Soft and moist pumpkin bundt cake with warm pumpkin pie spice flavor and topped with a cream cheese frosting! A classic crowd-pleasing dessert for the fall season or holidays.
Other pumpkin desserts we love include pumpkin dump cake, these pumpkin bars and pumpkin crunch cake!
Table of Contents
Best Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe
One of my family’s favorite fall traditions is to go to the pumpkin patch. I still remember going with my family as a little girl and it is one of my favorite memories. We always have so much fun picking out pumpkins then enjoying pumpkin donuts and apple cider.
This pumpkin bundt cake is always my first pumpkin recipe of the season. It’s super moist and soft, with delicious pumpkin spice flavor. Plus, it’s topped with a creamy and rich cream cheese frosting that makes it incredible.
Baking Tips
- Generously butter the pan. This is super important! Make sure to generously butter or use nonstick cooking spray to coat the entire bundt pan (even in the creases). I also like to dust the pan with flour after greasing it. This helps keep the cake from getting stuck in the pan.
- Don’t overmix. Mix the batter just until combined so that the cake stays soft and fluffy. Overmixing can lead to a chewy and dense texture.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Make your own using a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and ground cloves.
- Let cool before removing from pan. Once you remove the cake from the oven, wait about 10 to 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. It needs to cool a bit in order for it to come out whole. Then once it’s had time to cool, simply place the cooling wire rack on top of the pan and flip it over.
- Pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting. Similar to my pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, you could add up 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the frosting.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake Toppings
There are many toppings that taste delicious with pumpkin bundt cake. My personal favorite is cream cheese frosting, but I’ve also used salted caramel sauce and maple frosting. All are absolutely delicious!
- Cream cheese frosting
- Maple cream cheese frosting or maple glaze
- Powdered sugar icing
- Caramel sauce
- Powdered sugar
- Crushed nuts
- Chocolate ganache
- Sprinkles or chopped pecans
Perfect Frosting Consistency
You want the frosting to have a drippier consistency than the one you would use for a cream cheese pumpkin roll. It should be more like a cream cheese glaze.
To give it this texture, simply add a few more Tablespoons of milk or cream. I’d recommend adding 1 Tablespoon at a time until the frosting has the perfect drippy consistency (usually about 1/4 cup total).
Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes
This is also my go-to recipe for making mini pumpkin bundt cakes. Simply use a mini bundt cake pan and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The recipe will make 18 minis.
TIP: This ziplock bag trick will save you if making the mini version! All you do is pour the batter in a ziplock bag and then cut of the tip. It makes it super easy to add the batter to the pans without making a huge mess. Trust me, I’ve been there!
More delicious pumpkin desserts to try include this pumpkin bread, pumpkin streusel coffee cake or pumpkin spice cupcakes.
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
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Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 15 ounce can pumpkin
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
Optional mix-in: 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Optional toppings: powdered sugar, cream cheese frosting, caramel sauce, chopped nuts
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a bundt cake pan very well in all the creases and then dust with flour.
- Dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 Tablespoon pumpkin spice and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk 3 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla until just combined. Then stir 15 ounce can pumpkin, 1 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup sour cream.
- Combine. Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined. Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips if desired. Then pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean. Don't let it overcook. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan and then place the cooling rack on top of it and flip over. Let cool completely.
- Add cream cheese frosting. When ready to serve, enjoy plain, add cream cheese frosting or drizzle with salted caramel sauce.
Notes
- This recipe also makes 18 mini pumpkin bundt cakes. Bake for 18-20 minutes if using mini bundt cake pans.
- If using my cream cheese frosting recipe to top your cake, you will likely need to add a few more Tablespoons of milk or heavy cream so that it turns into a drippier frosting that will coat the bundt cake. I like to add a Tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is met (usually about 1/4 cup total).
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
There are a few ways to check your bundt pumpkin cake for doneness! Insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out moist with a crew crumbs. You can also touch the top of the cake. It should feel springy to the touch and not make an indent. You can also visually see the cake start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
No. Pumpkin pie filling contains added ingredients and spices which will offset the balance of this pumpkin bundt cake recipe. Buy canned pure pumpkin puree or you can make your own homemade pumpkin puree.
Yes. Bake cake and cool completely. Store cake covered in the refrigerator up to two days. Bring to room temperature before adding any frosting or glaze.
Yes, but it it best to freeze it without any frosting. Cool your unfrosted cake completely then wrap in plastic wrap and store frozen up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before adding any frosting or glaze to the top.
Categorized as: American, Cake + Cupcakes, Desserts, Halloween, Nut-Free, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes it can be made ahead of time and frozen. I prefer to frost it the same day :)
I loved everything about this cake! It was so tasty and easy to make! I see myself making this quite often this fall!
WHat a beautiful bundt cake. It looks delicious. Texture is amazing and flavors perfect. I will make this cake this weekend. Can’t wait.
We loved your recipe very easy and stays moist for a long time. I will give you 5 stars.*****
This pumpkin cake with chocolate chips and cream cheese drizzle is the best cake I have made and so beautiful. I placed cherries with stems on top and a piece of holly on the cake platter.
Very impressed with this and now will look for more of your recipes.
That sounds amazing!
This was a very good cake.Some of my family wasn’t sure about pumpkin,but they loved it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
What would the bake time be for a bundtlette pan?
Not a full on bundt, but bigger than the minis. Maybe somewhere between those bake times?
It will depend on the size of your bundt cakes. I would check after 20 minutes and then add time accordingly until a toothpick comes out clean.
This bundt cake looks so delicious and yummy! I can’t wait to makes this!
Ah so lovely – another great pumpkin recipe from you. It’s a great colour.
I love the mini bundt cakes – remind me of Bundtinis. I can’t wait to make these for sister’s birthday next week!
I hope you enjoy them!
I would love a slice of this amazing pumpkin bundt cake!! YUM!!
Can I ask…it says the recipe was updated a few weeks ago. Was there sour cream in this recipe before? I have made these a number of times and dont remember that ingredient and the cakes look and taste different than I remembered.
Hi! This recipe has always had sour cream in it. That combined with the pumpkin helps create a moist cake. The main thing we changed was the addition/instructions on how to make it in a large bundt pan.