A homemade pumpkin bundt cake filled with cream cheese and topped with an easy vanilla glaze. This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cake is a perfect dessert for fall!
Bundt cakes are one dessert that I love to make because they always turn out so beautiful. There’s absolutely no need to have any cake decorating skills, you can top them with a simple glaze and they always turn out impressive.
This Pumpkin Bundt Cake may just take the cake (no pun intended) because it’s filled with a delicious cream cheese filling. It’s like the best of both worlds, cake + cheesecake.
And since this bundt cake is best served cold, because of the cream cheese layer, it’s a perfect dessert to make ahead of time. In fact, I think this cake tastes even better the next day!
Recipe Ingredients
Let me just start by saying that the ingredient list may seem long for this pumpkin spice bundt cake recipe, but I assure you it’s not too difficult.
- Cream cheese: Make sure to use brick-style cream cheese. Full-fat is best in this recipe.
- Sugar: I love to use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this cake versus just granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds some extra flavor and moisture to this cake that I really love.
- Eggs: Need to be room temperature before going into the batter.
- Vanilla extract: Added to both the cream cheese filling and the cake batter for extra flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Be sure to spoon and level your flour when measuring it so your cake doesn’t come out dense.
- Spices: I prefer to use a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. I’ve tested this cake with store-bought pumpkin pie spice and while it tastes good, the flavor is better with the ratio of spices listed in the recipe.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Helps the cake rise.
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness of the batter.
- Oil: Either canola or vegetable oil will work.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is just pureed pumpkin (makes sense, right?) and the only ingredient listed on the back of the can will be pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is actually pumpkin puree that’s been sweetened with spices added to it, so just be sure to use the correct one.
How to Make Pumpkin Bundt Cake
For this recipe, I actually prefer to make the cream cheese layer first, then prepare the bundt cake so I can just layer everything and pop it into the oven. To make the cream cheese layer, simply beat your cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Then, mix in one egg until just combined.
Once the cream cheese mixture has been mixed together, it’s time to prepare the cake batter. To make the cake batter, whisk together your flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix the two together until just combined.
Pour half of the batter into a greased 10-inch Bundt pan, then top with the cream cheese layer. Pour the remaining batter on top, and bake it in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes.
Once the cake has cooled, you can top it with a simple vanilla glaze. The glaze is completely optional and you can just leave it off if you don’t prefer the extra step.
Ingredients
Servings: 12 slices
For the cream cheese filling:
- 1 (8-ounce) package brick-style cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the pumpkin bundt cake:
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs , room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the vanilla glaze:
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) milk (use more as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter and dust with flour. Set aside.
To make the cream cheese filling:
- In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract for about 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Add in the egg and mix on low speed until just combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
To make the pumpkin bundt cake:
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan, carefully pour the cream cheese filling on top of the batter, then pour the other half of the batter on top of the cream cheese layer and smooth it out.
- Bake at 350°F for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 25 to 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack, remove it from the pan, and allow to cool completely.
To make the glaze:
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk to a small mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Pour onto the cool pumpkin bundt cake and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to harden.
