Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake with Creamy Pumpkin Frosting

There are some flavors that just belong to fall, and pumpkin and chocolate are two of my favorites. Put them together in an incredibly moist Texas sheet cake, top everything with creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting, and you have a dessert that deserves a permanent spot on your fall baking list.

This Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake combines a rich chocolate cake with warm pumpkin pie spice and a fluffy pumpkin frosting. The chocolate keeps the cake decadent while the pumpkin and cinnamon give it just enough cozy fall flavor without overpowering everything else.

And because it’s baked in a simple 9×13-inch pan, this is an easy dessert to make for family dinners, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving gatherings, potlucks, or one of those chilly fall weekends when you’re in the mood to bake.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

There is a lot to love about this recipe.

Rich chocolate flavor with warm fall spices
Incredibly soft and moist cake
Easy 9×13-inch dessert
Creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting
Perfect for Halloween and Thanksgiving
Easy to make ahead
Makes plenty to share

The combination of chocolate, pumpkin pie spice, cream cheese, and cinnamon makes this cake taste like fall without being another traditional pumpkin dessert.

Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
1 cup cold water
½ cup cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup whole milk
6 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup pumpkin puree
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray and set it aside.

Step 2: Make the Chocolate Mixture

In a large saucepan, combine the butter, cold water, and cocoa powder.

Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Step 3: Mix the Cake Batter

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, eggs, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, sour cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

Gradually pour the warm chocolate mixture into the flour mixture, whisking as you go.

Continue mixing until everything is incorporated and you have a smooth chocolate cake batter.

Step 4: Bake

Pour the cake batter into your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly.

Bake for approximately 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool.

Let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes before frosting. For the neatest frosting layer, allow the cake to cool completely.

How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

While your cake cools, make the pumpkin frosting.

Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and milk and continue mixing.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

If your frosting seems too thick, add a small splash of milk. If it’s too thin, add a little additional powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency.

Frost the Cake

Once the cake has cooled, spread the pumpkin cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.

Finish with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is plain pumpkin, while pumpkin pie filling contains additional sugar and spices that can change the flavor and consistency of the frosting.

Don’t overbake the cake. Start checking it around the 20-minute mark. Removing it as soon as a toothpick comes out clean helps keep the cake soft and moist.

Let your butter and cream cheese soften. Room-temperature ingredients make it much easier to create a smooth frosting without little lumps of cream cheese or butter.

Cool the cake before frosting. While traditional Texas sheet cakes are sometimes frosted warm, this pumpkin cream cheese frosting is better on a cooled cake. Otherwise, it can melt and become runny.

Add cinnamon right before serving. A light dusting is all you need to give the cake a pretty fall finish.

Optional Toppings

The cinnamon topping keeps this cake simple, but you can easily dress it up for a party or Thanksgiving dessert table.

Try adding chopped pecans, mini chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, fall sprinkles, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

For an especially pretty Thanksgiving presentation, sprinkle chopped pecans around the edges and add a very light dusting of cinnamon over the center.

Can I Make This Cake Ahead of Time?

Absolutely. In fact, this is a great make-ahead fall dessert.

You can bake the chocolate cake one day ahead and keep it tightly covered. Make the pumpkin frosting separately and refrigerate it overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, frost the cake and sprinkle it with cinnamon.

You can also prepare the entire cake ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.

How to Store Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

Because the frosting contains cream cheese and pumpkin puree, the finished cake should be stored in the refrigerator.

Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer individual pieces to an airtight container.

The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for approximately 3–4 days.

For the best texture and flavor, let a slice sit at room temperature for about 15–20 minutes before eating.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Chocolate Cake?

Yes!

For the easiest freezing, freeze the cake without frosting. Allow the baked cake to cool completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 2–3 months.

Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and add the fresh pumpkin frosting before serving.

You can also freeze individual frosted slices in airtight freezer-safe containers, although the texture of cream cheese frosting may change slightly after thawing.

A Cozy Fall Dessert Everyone Will Love

Pumpkin desserts don’t always have to mean pumpkin pie.

This Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake gives you the rich chocolate flavor everyone loves with just enough pumpkin spice to make it perfect for fall. Then the creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting takes the whole thing over the top.

It’s easy enough for a weekend baking project but pretty and decadent enough to serve for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any fall gathering.

And if your family can’t decide between chocolate cake and pumpkin dessert, this might just be the perfect compromise.

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