the pumpkin cake with sour cream recipe card below for complete quantities.

Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake Instructions

Tips and Tricks

• Want more glaze? Simply double the glaze recipe.
• Swap your nuts: If walnuts aren’t your thing, pecans make a great alternative, or you can just skip the nuts altogether. 
• Don’t rush the cooling: Be patient when adding the glaze. It needs to be cool enough so that the glaze sits on top instead of melting in and disappearing. 
• Try caramel: Drizzle a bit of caramel sauce over pumpkin sour cream cake instead of the glaze for an extra layer of indulgence.

Variations and Substitutions

• Cake Mix Swap: If you prefer a lighter flavor, substitute white cake mix for yellow. Both options work perfectly with the pumpkin. You can also use a spice cake mix, but if you choose to do that, skip the pumpkin spice.
• Yogurt Options: You can make this cake a little healthier by using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Keep in mind that it will be more dense, but still a delicious cake!
• Spice it up: Don’t limit yourself to just pumpkin pie spice. You can add a pinch of extra cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a dash of cardamom for a unique twist.

Serving Suggestions for Pumpkin Cake from Box Mix

This cake is absolutely delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Some of my favorite dishes to pair it with are Old Bay Honey Shrimp, Instant Pot Lemon Risotto, and Instant Pot Creamy Ham and Tortellini Soup.

Pumpkin Sour Cream Cake Storage

If your home is anything like mine, you probably won’t have any cake left over. However, if you do have leftover cake, the easiest way to store it is in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay good for a few days in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Cake With Sour Cream FAQ

Related

Looking for other fall and pumpkin recipes like this? Try these:

• Candied Halloween Popcorn
• Zombie Pumpkin Patch Cookie Pizza
• 10 Ghoulishly Good Halloween Treat Recipes
• Fang Cookies