Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is everything I want in a fall dessert. The cake is incredibly moist, filled with real pumpkin, and flavored with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Then the whole cake is finished with a thick, creamy cream cheese frosting that drapes beautifully over the sides.
It’s the kind of cake that looks impressive sitting on a pretty cake stand but is actually very simple to make. There’s no stacking cake layers or complicated decorating. Once the Bundt cake is completely cool, spoon the cream cheese frosting over the top and let it naturally fall into all those beautiful ridges.
This would be perfect for a fall Sunday dinner, Halloween party, Thanksgiving dessert table, or any afternoon when you’re ready to make the house smell like pumpkin spice.
And if you’re looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, this cake is definitely one to save.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Pumpkin is one of my favorite ingredients for making Bundt cakes because it naturally creates such a soft, moist texture.
This recipe has plenty of warm fall spice without overpowering the pumpkin flavor. Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and vanilla give the cake that classic cozy flavor we all start craving as soon as fall arrives.
Then there’s the cream cheese frosting.
Pumpkin and cream cheese are one of those combinations that just belong together. The slightly tangy frosting balances the sweetness and spices in the cake perfectly.
It’s also a great make-ahead dessert because the cake stays wonderfully moist.
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can pumpkin puree, 15 ounces
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Optional Garnish
- Chopped pecans
- Chopped walnuts
- Ground cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Caramel sauce
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Step 1: Prepare the Bundt Pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Generously grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, making sure you get into every little ridge.
This is especially important with Bundt cakes. There’s nothing worse than making a beautiful cake only to have half of it stay behind when you turn over the pan.
You can also use a baking spray that contains flour.
Set the prepared pan aside.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
Set the dry ingredients aside.
Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
Beat until well combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix again until smooth.
Finally, mix in the sour cream.
Step 4: Make the Pumpkin Cake Batter
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture.
Mix just until everything is combined.
Avoid overmixing once you’ve added the flour. Mixing only until you no longer see streaks of flour will help keep the finished Bundt cake soft.
Step 5: Fill the Bundt Pan
Spoon the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
Use a spatula to gently smooth the top.
Tap the pan lightly against the counter a couple of times to help release any large air pockets.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes.
Begin checking the cake around the 50-minute mark.
A long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the thickest portion of the cake should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
If the top begins browning too quickly before the center is finished, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
Step 7: Cool the Cake
Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack.
Let the Bundt cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
Carefully run a thin knife around any exposed edges if necessary.
Place a cooling rack or cake plate over the Bundt pan and carefully turn everything over.
Gently lift away the pan.
Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Place the softened cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition.
Add the vanilla and a small pinch of salt.
Mix in the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches the consistency you want.
For this Bundt cake, I like the frosting slightly thinner than traditional cupcake frosting but much thicker than a glaze.
It should be thick and creamy but still soft enough to slowly fall down the sides of the cake.
How to Frost a Bundt Cake
Make sure your pumpkin Bundt cake is completely cool before frosting it.
Spoon the cream cheese frosting generously around the top of the cake.
Use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to gently encourage some of the frosting to fall over the sides.
You don’t need to cover the entire cake.
I think Bundt cakes are especially pretty when you can still see some of the golden-orange pumpkin cake underneath the white cream cheese frosting.
Finish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or chopped pecans if you’d like.
The Secret to a Moist Pumpkin Bundt Cake
There are several ingredients working together to keep this cake incredibly moist.
First, there’s an entire can of pumpkin puree. Pumpkin naturally adds a lot of moisture without making the cake overly heavy.
Vegetable oil also helps the cake stay softer than butter-based cakes, especially after refrigeration.
Brown sugar contributes additional moisture, and sour cream gives the cake a tender crumb and a little richness.
The biggest thing you can do is avoid overbaking it.
Start checking your cake early and remove it from the oven as soon as a tester comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
Make Sure You Use Pumpkin Puree
For this recipe, you’ll need a 15-ounce can of 100% pumpkin puree.
Don’t accidentally grab pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin pie filling already contains sweeteners and spices, which can throw off the flavor and texture of the cake.
The ingredient list on the can should simply say pumpkin.
How to Keep a Bundt Cake From Sticking
Bundt pans are beautiful, but all those decorative ridges create plenty of places for cake batter to stick.
Generously grease every part of the pan, including the center tube.
Then lightly coat the greased pan with flour and tap out the excess.
A baking spray containing flour is another easy option.
After baking, don’t leave the cake sitting in the pan until it’s completely cold. Let it cool for about 15 minutes and then carefully turn it out.
Can I Add Pecans?
Absolutely.
Pumpkin and pecans are delicious together.
Fold about 3/4 to 1 cup of chopped pecans into the finished batter before pouring it into the Bundt pan.
You can also leave the pecans out of the cake and sprinkle them over the cream cheese frosting.
Walnuts work well, too.
Add Chocolate Chips
If you’re a pumpkin-and-chocolate person, add about 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.
Mini chocolate chips are especially good because you get little bits of chocolate throughout every slice.
You could even use white chocolate chips or cinnamon baking chips.
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake Variations
Once you have a great pumpkin Bundt cake recipe, it’s easy to create different versions.
Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake: Fold chopped toasted pecans into the batter and sprinkle more over the frosting.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake: Add semi-sweet or mini chocolate chips.
Caramel Pumpkin Bundt Cake: Drizzle caramel sauce over the cream cheese frosting just before serving.
Maple Pumpkin Bundt Cake: Replace the vanilla in the frosting with maple extract or add a little pure maple syrup.
Pumpkin Praline Bundt Cake: Top the finished cake with cream cheese frosting, caramel, and toasted pecans.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Bundt Cake: Increase the cinnamon slightly and finish the frosting with a generous dusting of cinnamon sugar.
Can I Make This Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes. In fact, pumpkin cake is a wonderful make-ahead dessert.
You can bake the Bundt cake one day ahead and store it tightly covered once it has completely cooled.
You can also frost it ahead of time, but because the frosting contains cream cheese, the frosted cake should be refrigerated.
If you’re making this for Thanksgiving, baking it the day before is an easy way to get one dessert off your holiday to-do list.
How to Store Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator.
It should stay fresh for about 4 to 5 days.
For the best texture and flavor, let individual slices sit at room temperature briefly before serving so the cake and frosting can soften slightly.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bundt Cake?
Yes.
I recommend freezing the cake before adding the cream cheese frosting.
Allow the Bundt cake to cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and then add a layer of aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to about 2 months.
Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature, and add the fresh cream cheese frosting before serving.
You can also freeze individual leftover slices in airtight containers.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
This cake really doesn’t need anything else, but you can certainly make it extra special.
Try serving it with:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Cinnamon ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Warm caramel sauce
- Toasted pecans
- Hot coffee
- Pumpkin spice latte
- Hot apple cider
A slice of pumpkin Bundt cake with a hot cup of coffee might be my favorite way to enjoy it.
Perfect for Thanksgiving
If you’re trying to decide what desserts to make for Thanksgiving, this cake is a great option because it’s familiar enough that everyone will recognize the pumpkin flavors but different from another pumpkin pie.
It also looks gorgeous on a Thanksgiving dessert table.
Put the cake on a pretty pedestal, let the cream cheese frosting cascade over the ridges, and sprinkle a few chopped pecans over the top.
It’s beautiful without requiring any complicated cake decorating.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Grease the pan really well. Take the extra minute to get into every ridge of your Bundt pan.
Use room-temperature ingredients. Eggs, sour cream, and other refrigerated ingredients blend more evenly when they aren’t ice cold.
Don’t overmix the batter. Once the flour goes in, mix only until combined.
Don’t overbake. Pumpkin cake should be moist and tender.
Wait before turning it out. Give the cake about 15 minutes to cool in the pan.
Cool completely before frosting. Warm cake will melt your cream cheese frosting.
Adjust the frosting consistency slowly. Add the cream or milk one tablespoon at a time.
Jennie’s Thoughts
I love a Bundt cake for the holidays because you get this beautiful, impressive-looking cake without having to be a cake decorator.
And pumpkin might be one of the best flavors for a Bundt cake. The pumpkin keeps everything so soft and moist, and all those warm spices make the kitchen smell amazing while it’s baking.
But I think the cream cheese frosting is what really makes this cake.
I like to keep it nice and thick and spoon it right over the top so it slowly drips down the ridges. Add a little cinnamon or a handful of chopped pecans and it looks like something you’d see sitting in the window of a bakery.
This is the kind of recipe I would make as soon as the weather starts cooling down and then make again for Thanksgiving.
If you love pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin spice desserts, definitely save this Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting for fall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes. Homemade pumpkin puree works as long as it’s thick and has a consistency similar to canned pumpkin. If it’s watery, drain off some of the excess liquid before measuring.
Why did my Bundt cake stick to the pan?
The most common cause is not greasing the detailed areas of the pan thoroughly enough. Be especially careful around the center tube and all the decorative grooves.
How do I know when pumpkin Bundt cake is done?
Insert a long toothpick or cake tester into the thickest part. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but not wet cake batter.
Does pumpkin Bundt cake need to be refrigerated?
The unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature for a short period when properly covered. Once you add cream cheese frosting, refrigerate the cake.
Can I make the frosting thinner?
Yes. Add milk or heavy cream about one tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency you prefer.
Can I make this without cream cheese frosting?
Absolutely. Try a simple vanilla glaze, maple glaze, cinnamon glaze, caramel drizzle, or just a dusting of powdered sugar.
