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Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 95 reviews

This Pumpkin Bundt Cake recipe offers a moist and flavorful autumn-inspired dessert featuring warm spices like pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and ground star anise. Topped with a smooth and subtly spiced cream cheese frosting, it’s perfect for festive occasions or cozy gatherings. The cake is easy to prepare using a stand mixer and baked to golden perfection in a bundt pan.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground star anise (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

Frosting

  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Milk, 2-3 tablespoons (to thin)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place a rack in the center of the oven to ensure even baking.
  2. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ground star anise (if using), and kosher salt. Set this mixture aside.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the softened butter, canola or vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully incorporated. Next, add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  4. Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in the mixer. Beat on low speed until you have a smooth batter with no streaks of flour, scraping the bowl occasionally to evenly incorporate all ingredients.
  5. Prepare Bundt Pan: Thoroughly grease a 12-cup bundt pan with a nonstick baking spray that contains flour or grease and flour the pan to prevent sticking.
  6. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan, spreading it with a spatula if needed. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean.
  7. Cool the Cake: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then carefully invert the pan to remove the cake and allow it to cool completely on the wire rack.
  8. Make the Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fully combined. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, starting on low speed and then increasing to high, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  9. Adjust Frosting Consistency: Gradually add milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a thin drizzle-able consistency. Typically, between 2 to 3 tablespoons are needed.
  10. Frost the Cake: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with the tip snipped off (no nozzle needed). Starting at the interior of the bundt cake, pipe the frosting in a back-and-forth zigzag pattern over the cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides evenly.

Notes

  • Ensure all your butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for smooth mixing.
  • The ground star anise is optional and can be omitted if unavailable; it adds a subtle aromatic warmth.
  • Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to maintain the correct texture and sweetness.
  • If you prefer a thicker frosting, use less milk; for a glaze-like drizzle, use more.
  • Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
  • This cake stores well covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Keywords: pumpkin bundt cake, pumpkin spice cake, cream cheese frosting, fall dessert, autumn cake, baking, bundt cake recipe

Find it online: https://stirringwithstella.com/pumpkin-bundt-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/