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This cozy pumpkin gingerbread sheet cake has earned its nickname “Tree Trimming Cake” because it’s so perfect for decorating day. The warm spices of an old-fashioned gingerbread meet the soft, tender crumb of spiced molasses pumpkin cake for a delicious snacking cake.
What’s to love
- No fuss, no mixer needed. Just melt, stir and bake. No creaming butter, no complicated steps – this comes together faster than you can untangle a strand of lights.
- Serve it your way. Cut it into squares for easy finger food while hanging ornaments, or slice it into bigger pieces and serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream when you want something more special.
- The ultimate holiday transition dessert. It bridges Thanksgiving and Christmas perfectly, letting you use up that last can of pumpkin while ringing in the Christmas season with warm gingerbread spices.
This is the kind of easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that makes holiday traditions feel effortless!
Printable recipe
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups (scant) all-purpose flour (245g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoons fine salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons gingerbread spice (or pumpkin-pie spice)
- ½ teaspoons 1 g ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoons nutmeg or allspice (optional)
Wet ingredients
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp sweet molasses
- ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup pure pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk ( + 1 tablespoon more if needed)
Add-ins
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- lemon vanilla glaze (recipe follows) and a small handful of blanched sliced almonds for topping (optional)
Tips
- ¾ cup powdered / icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep: Heat oven to 350 °F. Line a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for lifting. Get your ingredients ready.
- Warm the butter mixture: In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the molasses and brown sugar over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the pumpkin purée. Set aside to cool slightly.7 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup + 2 tbsp sweet molasses, ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar, ¾ cup pure pumpkin purée
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all spices.2 cups (scant) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoons fine salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons gingerbread spice, ½ teaspoons 1 g ground ginger, ¼ teaspoons nutmeg or allspice
- Combine: Pour the warmed mixture into the dry ingredients, stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined – do not overmix. Add the beaten egg and stir it in until combined.1 large egg
- Finish the batter: Stir the milk into the batter a little at a time, until the batter is thick but pourable (like thick heavy cream). If it feels stiff, add an extra tablespoon of milk. Fold in the chopped pecans.¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Bake: Spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan. Bake 18-25 minutes (depending on your exact pan and oven), until deep golden, springy, and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift onto a cooling rack.
- Glaze & decorate:While still slightly warm, brush on the glaze (it’s supposed to mostly add sheen and a light layer of white glaze, with a little more glaze pooling in the small creases of the cake). Gently press on blanched almond slices – you can also sprinkle with a little finely chopped pecans.lemon vanilla glaze (recipe follows) and a small handful of blanched sliced almonds for topping
- Serve:Let the glaze set before cutting the cake into small squares or diamonds for a snacking cake, or into regular cake slices for serving with plates.
Pumpkin Gingerbread Sheet Cake (Tree Trimming Cake)
make your kitchen smell like home?Gingerbread Pumpkin Sheet Cake FAQs
Yes, absolutely. If you have an actual pumpkin to use up instead of a can, you can roast it in the oven or microwave it until soft and then blend.
No, you should use sweet molasses (like the grandma’s molasses brand). Blackstrap molasses are too strong and bitter to use in this cake.
The batter is a little looser than what you might know from regular cake batter – this bakes up into a tender and soft cake in a jelly roll pan. It’s pourable, like thick heavy cream.
It’s important to measure the flour correctly here – spoon it into the cup in a heaping mound, then level it off with a blunt knife. It’s important not to add too much flour. If you have kitchen scales, weigh out 245 grams.
Perfect to serve with
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