Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Buying three cans of pumpkin in August and watching my pantry judge me at 9 PM on a Tuesday is exactly what led to this pumpkin cream cheese bundt cake. I usually struggle with neat layers, so putting a cheesecake ring inside a cake sounded like a recipe for structural collapse.

The first time I made it, I worried the cake would break when I flipped the pan, but heavy greasing and a full cooling period saved the day. This recipe creates a dense, warmly spiced pumpkin cake with a tangy cream cheese center and requires no decorating skills. Here is exactly how I do it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Crowd-pleasing magic. It looks like you spent hours on a complicated dessert, but it is secretly an easy pumpkin cream cheese cake recipe that requires zero decorating skills.
• Two desserts in one. You get a dense, spiced pumpkin cake and tangy cheesecake in a single slice.
• Pantry friendly. This recipe uses one standard can of pumpkin puree, so you do not have to store an awkward leftover spoonful.
• Forgiving structure. Even if your cream cheese layer looks uneven, the cake still tastes unbelievable.

Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy, I promise.

• 10-inch bundt pan You need a 10 to 12 cup capacity pan, otherwise you will be cleaning burnt cake batter off the bottom of your oven.
• Electric mixer. A mixer creates a smooth cream cheese filling without an exhausting arm workout.
• Cooling rack. A cooling rack lets the cake cool evenly before you invert it.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour – Spoon and level this so you do not end up with a dry cake block.
• 2 teaspoons baking soda – This seems like a lot, but this is a massive cake and it needs serious lifting power.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt – To balance the sugar.
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon – The backbone of any good fall bundt cake recipe.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger – Adds that nice warm kick.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves – A little goes a long way.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg – Freshly grated if you are feeling ambitious, but jarred is totally fine.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice – If you don’t have all these individual spices, you can sub pumpkin pie spice.
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree – Make sure it is pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, or your sugar ratio will be completely ruined.
• 1 cup packed brown sugar – I prefer dark brown for a richer flavor, but light brown works too.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar – Yes, there is a lot of sugar in this. We are making a cake, not a salad.
• 1 cup vegetable oil – You need a neutral oil so it doesn’t overpower the pumpkin.
• 4 large eggs – Room temperature! If you forgot to take them out, soak them in warm water for ten minutes.
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract – The good stuff if you have it.

For the Cream Cheese Filling

• 12 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese – Softened to room temperature. Do not use the spreadable tub kind unless you want a soupy filling.
• 1 large egg – Room temperature again.
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar – Just enough to sweeten the tang.
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract – For flavor.

How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Take a deep breath, grease your pan like your life depends on it, and let’s assemble this thing.

1. Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and generously grease a 10-inch Bundt pan. Even if your pan claims to be nonstick, do not trust it—grease it aggressively to prevent this heavy cake from sticking.
2. Mix the dry cake ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice together. Set aside.
3. Mix the wet cake ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. The batter will be thick—that is totally normal.
4. Make the cream cheese filling: Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese on high speed until no lumps remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the sugar, egg, and vanilla on medium-high speed until combined. If you skip softening the cream cheese, you will have lumpy filling, and nobody wants a lumpy cheesecake layer.
5. Layer the cake: Spread half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan. Spread all of the cream cheese filling evenly on top. Spread the remaining pumpkin batter over the filling. Use a knife to gently swirl the layers together to create that classic pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese swirl. If your swirl is messy, do not panic, it will still taste incredible.
6. Bake: Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out clean with just a couple lightly moist crumbs. This is a heavy cake, so if it takes a little longer, that is just your oven doing its thing.
7. Cool and invert: Remove from the oven and cool for exactly 2 hours in the pan on a wire rack. Set a timer. If you try to flip a hot pumpkin bundt cake with filling, it will break in half and you will cry. After 2 hours, invert the slightly cooled cake onto a serving plate.

Troubleshooting Guide

Something went sideways? Been there. Here is how to fix it.

• Problem: My cake is stuck in the pan.
  Why it happened: You didn’t grease it enough, or you tried to flip it while it was still piping hot.
  Fix it: If it’s still hot, wait. If it’s cooled and stuck, gently tap the outside of the pan with a wooden spoon. If it breaks, glue it back together with icing. It is fixable, I promise.

• Problem: The cream cheese filling sank to the bottom.
  Why it happened: You might have spread the filling too close to the edges of the pan, or the pumpkin batter underneath wasn’t thick enough.
  Fix it: Next time, leave a small border of pumpkin batter around the filling. For now, slice it and call it a cream cheese crust.

• Problem: The outside is getting too dark but the inside is raw.
  Why it happened: Your oven runs hot, or the pan is too dark, which absorbs more heat.
  Fix it: Tent the top loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking so the middle can catch up without burning the crust.

Make It Yours

• You replace the individual spices with pumpkin pie spice for a faster fall bundt cake recipe.
• You add chopped pecans to the pumpkin batter for a nutty variation.
• You drizzle cooled slices with salted caramel instead of adding glaze before storage.

Perfect Pairings

These go perfectly with an aggressive amount of autumn coziness.

• A mug of hot black coffee cuts through the sweetness.
• A drizzle of salted caramel sauce pushes the cake into full dessert territory.
• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream gives every slice a cool, creamy finish.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

This pumpkin cream cheese bundt cake proves that a layered dessert can look impressive without demanding perfect decorating skills. This easy pumpkin cream cheese cake recipe uses one can of pumpkin, a moist oil-based batter, and a tangy cream cheese center to create a reliable holiday dessert. Whether you serve it as a pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese swirl at Thanksgiving or bring it to a fall potluck, this fall bundt cake recipe deserves a permanent place in your baking rotation.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: cake

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 2 and 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)*
• 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark here)
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil (see Note)
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling

• 12 ounces (339g) full-fat brick cream cheese softened to room temperature*
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional Topping

• salted caramel sauce
• flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Equipment

• 10-inch bundt pan
• Electric mixer
• Cooling rack

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and generously grease a 10-inch Bundt pan. (Even if your pan is labeled nonstick, still grease it very well to prevent the big heavy cake from sticking.)
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice together. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together until combined.

   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Batter is thick. Set aside.
3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until no lumps remain, about 1 minute.

   Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Beat in the remaining ingredients on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 1 minute.
4. Spread half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared bundt pan. Spread all of the cream cheese filling evenly on top. Spread the remaining pumpkin batter on top. Use a knife to gently swirl the layers together.
5. Bake for 55–65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with just a couple lightly moist crumbs. This is a large, heavy cake so don’t be alarmed if it takes a little longer in your oven. Mine usually takes 60 minutes exactly.
6. Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 hours in the pan set on a wire rack. Then invert the slightly cooled Bundt cake onto a cooling rack or serving plate/cake stand.
7. Allow to cool completely before drizzling with optional topping and serving.
8. Cover leftover cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days and/or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

Freeze the baked cake for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Spices:
Replace the ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Keep the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

Pumpkin:
Canned pumpkin puree gives the best flavor and texture. Libby’s works well.

Oil:
Use vegetable, canola, avocado, or olive oil. You can replace half the oil with unsweetened applesauce. If using coconut oil, melt it first and bake the batter immediately.

Cream Cheese:
Use 1 1/2 standard 8-ounce blocks of brick cream cheese.

Loaf Version:
Divide the batter between two 9×5-inch loaf pans. Layer the pumpkin and cream cheese mixtures, then gently swirl with a knife.