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Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Make a guilt-free dessert full of festive fall flavors with this easy Pumpkin Bundt Cake! It’s covered in a fluffy cream cheese frosting and topped with chopped pecans.

Easy Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting – need I say more? This fall-tastic treat feels like a guilty pleasure, but in reality, it couldn’t be more healthy! The dairy-free cake is made with minimal sugar and plenty of fall spices. The main star of the show, however, is the pumpkin puree. It provides the ultimate pumpkin flavor while keeping the cake extra soft and moist.

On top of that, you have the light and velvety cream cheese frosting that’s made without any powdered sugar. It uses Greek yogurt to give it that fluffy frosting texture and maple syrup to sweeten it up. You’ll never make another cream cheese frosting again!

Finally, the cake is topped off with a sprinkle of chopped pecans. You can toast them for added flavor or substitute them for another chopped nut of your choice. Either way, this cake is bound to turn some heads and delight some taste buds.

A slice of pumpkin cake on a white plate with the remaining cake on a stand in the background

What You’ll Need

Let’s get into the ingredients you’ll need for this decadent pumpkin dessert. The cake and the frosting both keep things super simple.

For the Pumpkin Bundt Cake

  • Pumpkin Puree: I recommend using canned puree over homemade puree, which tends to be too watery.
  • Unsweetened Applesauce: This gives the cake moisture and works with the eggs to bind together the ingredients.
  • Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality extract for optimal results.
  • Eggs
  • Brown & White Sugars: Altogether, this cake only uses 1 cup of sugar.
  • Flour: Go for white whole wheat flour. You can use a gluten-free alternative if necessary.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice: This fall staple is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice.
  • Ground Cinnamon: To enhance the pumpkin spice flavor even more.
  • Baking Powder & Baking Soda: You’ll need 1 teaspoon of each to give your cake the perfect rise.
  • Salt: To help the cake retain moisture.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Cream Cheese: Softened.
  • Plain Greek Yogurt: This adds a lovely tang as well as creaminess.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Maple Syrup: Be sure to use pure maple syrup and not the artificial stuff.
  • Pecans: Chopped into pieces of your desired size.
The top view of a frosted bundt cake with coarsely chopped pecans on top

How to Make The Best Pumpkin Bundt Cake

You’ll be shocked at how easily this dessert comes together. The cake and the frosting each use a single bowl!

  • Prep for Baking: Grease and flour a bundt cake pan, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Make Batter: Use a whisk to mix together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, white sugar, applesauce, vanilla extract and eggs in a large bowl. Then, stir in the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
  • Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes.
A collage of two images showing the batter and the finished cake side by side
  • Let Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before flipping it out onto a rack to cool completely.
  • Make Frosting: Use an electric hand mixer to blend the cream cheese, greek yogurt, vanilla and maple syrup in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Assemble & Serve: Frost the top of the bundt cake and sprinkle it with the chopped pecan pieces. Slice and enjoy!
A collage of three images showing the process of topping the bundt cake with frosting and pecans

Tips for Success

Before you gather up your ingredients and get ready to bake, take a minute to look over the tips and tricks below. Your cake will come out flawless!

  • Do Not Use Pumpkin Pie Filling: Make sure you’re using pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling for your bundt cake. Pumpkin pie filling has a bunch of added ingredients that will mess with the flavor you’re going for.
  • Soften the Cream Cheese: Your frosting won’t combine properly if the cream cheese is cold. Either leave it at room temperature until it’s softened or soften it in the microwave.
  • Grease Pan Well: It’s very important to grease and flour the bundt pan thoroughly. This ensures that your cake will slide out of the pan with ease.
  • Let the Cake Cool Completely: Hold off on frosting your cake until it’s fully cooled. If it’s still warm, the frosting could melt and get messy.
An overhead shot of a frosted pumpkin bundt cake with two slices cut out

Variation Ideas

There’s a lot you can change about this recipe if you’d like to put your own spin on it. I have some simple and delicious suggestions!

  • Caramel Pumpkin Cake: Feel free to top your cake with a drizzle of caramel sauce in place of the frosting. You could also simply dust it with some powdered sugar. Either way, your cake will look lovely!
  • Pumpkin Nut Cake: Want to add some more crunch to your pumpkin bundt cake? In addition to sprinkling crushed pecans on top of the frosting, fold some into the cake batter.
  • Whipped Cream Topping: As much as I adore this cream cheese frosting, sometimes I’m more in the mood for whipped cream. The super easy coconut whipped cream in this recipe is another great topping option for your cake!
  • Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake: Folding chocolate chips into cake batter is never a bad idea. And any kind of chocolate goes great with pumpkin spice!
A pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting on a tall cake stand with a black backdrop

How to Store Leftover Bundt Cake

Leftover cake should be refrigerated in an airtight container. If you’ve left off the frosting, you can keep it at room temperature instead. It will last for 4-5 days. Feel free to bring your cake to room temperature before serving it if it’s been sitting in the fridge.

Can I Freeze This?

Yes, but only if you leave off the frosting. The unfrosted cake can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap the entire cooled cake or individual slices in plastic wrap, then place the cake into a sealed freezer bag. Remove as much air from the bag as you can before sealing it. Thaw out frozen cake in the fridge before frosting and serving.

Print
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An overhead shot of a frosted pumpkin bundt cake with two slices cut out

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Krista
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Make a guilt-free dessert full of festive fall flavors with this easy Pumpkin Bundt Cake! It’s covered in a fluffy cream cheese frosting and topped with chopped pecans.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Pumpkin Bundt Cake

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecan pieces

Instructions

  1. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan, then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Use a whisk to mix together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, white sugar, applesauce, vanilla extract and eggs in a large bowl. Then, stir in the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes.
  4. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before flipping it out onto a rack to cool completely.
  5. Use an electric hand mixer to blend the cream cheese, greek yogurt, vanilla and maple syrup in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Frost the top of the bundt cake and sprinkle it with the chopped pecan pieces. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Shugary Sweets


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 189
  • Sugar: 20 g
  • Sodium: 259 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 29 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Cholesterol: 42 mg

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More Pumpkin Recipes

From breakfast to dessert and beyond, these healthy pumpkin dishes are a fail-proof way to celebrate fall.

Three pictures of a pumpkin bundt cake before and after it's been frosted

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28 comments on “Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting”

  1. Avatar photo
    Esther Kleinsasser

    Hi I so want to try your bundt cake but i am wondering is it just one cup of flour for the recipe? And how many servings Thank You

    1. I don’t even know you. I just searched for a pumpkin Bundt cake recipe and God brought me something so much better! A message to stop being stuck and get up and walk! Thank you for that! I love how even 4 years after your post God continues to meet me right here, right now , right when I need to hear that! And I seriously can’t wait to make the cake too!

      1. ohhh that makes my heart happy, THAT is why I blog! I love that you find hope and a yummy recipe! 🙂

  2. Hi, I think your blog is awesome and you have done a fantastic job curating. In regards to this post I was curious to know how you are able to get your bundt cake to come out the pan without the top part of the cake breaking off. I’ve tried everything I feel imaginable from oil, sprinkling flour, and even setting the pan in water yet it still breaks. Thank you in advance for any helpful tips you can provide.

    1. Hmm… Is the pan you’re using a good dark non-stick bundt pan. If not, that might be why it’s sticking. I have a dark non-stick pan, spray it with Pam all over and then thats it. (sometimes I’ll lightly flour, but you really don’t need to) I hope it works out Erica!

  3. Avatar photo
    Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet

    Such a great message Krista. Thanks for sharing it with us! Such words and such an example that Jesus is teaching us to live by. <3

  4. Thanks for the spiritual thought! It is just what I needed for the class that I am teaching on Sunday.

  5. Avatar photo
    Angie | Big Bear's Wife

    I need this message and this cake today! <3 It's beautiful and I can't want to make it! !

  6. I love that story, and I love it even more because it’s true. It really happened! God can and does work miracles, I’ve seen them myself!
    Now this cake, wow! Looks super yummy!!

  7. Avatar photo
    Joanie @ ZagLeft

    “Get up and walk”, I love that Krista and it’s something I needed to hear today. I also love the look of this bundt cake which also looks like something I need today 🙂

  8. Avatar photo
    Renee - Kudos Kitchen

    That looks like the perfect ratio of frosting to cake! I’m ready for dessert. Looks incredible!

  9. Avatar photo
    Kacey @ The Cookie Writer

    I cannot get over that frosting on there! I am not crazy about pumpkin, but I will admit I have been trying it more and more and this cake seems perfect for my next adventure!

  10. I think we all get “stuck” in our circumstances from time to time; I know I certainly do. what a perfect message to get the week of f to a great start. that and a slice or two of cake are all I need

  11. I bought a new bundt pan and it needs to be used! I knew I was holding out for the right recipe! This sounds delicious! I cannot wait to try this frosting!