Pumpkin Magic Cake

Table of Contents

1. Pumpkin Magic Cake Ingredients
2. Substitutions and Additions
3. How to Make Pumpkin Magic Cake
4. How to Serve Pumpkin Magic Cake
5. Storage
6. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
7. MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
8. JUMP TO RECIPE

Pumpkin magic cake is a scrumptious fall dessert that will amaze your holiday guests. A layered dessert with moist cake, pumpkin spice flavors, and a creamy cool whip frosting, it tastes as delicious as beautiful as it looks! The magical part of this cake is that it displays three distinct layers that all come from one batter.

Who doesn’t love a delicious pumpkin dessert? If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes you’ll want to try Mini Pumpkin Pies, Pumpkin Bars, and Pumpkin Truffles. 

Pumpkin Magic Cake Ingredients

You will need:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (Plus the ingredients on the back of the box to make a 9×13 cake BUT instead of using water substitute the same amount of milk for the water)    
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree  
• 12 ounces evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar packed

PRO TIP: Watch out when you are at the grocery store that you buy pure pumpkin purée and not canned pumpkin pie filling.

Frosting

• 3.4 ounces white chocolate instant pudding (vanilla flavor can be substituted)
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup cold milk
• 8 ounces Cool Whip

Substitutions and Additions

CAKE MIX: You can use any brand of yellow cake mix, just as long as it requires water, to replace with milk. You could also use a white boxed cake mix or vanilla cake as well 

PUDDING: It is possible to substitute French vanilla or vanilla pudding mix in place of the white chocolate instant pudding. 

How to Make Pumpkin Magic Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 350°F.

STEP TWO: Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.

STEP THREE: In a large bowl place the cake mix ingredients (substituting milk for water). 

PRO TIP: For example, my cake mix called for ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup water, and 3 eggs. I substituted one cup of milk in place of the water.

STEP FOUR: Mix per the package instructions. For my cake mix, it was on medium for two minutes.

STEP FIVE: Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9×13 pan. Set aside.

STEP SIX: In a medium-sized bowl place the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, eggs, and brown sugar. Whisk together until smooth.

STEP SEVEN: SLOWLY pour the pumpkin mixture right on top of the cake mix, over the whole cake. 

PRO TIP: The key is to pour this slowly and drizzle it all over the top of the cake, along the edges so it covers the top. It will already begin to sink.

STEP EIGHT: Bake for 50 minutes to one hour or until no longer loose in the middle.

PRO TIP: When the cake is removed from the oven you will think that it hasn’t separated into layers because it looks just regular on top. But the magic is there when you slice into it and see the cake and pumpkin layers separate!

STEP NINE: While the cake is cooling in a large bowl whisk together the pudding mix, milk, and remaining 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice until smooth.

STEP TEN: Fold in the Cool Whip until combined.

STEP ELEVEN: Spread over the cooled cake.

STEP TWELVE: Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PRO TIP: To cut the cake cleanly, pop your knife in the freezer to cool it, and it should slice through the cake easily.

How to Serve Pumpkin Magic Cake

This beautiful cake, and its delicious layers, are the perfect way to celebrate pumpkin season and all that is cozy. A one-pan dessert, this pumpkin magic cake is easy to make, making it great for the holidays, get-togethers, or a sweet dessert after family dinner. Serve this yummy fall recipe with a scoop of pumpkin ice cream and a glass of pumpkin spice latte for the ultimate cozy pumpkin treat. 

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Leftover pumpkin pie cake should be kept in the fridge, as well as between servings. While the cake itself is fine to be left out for a bit of time, the Cool Whip frosting will melt quickly if it’s left out at room temperature for too long. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze your pumpkin magic cake and enjoy it later. Either freeze the entire cake as a whole or cut individual pieces and freeze them by wrapping them in plastic and placing them in a Ziploc bag. That way we can enjoy an individual piece when the sweet tooth hits!

Pumpkin magic cake is the perfect fall dessert for all pumpkin lovers. What makes this cake magical is that the pumpkin pie layer, which is poured on top of the cake layer, falls to the bottom as the cake bakes, meaning the pumpkin ends up on the bottom and the cake ends up on top. Amaze your guests with this Pumpkin Magic Cake recipe that has pumpkin spice flavors and a light and creamy Cool Whip frosting.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is my batter supposed to be very runny? 

Yes, you will have a very runny and thin batter, and that is the consistency you want for the magic layering to happen.

Are there other flavors of this unique cake? 

You can find a recipe for magic custard cake on this site. Lemon and chocolate magic cakes are also popular variations on this classic vanilla magic custard cake recipe.

Can I make my own homemade pumpkin puree? 

If you would prefer to use homemade pumpkin puree rather than store-bought, you certainly can make this substitution.

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Pineapple Cake
• Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake
• Peach Upside-Down Cake
• Hershey’s Chocolate Cake