Everything about this Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake is spot on! It’s moist, dense and slightly doughy and has the perfect balance of spiciness and sweetness. Top this with a slightly tangy Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Glaze and you find yourself in pumpkin cake heaven!
I’m not usually a huge fan of pumpkin desserts… However — I’m almost ashamed to admit that — I practically ate this entire Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake all to myself! It’s just so good, I just couldn’t stop eating it!
Everything about this pumpkin cake is absolutely perfect: its texture is moist, dense and slightly doughy, even right out of the ice box; doesn’t ever feel dry at all! As for the flavor, the spiciness and sweetness levels are spot on and are heavenly complemented by the slightly tangy Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Glaze that covers the cake.
The best part is it’s super easy to make… and can totally be enjoyed year round. Not just on Thanksgiving!
I know I’ll be making it often… In fact, I’ve plenty of leftover pumpkin puree; guess what I’ll be using it for?
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS & PICTURES
TO MAKE THE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt cake pan and set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl; mix well with a whisk until fluffy and thoroughly combined and reserve.
In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, molasses and vanilla extract and whisk to combine well. Reserve.
In a third, larger bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. And while you’re at it, measure or weigh your chopped walnuts and get your eggs ready!
Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at high speed for 2 full minutes; add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides between each addition…
Continue beating for a full minute, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low speed until barely just incorporated.
Pour in all of the pumpkin mixture and resume mixing on low speed until just combined.
Add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated.
Add the chopped walnuts and delicately fold them in with a rubber spatula.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan, spread well and smooth the top as best as you can and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Place the cake on a cooling rack and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then very delicately invert it onto the rack and let it cool completely (you could also place the cake in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to speed up the process)
TO MAKE THE GLAZE
While the cake is in the oven, combine the brown sugar and heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly; Remove from heat and add the cream cheese…
Stir until the cream cheese is completely melted and well incorporated, then stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
ASSEMBLE YOUR CAKE
Place the cake on a cake plate and spoon about half of the glaze all over the top, letting it drizzle a little bit on the sides.
Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, or until the glaze is completely set, and then cover the cake with a second coat of glaze.
Sprinkle chopped walnuts across the top and place the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Any leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you can even hold on to them for that long… which I seriously doubt you will!
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups (320g | 11.3oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan salt)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1-1/2 cups (350g | 12.3oz) canned pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup (240g | 8.5oz) butter, room temperature
- 1-1/4 cups (250g | 8.8oz) brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (100g | 3.5oz) walnuts, chopped
- 2 cups (400g | 14.1oz) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 package (125g | 4oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tbsp chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt cake pan and set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl; mix well with a whisk until fluffy and thoroughly combined and reserve.
- In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, molasses and vanilla extract and whisk to combine well. Reserve.
- In a third, larger bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer at high speed for 2 full minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides between each addition and then continue beating for a full minute, until light and fluffy.
- Add half the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until barely just incorporated, then pour in all of the pumpkin mixture and resume mixing on low speed until just combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat on low until just incorporated.
- Add the chopped walnuts and delicately fold them in with a rubber spatula.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan, spread well and smooth the top as best as you can and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Place the cake on a cooling rack and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then very delicately invert it onto the rack and let it cool completely (refrigerate for a couple of hours to speed up the process)
- While the cake is in the oven, combine the brown sugar and heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and add the cream cheese; stir until completely melted and well incorporated, then stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
- Place the cake on a cake plate and spoon about half of the glaze all over the top, letting it drizzle a little bit on the sides. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, or until the glaze is completely set, and then cover the cake with a second coat of glaze.
- Sprinkle chopped walnuts across the top and place the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Any leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Shannon says
Made this cake last night for my daughter’s birthday (why yes, we *can* make a cake that tastes like pumpkin pie!) and it turned out delicious. Thank you for the recipe! When I make it next time for adults I’m going to add a splash of whiskey in the glaze.
Evil Twin says
Haha, good call! Glad you liked it, Shannon! 🙂
JillY says
Question on the glaze. Is the 2 cups of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream correct? By using 1/4 of heavy cream, I could barely stir the sugar. I ended up adding more heavy cream to make it look like your picture.
Have not assembled cake yet, but it all looks good.
I made the cake before and doubled it to make two bundts and turned them into a pumpkin with buttercream frosting. So I KNOW the cake is delicious!
Evil Twin says
You only needed give it more time, Jill, the heat would have eventually taken care of melting the sugar and the mixture would’ve come together nicely. Hope it still turned out great and that the finished cake was to your liking!