This Pumpkin Bundt Cake is super moist and the perfect fall dessert! Make your own cream cheese frosting drizzle for this delicious and simple cake with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
Nothing screams fall like a deliciously spiced cake! I love this Pumpkin Bundt Cake because it takes less than 20 minutes to whip together with a handful of natural ingredients. Plus, it’s topped with homemade cream cheese frosting for the perfect sweet treat after school or for Thanksgiving dessert!
I love the simplicity of a classic bundt cake. Don’t get me wrong — layer cakes have their time and place, too, but there’s something so magical about a super moist cake with a simple icing on top.
This recipe inspired my pumpkin cinnamon rolls, which are the same yummy flavors but acceptable for breakfast. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving morning. Another delicious breakfast is this pumpkin granola, so make sure to check it out.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
I’m no professional baker, so I keep my cake recipes easy but delicious. Here are a few more reasons why you’ll love this pumpkin bundt cake:
- Bursting with fall flavor! If you love a traditional pumpkin pie, you’re going to love this bundt cake! It’s got all the same ingredients but there’s no fussy crust and pastry work for this recipe.
- Simple ingredients. There are no specialty ingredients to buy for just one use here! You can even make your own pumpkin pie spice blend to keep it easy and all homemade.
- Feeds a crowd. I love a bundt cake because it can feed the whole family with leftovers to spare! It’s perfect for potlucks and holiday dinners.
Ingredients Used
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin Puree: I’ve always got a couple cans of pumpkin puree in my pantry! If you want to make everything from scratch for this bundt cake recipe, try this homemade pumpkin puree recipe! It adds an even stronger fall flavor when pumpkins are in season.
- Sugar: I love the extra richness you get with brown sugar, and I also add granulated sugar. The brown sugar just adds an extra moistness and caramelization to the crust, too.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use your favorite blend or make your own at home with just cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Eggs: Much like your butter and cream cheese, let the eggs come to room temperature before whipping up your batter. This helps keep the batter from seizing.
- Flour: There’s no cake without flour! I use basic all-purpose flour for most of my baking. It’s perfectly fluffy with a little baking soda, too.
- Oil: I use a whole cup of oil and a little sour cream to keep this cake moist. You can also use applesauce for the same moistness with a fun fall kick!
- Bundt Pan: You want a sturdy bundt pan for even baking. Don’t forget to grease every nook and cranny! I use a light dusting of flour, too, to make sure my cakes don’t stick.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: You only need 5 pantry staples to make this yummy icing! Make sure the cream cheese and butter are both softened before mixing with the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk.
How to Make Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Follow these steps for the best pumpkin bundt cake:
- First, grease and flour your bundt pan. Make sure to get every corner so the cake doesn’t stick!
- Then, beat the sugar, brown sugar, and oil with an electric mixer until it gets a little fluffy.
- Next, add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, and mix completely for each egg. Mix in the vanilla extract, too.
- In another bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together. Then, add it to your wet ingredients in batches, adding the pumpkin puree and sour cream slowly between flour mixture additions. Don’t skip this step!
- Now, add the batter to your greased bundt pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the pumpkin bundt cake cool completely on a wire rack before frosting!
- Use a stand mixer to make the cream cheese frosting. First, beat the softened cream cheese and butter. Then, add the powdered sugar in batches to avoid the sugar storm! Add vanilla extract and milk until it’s the perfect consistency. You can always add more milk to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken your cream cheese frosting.
Tips and Tricks
Whether you’re a brand new baker or experienced with bundt cakes, these tips and tricks will help you get a perfect pumpkin cake every time:
- This cake is quite moist, but you can use ¾ cup of applesauce and just ¼ cup of oil, too.
- I prefer Philadelphia cream cheese for the best frosting texture. If you can’t find this brand, use any brand that is full fat.
- To make sure that the cake does not stick in the pan, I grease it with oil and lightly flour it. Too much flour will ruin the look of the cake, so tap out any excess before filling it with batter.
- Only frost and slice after the cake has cooled completely. Otherwise, the cake will absorb the icing as it cools. You can easily make this cake the night before you need it and frost it right before guests arrive.
- Add a little crunch with chopped pecans or walnuts if desired.
Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Filling Instead of Pumpkin Puree?
When it comes to canned pumpkin, not all cans are created equal.
Ideally, canned pumpkin puree is simply pumpkin pulp with no added flavors or sugars. Pumpkin pie filling, however, is seasoned and sweetened to make an easy pumpkin pie without the mixing.
Since pie filling is pre-sweetened, I don’t recommend using it for this cake. It could also have ingredients that make your pumpkin bundt fall — no one wants a deflated cake!
Got a pumpkin? Make your own pumpkin puree at home with just 2 ingredients!
How to Keep a Bundt Cake Moist
I love the simplicity of a good bundt cake, but they’re always much bigger than they look! You can get up to 16 servings out of just 1 bundt cake.
The icing will help keep some moisture in your leftover bundt cake. You can always add more frosting, too!
Bundt cakes can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature. I like to keep mine tightly wrapped in the fridge. Let it warm up a little on the counter before serving.
Other Pumpkin Recipes I Love
Other pumpkin recipes I love is this Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake, and this easy Pumpkin Layer Cake. Enjoy making this pumpkin bundt cake and serving it to your friends and family this season. Make sure to pin this recipe so everyone can enjoy it!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 9.5 or a 10-inch Bundt/tube pan
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil Note 1
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup sour cream
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened, Note 2
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (or 160°C fan oven), and grease a 9.5 or a 10-inch Bundt/tube pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Using a hand or a stand mixer, combine granulated sugar with brown sugar and oil.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour with baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt.
- Add in the dry ingredients to the egg mixture in 3 batches, alternating with pumpkin puree and sour cream and beat well after each addition. Batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan, and bake for 50-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool down completely.
- When the cake has cooled down completely, make the cream cheese frosting. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the cream cheese with butter then add the powdered sugar in 3 batches to avoid getting a sugar storm. Mix in the vanilla extract and the milk. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk until you reach to the desired consistency. Spoon the frosting over cake, slice and serve.
Notes:
- This cake is quite moist, but you can use ¾ cup of applesauce and just ¼ cup of oil if desired.
- I prefer using Philadelphia cream cheese for the best texture. If you can’t find this brand, use any brand that is full fat.
- Top with chopped pecans or walnuts if desired.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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