It’s pumpkin time again. Remember how my kiddos used to hate anything pumpkin, but now they can’t get enough of them? Thanks to their newfound love for pumpkin desserts, I have felt confident branching into even more flavors. Check out my recipe for pumpkin bundt cake below!
Why Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake Is The Best
- Pumpkin puree brings in natural sweetness and keeps the cake delightfully moist. And let’s not forget the warm spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, which give us a truly mind-blowing fall flavor mix!
- The bundt pan magic is what makes it so special! That fancy fluted design doesn’t just make the cake look stunning, you know. It also helps each slice come out easily with no messy cutting. Perfect for sharing, right?
- You can tweak the recipe however you like. Keep it simple for a quick treat, or glam it up with frosting or glaze for a fancier dessert. Who am I to stop you from playing around with the ingredients?
- And can we talk about its heavenly aroma? The scent of pumpkin spice baking in the oven brings back all the warm, fuzzy memories of holidays and family get-togethers. It’s a lighter, more crowd-pleasing version of pumpkin pie, adding a fall flair to any Thanksgiving spread. Or if you’re looking for a bite-sized version, my pumpkin muffin recipe will help!
5 Basic Steps To Make Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Let me tell you, I spent lots of hours playing around with different ratios and ingredients to create a moist pumpkin Bundt cake that really stands out. Here’s what I found:
Baking soda: Yes, 2 teaspoons may seem too much. But trust me, when dealing with a big ol’ Bundt cake, it will need as much lift as possible to rise up properly in the pan. I tried mixing some baking powder once, but it didn’t yield the best results. Rising cake aside, baking soda also adds depth to the cake’s color and balances out all the acidity from the other ingredients!
Spices: This cake is loaded with them, and for good reason. Pumpkin by itself can be a bit bland, after all! If you’re lazy (I am sometimes), just swap some spices out for a pre-made pumpkin pie spice blend.
Oil: You have options here; olive oil, melted coconut oil, and vegetable oil all work just fine! But if you’re going with coconut oil, make sure you’re ready to bake as soon as the batter is done. Coconut oil often firms up quickly, and we don’t want it to mess with our cake’s texture!
Eggs: You know, oil, pumpkin, and flour are hefty players in this recipe. So, you must gather four large eggs to give them a lift and tie everything together.
White & brown sugars: Pumpkin is tasty, sure, but it needs a little sweetness to shine. That’s where the sugars come in! I like to use both white and brown sugars for the best balance.
Pure pumpkin: This recipe calls for 15 ounces of puree (or 1 standard can; how convenient!). Trust me, canned pumpkin puree works wonders here – way better than homemade.
Others: Don’t forget the salt, flour, and a dash of vanilla extract to round things out!
Instructions
Step 1.
First, set your oven temperature to 350°F and grease a Bundt pan (10 to 12 cups is ideal).
Step 2.
Now, in a big ol’ bowl, whisk together baking soda, flour, cinnamon, salt, cloves, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Set that aside for a second.
Step 3.
Grab another bowl and mix oil, eggs, pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until they’re all cozy and combined. Pour this mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients we set aside earlier (Step 2, remember?) and give them all a good mix with your whisk or electric mixer.
If you’re feeling fancy, toss in some nuts or chocolate chips, too! The batter will be thick and creamy, and you should end up with about 5 cups.
Step 4.
Scoop or pour the cake batter into your Bundt pan and pop it in the oven. It’ll take 55 to 70 minutes to bake everything golden. Don’t worry if it takes a little longer; this cake’s a heavy hitter! Stick a toothpick into the middle in the last few minutes; you will know the cake is ready when no moist crumbs cling to the toothpick once you pull it out.
Step 5.
When it’s done, remove it from that oven and let it chill in the Bundt pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours. Then, carefully flip that bad boy onto a fancy cake stand, serving plate, or another wire rack.
Let the moist cake cool completely before adding icing or toppings. Speaking of which, I often use maple icing and sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice blend on it. Yum!
Pumpkin has even more surprises await. Don’t believe me? Check out my recipe for pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and pumpkin spice cake!
Notes
1. You can use pre-ground spices, but they tend to lose their potent flavors over time. I have learned this lesson the hard way! That’s why I like grinding my spices JUST before using them so they can release their oils and yield a better, more intense cake flavor.
How to do so? Simple: Our best friends are a mortar and pestle (or spice grinder!). Trust me, the difference will blow your mind.
2. Shredded vegetables add LOTS of moisture and flavor! I usually sneak them into the beautiful cake so my kiddos will gobble the whole thing without whining.
First, toss cubed carrots, zucchini, or sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender-crisp, then let them cool slightly before folding them into the cool cake batter. Simple!
But as I said earlier, veggies hold lots of moisture, so you might need to adjust the amount of vegetable oil/coconut oil in my recipe by a tablespoon or two. Start with slightly less liquid than the recipe calls for, and add more if the batter seems too dry. Check my zucchini cake recipe for reference!
3. A stunning marble effect will steal the spotlight at any party!
Spoon about two-thirds of the cake batter into your prepared bundt pan, and dollop spoonfuls of frosting on top of the batter in a decorative pattern. Then, carefully spoon the remaining cake batter over the frosting, gently swirling it with a knife to create a marbled effect. That’s it!
Of course, the marbling might add a few minutes to the baking time. Keep an eye on the cake and test for doneness with my usual toothpick test.
FAQs
Can I Use A Different Type Of Pan Instead Of A Bundt Pan?
I still prefer a Bundt pan to achieve the classic cake shape. But sure, you can use a loaf pan or a muffin tin in a pinch. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly (loaf pans take longer while muffins bake faster).
What’s The Best Way To Store Leftover Cakes?
If stored in an airtight container, the cake will stay moist and fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can wrap it tightly and stash it in the fridge for 5 days to a week.
Good luck with my pumpkin spice bundt cake recipe!
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp ground ginger
- ⅓ tsp ground cloves
- ⅓ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅓ tsp ground allspice
- 1 cup olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 can of pumpkin puree (don't use pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- optional 1 ⅓ cups chopped pecans/walnuts or semisweet chocolate chips
Topping (Optional)
- 1 cup of maple icing or salted caramel
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (for garnish)
Instructions
- Set your oven temperature to 350°F and grease a Bundt pan (size: 10 to 12 cups).
- Whisk baking soda, flour, cinnamon, salt, cloves, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg in a big bowl. Set that aside.
- In another bowl, mix oil, eggs, pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until combined. Pour this mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients (Step 2) and mix with your whisk or mixer. Optional: toss in some nuts or chocolate chips.
- Scoop or pour the cake batter into your Bundt pan. Bake for 55 to 70 minutes (give or take since the cake is heavy). To check, stick a toothpick into the middle; once you pull it out, there should be no moist crumbs on it.
- Let it chill in the Bundt pan on a wire rack (out of the oven) for about 2 hours. Then, carefully flip it onto a cake stand, serving plate, or a second wire rack.
- Let it cool completely before adding icing or toppings (e.g., maple spicing with sprinkles of pumpkin pie spice blend). Enjoy!
Notes
- (Optional) Instead of pre-ground spices, use whole spices and grind them yourself just before using. It creates a more intense flavor.
- (Optional) Consider adding roasted vegetables to the batter, such as shredded carrots, zucchini, or sweet potatoes.
- To marble the batter, spoon about ⅔ of it into the pan. Dollop some frosting atop the batter decoratively, then spoon the remaining ⅓ over the frosting. Gently swirl it with a knife.
