Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
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.
FAQ’s
How to Store This Cake
Can I Freeze This Cake?
This cake will freeze well for up to 3 months! I suggest wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and storing it in a large freezer bag or container. You can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and add the glaze the next day.
Can I Use Mini Bundt Pans?
I haven’t tried this recipe before using mini bundt pans, so I’m not quite sure. I would guess they’d need to bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, but it really depends on the size of the pans.
Baking Tips
- Make sure your cream cheese and egg are at room temperature before getting started. This will ensure a much smoother layer of cream cheese in your bundt cake.
- When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it out of the container with your measuring cup. It’s best to stir the flour around, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Be sure to use pumpkin puree in this recipe and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree will just have pumpkin listed as the only ingredient on the back of the can.
- If you want to make a smaller cake, you can use my recipe for this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crumb Cake and omit the crumb topping.
More Pumpkin Desserts with Cream Cheese!
- Pumpkin Roll
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
Ingredients
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
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.
This cake looks gorgeous! Love the cream cheese filling. Pinned!
Thank you, Mira!
I have not tried a taste but a little I cut off to have it sit better on the platter. It has a bit of gingery flavor, but overall is good. I baked for 60 min. Next time I will check at 50 minutes. I am taking it to a dinner (risky move on new recipe), so I hope after a night in the fridge it will be moist enough. If I had time, I would bake a second one, as it sounds wonderful.
I hope everyone enjoys the cake, Marilyn! The cake stays moist even after a few days, so it should be fine 🙂
Rarely do I get a bundt cake to come out cleanly in one piece AND be completely done in the middle…BUT THIS CAKE CAME OUT PERFECTLY!!! It was soooo pretty and delicious! And it was gone in one day!
I’m so glad to hear that the bundt cake turned out great for you, Christie! 🙂
The spices were perfect in this bundt cake and everyone enjoyed it down to the last crumb. I sprinkled a few pepitas on top of the icing for a little bit of crunch but other than that no changes to the recipe. The recipe is perfect as is!
Pepitas sound like a wonderful idea! So glad to hear everyone enjoyed the bundt cake! 🙂
Absolutely delicious cake! I liked that wasn’t too sweet. Shared the recipe with friend. A new fall favorite for me. Thank you!
I’m glad you liked the cake, Kim!
I love pumpkin and would like to try your recipe. I have 10-cup bundt and I think its not enough, so can I use 9×13 galss baking pan instead? Do you recommend new temperature and baking time for using the glass pan?
Also, can I use the crumb recipe from your Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crumb Cake? Should I double the crump amount to have enough for 9×13 pan?
Thanks Danielle for all the amazing recipes!
Hi, Hannah! I haven’t tried it in a 9×13 pan yet but I think it should work. I would *guess* the baking time to be 45-55 minutes at 350F. You can also use the crumb topping from my other recipe here too. It makes quite a bit, so it may be enough for the cake.
Thanks Danielle
What if you doubled the cream cheese filling?
That should be fine!
Hello, I am getting ready to make your recipe but I only have pumpkin pie mix. Will it turn out bad if I use this instead?
Pumpkin pie mix is already sweetened and has spices added to it. I really wouldn’t suggest using it in place of the pumpkin puree in this recipe.
This looks good! I’m going to make it this week! If I used mini bundt pans do you know the approximate baking time? I’m usually pretty good at guessing but I like to ask just in case you’ve tried it already. Thanks!
I haven’t tried these in mini bundt pans, so I’m not quite sure. I would guess about 25-30 minutes, but it really depends on the size of the pans.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
I would suggest using oil, it helps to keep the cake moist and using butter would change the texture. If you do use butter though, it’s not quite a 1:1 substitute.
This recipe sounds delicious! You mention that it is best to serve the cake cold; is it okay to serve at room temperature? This time of year space is the fridge is so limited.
Yes, that would be fine! Just make sure not to leave it out for more than a couple of hours, since there is a layer of cream cheese in the middle.
Hi, I’m getting ready to make one. It looks really nice and yummy. Hope it’s not too difficult to follow the recipe as Im not very experienced. I’ll be using it in 4 days, shoul I just bake ahead and leave in the fridge or better off in the freezer? Would the taste and it’s texture be the same if I freeze and then thaw over night in the fridge? If I need to serve in the late afternoon, when should I take it out from the freezer? Thank you so much!
Either way is fine, if you plan to serve it within 4 days then I would just keep it refrigerated. If you do freeze it, I would thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
Could I use the pumpkin pie spice that’s already mixed?
Yes, I would probably use about 2 teaspoons and reduce the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon.
Haven’t tasted it yet but had a problem keeping the cream cheese filling in the middle, it oozed up around the other half of cake batter.
If you try the recipe again, it helps to try to enclose the cream cheese filling in the batter and not spread it all the way to the edges. Hopefully, it tasted okay for you!
I made this cake yesterday for my dairy farmer husband and his work crew. While they are not a fussy crowd, they all complimented me on how delicious this cake was. I will definitely be making it again! Thanks for the great recipes!
So happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the cake, Catherine!
This looks amazing but my family is not big on “pumpkin” flavored things. Do you think I can use sweet potato purée instead?!
I honestly have tried it, so I’m not quite sure. It may work, but sweet potato puree will be sweeter than pumpkin so you may need to reduce the sugar.
Thank you!!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Can I substitute almond milk for the milk? And is there another oil you recommend? I don’t use canola or vegetable. Maybe grapeseed?
Yes, almond milk would be fine! You can use any kind of neutral flavored oil too.
This is a definite keeper. The family ate it before I made the icing and they loved it. The cream cheese filling is not overly sweet, and there is a great balance to the spices. This will take the place of the pumpkin log cake that is a bit fussy rolling ia a tea towel blah blah blah. Thank you!
I am making this now. I added more cinnamon and some allspice as I did not have ginger , nutmeg or cloves. We are excited to try it.
Do you think I could replace 1/2 cup of the oil with applesauce? That’s a lot of oil!! Thank You!! ?❤️❤️?
I think that would be fine.
Hello! I was just wondering if this needs refrigerated if I eliminate the cream cheese? I’m hoping to make it with chocolate chips and need something that doesn’t require refrigeration. I’ve made it before with the cream cheese and it’s incredible. Thank you!
If you omit the cream cheese filling, then it is fine to leave at room temperature. It should keep for 3 to 4 days as long as it’s covered tightly or stored in an airtight container.
This cake looks and sounds so delicious.
Can I make this cake with gluten free flour ?
You may be able to use a gluten free flour that substitutes 1:1 for all-purpose flour, but I haven’t personally tried it.
I make this Bundt cake every year for the fall/thanksgiving time! I am absolutely love it and it’s definitely a crowd pleaser.
Fantastic recipe! Flavors are so autumn-esque. Not
Difficult to make if one stays organized and put everything out and follow instructions. Made the house smell amazing!!! 5 stars.
I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and will make it again this Thanksgiving. Everyone loves it, but some would prefer extra cream cheese filling. If I were to increase the filling by 50% or even double it, would that affect the baking time? I have made a cream cheese glaze instead of the vanilla glaze, which is a crowd-pleaser, but a bit more filling would make them even happier. It’s a great recipe!
Hi, Ellen! So glad to hear that everyone loved the cake! You could definitely increase the filling, you may need to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.
Wondering if this would work with neufchatel cream cheese?
Yes, that would be fine!
I made this cake, actually 2, for a party this weekend and everyone loved it. In fact they requested for the party this weekend. I made more cream cheese filling and topped it with caramel drizzle and walnuts. I had requests for additions…walnuts, chocolate chips, a crumb topping. Could this recipe be made into cupcakes? This way I could make a few variations. Or use the crumb topping on the bundt cake? I rarely flip my bundt cakes because my family likes the crunchy top (which should be the bottom) of the cake.
Yes, you could bake it into cupcakes! It would be fine to add a crumb topping on it as well. If the topping starts to brown too much before it’s done, you can just cover it loosely with foil.
Can the cream cheese layer be doubled or maybe add another layer?
I haven’t tried it, so I’m not sure. It may work, but there’s a chance it may make the cream cheese layer too heavy and sink.
This cake should come with a warning that it is not suitable for elderly, pregnant nor children as it contains raw egg in the cream cheese mixture
Did you read the instructions? The cheesecake layer is added into the center before baking and then baked for over an hour, so it’s fully baked through.
Just made this and I doubled the cream
Cheese layer. I baked it in a 12 cup Nordic ware Bundt pan and I was getting nervous it would spill over since I doubled the cream cheese layer but it didn’t lol! I baked it for 60 minutes before the checked it and it was done to perfection. I left it to cool for 10 minutes as I always do with a Bundt cake and it flipped out of the pan just fine! You can clearly see the cream cheese layer on the sides of the cake but I don’t mind that! I tried a little piece that I broke off from the bottom it is delicious! I made a cream cheese drizzle/frosting to pipe over the top because we LOVE cream cheese. Thank you for the delicious and easy to follow recipe!
I made this cake for a party. It was gone quickly and several people asked me for the recipe. Unfortunately, I did not get a bite of the cake. This was easy to make and will definitely make it again. Hopefully next time I will get a slice.