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Pumpkin Spice Gooey Cake

Pumpkin spice gooey cake with a spiced cake crust and a rich, gooey pumpkin-cream cheese center. Baked until the edges set while the middle stays soft, then finished with an extra-thick powdered sugar dusting.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

spice cake crust
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) spice cake mix
  • 0.5 cup melted butter
  • 1 egg
gooey filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 cup melted butter
  • 4 powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • extra powdered sugar for topping for dusting

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and form the crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan.
  2. Press the spice cake mix crust—spice cake mix, melted butter, and egg—into the greased 9x13 pan.
Make the gooey pumpkin filling
  1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla, then beat until combined.
  3. Beat in the melted butter.
  4. Gradually add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mixing until smooth and thick.
Bake and finish
  1. Pour the gooey filling over the crust.
  2. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is still gooey.
  3. Cool completely.
  4. Dust very generously with powdered sugar on top.

Notes

Pro tip: for the gooey center, start checking at 40 minutes—every pan and oven can differ. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze baked bars up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese while keeping the powdered sugar amount the same for the signature texture.