Last updated on January 27th, 2022
This Pumpkin Bundt Cake is blessed with a gorgeous countenance, a moist crumb, and a beautiful autumn-spice perfume. In other words, it is the kind of cake that belongs on your October or November tea table! Here’s the step-by-step and printable recipe:
To start, throw some flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Set aside.
Next, drop some room temperature butter and some dark brown sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer, and beat them at medium speed until smooth — 3-5 minutes. No standing mixer for you? Use a large bowl and electric, hand-held beaters. No electric beaters? Use a stout spoon and plenty of elbow grease.
One at a time, beat in 2 large eggs.
Then beat in a can of pure pumpkin puree. (Wanna make your own pumpkin puree? Click here for directions.)
Finally, beat in some sour cream and a splash of pure vanilla extract.
With the mixer running at low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, beating only until the flour disappears into the batter.
Spoon the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan…
And smooth the top with a spatula.
If you’re like me, you’ll want to clean off any bits of batter that have dripped onto the sides and rim of the pan. Because neatness counts.
Bake until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean — 55 to 60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
Then place a plate or cake stand over the Bundt pan…
And then invert the two to unmold.
This next step is very important, as it will give you the cleanest slices: Let the cake cool completely before slicing it. When cooled to room temperature, either shower the cake with confectioners’ sugar, or glaze or frost it. Or, do nothing at all! The dessert is so moist and delicious that it does not require any adornment whatsoever.
Enjoy!
Here’s the printable:
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients
The dry ingredients:
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
The wet ingredients:
- 1 cup (226g) butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Preliminaries:
- Center the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Also, grease and flour (or spray with "baking" spray) a standard 12-cup-capacity, 10-inch-diameter Bundt pan.
Mixing the dry ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Making the cake batter:
- In the bowl of a standing mixer that is outfitted with the mixing or "paddle" attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar together at medium speed until perfectly smooth -- 3-5 minutes. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla.
- At "low" speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture. Beat only until the flour disappears into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, and smooth the top with a spatula.
Baking and cooling the cake:
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until a toothpick or skewer inserted between the tube and the edge of the pan comes out clean -- 55-60 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes on wire rack, then unmold onto a plate or platter. Cool completely before slicing.
- Although the cake doesn't require any adornment, you might like to dust it with confectioners' sugar before serving. Or, glaze or frost the cake.
Video
Mary Laiuppa says
Each year I love to buy a pumpkin, roast it and use it for pie every year, but unfortunately my Dad likes Libby and the recipe off the can. I have a wonderful recipe for spiced bourbon pumpkin pie and never get to make it.
I think this year I am going to make this bundt cake. My Mother loves cake and I know my sister won’t make one. I have a really great bundt pan too.
Some years I do more than one pumpkin and then freeze it to use when pumpkins are out of season. I’m hoping next summer to grow my own pie pumpkins.
Now I reviewed your pumpkin puree recipe and I have one question. If I don’t have a pale green bowl, will a dark green one do?
Ann says
Can I use canned pumpkin instead of pumpkin puree?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Mary – Spiced Bourbon Pumpkin Pie sounds wonderful. Why not make it for yourself? (That’s would I would do!)
Hi Ann – Yes! Canned pumpkin is “canned pumpkin puree.” Enjoy the cake!
Lin says
No, you adorable human being, I do not want to make my own pumpkin puree. I once made a pumpkin pie from scratch only to have the thankless gathering tell me they preferred my canned pumpkin version. This cake is going on a girls’ scrapbooking adventure. Thank you.
Kristi says
This one of those cakes that probably get better as it ages a bit. But we ate it so fast I won’t be able to find out. It was scrumptious.
Constantine says
Hi Kevin, thank you for posting this recipe. I made it over the weekend and it was fantastic! I only had light brown sugar so I added a Tbl of molasses to the mix. Frosted with a browned butter frosting with a touch of cinnamon. Everyone loved it!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Kristi – It is a “disappearing” cake. So glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Consantine – Great idea you had, adding molasses in order to darken the sugar. And of course your brown-butter frosting sounds divine. Glad the cake was a hit!
Colleen Thompson says
I was worried how this was baking but when I looked back at the video, yours looked like mine does on the top. I was thinking, why isn’t this a smooth looking cake? But not to worry, it tastes wonderful. I had last years pumpkin in the freezer & while it wasn’t quite enough I used my butternut squash, also in the freezer. I always have this for my poodle Duffy who loves the squash in his food and it’s good for what ails him. Thanks for another great cake and thanks for reading my comment on YouTube and doing some pumpkin recipes.