Pumpkin Bundt Cake

I know how much y’all love some pumpkin so I got y’all all the way together with this pumpkin bundt cake recipe boos. This baby is the epitome of fall vibes, packing a punch with warm spices and a tender moist crumb that just melts in your mouth. Bake it up for any special autumn shindig or when you’re just feeling those fall cravings, and watch this pumpkin bundt cake become your new seasonal faves.

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A pumpkin bundt cake with icing on a wire rack with slices cut and pulled out of the cake.

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Fall is definitely my top season when it comes to baking because of all those bomb desserts and flavors. This Pumpkin Bundt Cake? Oh, it’s the real MVP of fall treats. It’s all about that no-fuss vibe where the simple ingredients just pop! The pumpkin shines through with a moist texture. And the real cherry on the top is this to-die-for brown butter glaze dripping down its sides. It elevates this pumpkin bundt cake from just yum to legit heavenly. f you love brown butter as a flavor, make sure to check out this Kentucky Brown Butter Cake as well!

The Lowdown of This Pumpkin Bundt

Closeup of Jocelyn in pink dress smiling

Cuisine Inspiration: Fall Southern Vibes

Primary Cooking Method: Baking!

Dietary Info: Can be made gluten-free with ingredient swaps

Key Flavor: Melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin spice flavor with a nutty brown butter finish

Skill Level: Easy Y’all (No Sweat Fam!)

From the pumpkin puree to the blend of cinnamon that infuses every bite of this tender moist cake, it simply tastes like what fall should taste like y’all! It stays giving that warm and cozy vibe with each bite.

Boos, this is a stunner periodt! Not only does that gorgeous autumn orange look straight up gorgeous, the brown butter glaze takes it from an ordinary pumpkin cake to something spectacular!

Making this cake ain’t hard at all. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, you can make a cake that looks like a pro made it.

Ingredients to Make This Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe

Flour, sugar, pumpkin, spices and eggs to make a bundt cake on a white countertop.
  • Butter: We use unsalted so we can control the salt but this stays giving the best richness and flavor.
  • Eggs: These are the building blocks of our cake giving us amazing structure.
  • Cake Flour: I like to use cake flour here to keep the cake super moist and tender.
  • Sour Cream: Sour cream not only gives that bomb tangy flavor but amazing moistness!
  • Pumpkin: The key ingredient to make this the most incredible pumpkin pound cake. Grab canned for ease and consistency.
  • Cinnamon: This warming spice is the best flavor to pair with pumpkin!
  • Sugars: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and tenderness to the bundt cake while powdered sugar creates a silky smooth glaze.
  • Vanilla extract: For that delish aromatic essence, grab pure vanilla here boos.
  • Salt: We gotta throw this in to balance the sweetness and enhance the overall flavors.
  • Milk: We need just a little to thin out the glaze so it’s perfectly pourable!

How to Make This Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe

Butter and sugar in a glass stand mixer bowl on white countertop
1
Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Eggs added to a stand mixer with creamed butter and sugar in a glass mixer bowl
2
Add in the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each adding each one.
Pumpkin puree, sour cream added to a pumpkin pound cake batter in a mixing bowl
3
Slow the mixer to the lowest speed and add in the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and baking powder then add the sour cream, pumpkin, and vanilla.
A pumpkin pound cake batter mixed together on a white countertop
4
Mix just until the mixture comes together.

PRO TIP: Once you add the flour, it’s CRUCIAL to avoid overmixing. Just mix everything together until JUST combined then turn that mixer off.

Pumpkin bundt cake batter being poured into a greased pan before baking
5
Pour the cake batter into a prepared bundt pan.
Pumpkin cake batter spread in a cake pan on a white countertop
6
Spread it out so itโ€™s evenly in the pan.
A baked pumpkin cake in a bundt pan on a white countertop
7
Bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but mostly clean y’all.
Pumpkin bundt cake recipe resting on a wire rack before icing.
8
the cake for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn it out onto a cooling rack until it’s room temp.
Brown butter glaze being mixed in a glass bowl with a whisk
9
Whisk together the melted butter, confectioner’s sugar, and milk.
Brown butter glaze being added to pumpkin cake on wire rack.
10
Drizzle the glaze over your completely cooled cake.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Recipe Substitutions

  • Sugar: Swap in some light brown sugar to add a bit more molasses flavor.
  • Cake Flour: We want this pumpkin bundt to be super tender so cake flour is my must but if you don’t have it at home, you can learn how to make cake flour easily boos with all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
  • Cinnamon: Replace the cinnamon with a little nutmeg for more complex flavors.
  • Sour Cream: Greek yogurt is a great swap here.
  • Confectioner’s Sugar: If you ran out, you can make powdered sugar at home with some granulated sugar and a blender.

Recipe Additions and Variations

  • Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake: Stir in your favorite chocolate chips right at the end of mixing and bake up.
  • Skip the Glaze: If you want a plain cake, just leave off the glaze and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
  • Add Some Caramel: Instead of the brown butter glaze, drizzle your pumpkin cake with a caramel sauce. Delish!
  • Add Some Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts go great with the flavors of this cake. Make sure to chop them up into small pieces and then lightly sprinkle them over the top of the glaze right after adding it. You can also mix them right into the batter too.

Expert Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake

  • Room Temp Baby! Allowing all your ingredients to come to the same temperature evens the playing field. This way during the baking process, all your ingredients will heat at the same rate and make for a bundt cake with maximum volume. 
  • Donโ€™t Overbeat:  When you add your dry ingredients, make sure you only mix until just combined so you don’t overact the gluten.
  • Chill Out: Make sure that cake is cooled down to room temp before you add your glaze so it doesn’t melt right off.
  • Easy Cleanup: Place a baking sheet lined with parchment underneath the wire rack with your cake on top so that as you pour the glaze it drips into the pan. This makes cleanup a breeze afterward and also ensures the glaze doesn’t pool around the base of the cake.
Pumpkin spice bundt cake recipe sliced on plates with forks on the white table.

How to Store Pumpkin Pound Cake

Store your pumpkin pound cake well-wrapped at room temperature in a cool, dry place or in a cake carrier for ease.

How long will a pumpkin bundt cake last?

It should last at room temp for about 5-6 days.

Can I freeze this pumpkin pound cake recipe?

Yep, fo sho! If your baking it to get ahead, I recommend freezing it without the glaze. Wrap it up in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to three months. If you’re freezing leftovers, wrap up the remaining section of cake or individual slices in plastic and store it inside a freezer bag or container for up to three months.

If you freeze the whole pumpkin spice bundt cake, allow it to thaw on the counter overnight and then you can add the glaze the next day. For individual pieces, they will likely thaw out in an hour or so on the counter.

A pumpkin bundt cake recipe on a wire rack on the table with a stack of plates in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh pumpkin puree to make this pumpkin bundt cake?

Yep for sure but canned is really the move! I find that fresh pumpkin puree often has more moisture than canned which is why I prefer to rely on using canned especially in baking. If you decide to go ahead with using pumpkin puree make sure you allow it plenty of time to drain and even squeeze it in a piece of cheesecloth or a clean tea towel to remove the excess liquid.

How do I keep my bundt cake from sticking to the pan?

Use a non-stick baking spray or shortening to coat the inside of the Bundt pan. Make sure to cover every nook and cranny of the pan’s intricate design. Then sprinkle it lightly with flour before adding your cake batter. Inverting a slightly cooled cake over a wire rack allows gravity to help remove it from the pan without breaking. If it seems to be a bit resistant, allow it some time to keep cooling.

Can I make this pumpkin pound cake ahead?

For sure boos! In fact, it tastes even better if you make a day or 2 ahead of when you serve it. Just make sure you keep it completely covered not letting any air get to it so it doesn’t dry out.

Closeup of a slice of pumpkin pound cake with glaze on a plate with a fork.

This pumpkin bundt might seem simple but that flavor is off the charts boos.  Tender and moist, this cake melts in your mouth.  And when you top it with my brown butter glaze, you will be humming until the cows come home! Grab that bundt pan and let’s get into it y’all.

More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

A pumpkin pound cake on a wire rack cut into slices.

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

This spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake recipe is made with a tender and moist pumpkin pound cake with a tasty brown butter glaze! It's the best Fall dessert ever!One of the best pumpkin dessert recipes ever!
3.97 from 86 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cake:

  • 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter 2 1/2 sticks.room temperature
  • 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 large eggs
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend
  • 1 ยฝ teaspoons baking powder
  • ยพ cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

For the Browned Butter Glaze:

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Pound Cake:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare your bundt pan with shortening and flour or non-stick baking spray.
  • In your mixer bowl, cream together butter, sugar and salt on high speed until light and fluffy for 5 minutes.
  • Next add in eggs, one at a time, and mix until well incorporated.
  • Slow mixer to lowest speed and carefully add in flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and baking powder then add in sour cream, pumpkin and extract and mix until just combined.
  • Pour cake batter into bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out moist but mostly clean.
  • Cool cake for 10 minutes then invert cake onto cooling rack and cool until room temperature.

For the Brown Butter Glaze:

  • Start by browning the butter. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. Continue to cook butter and allow it to slowly brown until it turns a dark golden color with specs throughout and a nutty fragrance develops. Be careful not to burn.
  • Whisk together browned butter, confectioner's sugar and milk.
  • Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and serve.

Notes

How to Store Pumpkin Pound Cake

Store your pumpkin pound cake well-wrapped at room temperature in a cool, dry place or in a cake carrier for ease.

How long will a pumpkin bundt cake last?

It should last at room temp for about 5-6 days.

Can I freeze this pumpkin pound cake recipe?

Yep, fo sho! If your baking it to get ahead, I recommend freezing it without the glaze. Wrap it up in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to three months. If you’re freezing leftovers, wrap up the remaining section of cake or individual slices in plastic and store it inside a freezer bag or container for up to three months.
If you freeze the whole pumpkin spice bundt cake, allow it to thaw on the counter overnight and then you can add the glaze the next day. For individual pieces, they will likely thaw out in an hour or so on the counter.

Nutrition

Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 2405IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.6mg
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Filed Under:  Dessert and Baking, Fall Recipes, Oven, Pound Cakes, Thanksgiving

Comments

  1. I made this the other day and it was fabulous. I came back to make it today for a party and the eggs and the number of eggs are missing from the ingredients list.

  2. This cake looks delicious! The instructions say to add sour cream. But then it states to add “cream”. But cream is not one of the listed ingredients. Please help with this clarification. Thank you.

  3. This cake looks so, so, good. Would like to make for the teachers at my son school. Ingredients does not list how many eggs. How many eggs for the recipe.

  4. I made this today and it came out excellent, exactly like the pictures! I was honestly so happy to find a pumpkin bundt cake recipe that wasn’t just a riff on the pumpkin bread recipe that it seems everyone has (you know the one: 1 cup oil, 3 cups sugar, 4 eggs, 1 can pumpkin, etc. …) This, in delightful contrast, has the texture of a great pound cake with a pumpkin flavor that isn’t overpowering. I would recommend adding a little nutmeg and ginger on top of the cinnamon, though. Also, when I made this I was surprised by the amount of vanilla in the recipe (2 tablespoons); I went with 1 tablespoon, and feel that it’s sufficient.

    1. Hi Grant, so glad you enjoyed the cake. You can make any additional spins you prefer but I love the recipe as is. I think everyone should make a recipe their own. I happen to love a lot of vanilla so I went with that. Enjoy!

  5. Hi. Just curious.if its just melted butter why is it called brown butter? I want to make this for Thanksgiving but want to be sure I’m making it correctly.

    1. Hi Deanna, the melted butter continues to cook until it browns and turn a golden color so that’s where the name brown butter came from. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

3.97 from 86 votes (69 ratings without comment)

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