Soft and moist pumpkin bundt cake topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. This easy and delicious cake makes a great fall dessert!
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 and enjoying pumpkin donuts and apple cider.
Since fall is right around the corner, I was in the mood to do a little pumpkin baking. This pumpkin bundt cake was the first pumpkin recipe of the season. And I’m sure there will be many more, because I love pumpkin! YUM!
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 the perfect compliment. Seriously amazing!
How to make pumpkin bundt cake
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. I like to whisk my dry ingredients together (mainly because it’s easier than pulling out my sifter-ha), but you can always sift them too.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla until just combined. Then stir in pumpkin, vegetable oil and sour cream. Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips if desired. Then pour the batter into a generously buttered bundt pan that’s been dusted with flour.
- Bake in oven. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overcook. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then place the cooling rack on top of it and flip over. Let cool completely.
- Frost. When ready to serve, feel free to enjoy plain or add cream cheese frosting or drizzle with salted caramel sauce.
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
- cream cheese glaze
- caramel sauce
- maple cream cheese frosting from my pumpkin whoopie pie recipe
- chocolate ganache
- powdered sugar
- crushed nuts
- sprinkles
Baking tips
- Generously butter the bundt pan. This is super important! Make sure to generously butter 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.
- 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 rack on top of the pan and flip it over.
- Drippier frosting consistency. You want the frosting to have a drippier consistency than regular cream cheese frosting does. 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 version
This recipe is also great 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:

Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 15 ounce can pumpkin
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Optional mix-in: 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Optional toppings: powdered sugar, cream cheese frosting, caramel sauce, chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a bundt cake pan very well in all the creases and then dust with flour.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla until just combined. Then stir in pumpkin, vegetable oil and sour cream.
- Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips if desired. Then pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- 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.
- 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
Yum!! Enjoy!!
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.