When the weather begins to get colder, nothing is more comforting than the familiar flavors of pumpkin-spiced drinks and treats. This layered Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake is perfect for dessert — pair it with a steamy cup of coffee!
Ingredients
This list may look a little long, but chances are you already have most of these in your kitchen!
- Canned Pumpkin – Be sure to get the puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
- Eggs – Bring these to room temperature before you begin.
- Vegetable Oil – This helps to make sure the cake is super moist.
- Brown Sugar – You can use either light or dark brown sugar — the dark variety will give it more molasses-style flavor.
- Granulated Sugar – Use white sugar to sweeten the cake.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla rounds out all of the ingredients and gives the cake a warm aroma.
- Flour – All-purpose flour gives the cake structure.
- Pumpkin Spice – This gives the cake its signature flavor.
- Baking Powder – As a leavening agent, baking powder helps the cake to rise. Be sure not to confuse this with baking soda.
- Cream cheese – This is the tangy, creamy base of the filling.
- Sugar – Sugar helps to add some sweetness.
- Egg – Using an egg gives the filling structure.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this helps to sweeten the glaze and make it super smooth.
- Milk – Milk helps to create just the right consistency.
- Cream cheese – Cream cheese gives the glaze a little tanginess.
Variations
There are a few ways that you can adjust this cake recipe to fit different dietary needs or preferences.
- Gluten-Free – Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour. The texture will be slightly more crumbly.
- Spices – If you do not care for pumpkin pie spice, or there is a particular spice you prefer to leave out, you can adjust the spices as needed. Simply put, you will want to add 1-2 tablespoons worth of spice to the cake layer and you can adjust that to your personal taste. Try cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cloves.
- Garnish – Add crushed nuts like pecans or walnuts or trade out the cream cheese frosting for your favorite flavor.
How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Don’t be fooled by the layers, this pumpkin pound cake recipe is easier than it looks. To make it, you will need to get three bowls and make each layer separately.
- Combine cake ingredients. Start by using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed to combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugars, and vanilla until smooth. Lower the speed of the mixer, add the dry ingredients, and mix just until combined.
- Blend filling ingredients. Add the filling ingredients to a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium-low speed and mix until smooth.
- Assemble. Pour half the pound cake batter into the prepared pan. Carefully spoon the cream cheese layer in next, then top with the remaining batter.
- Bake. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about an hour or until cooked through and passes the toothpick test. This cake is dense, so don’t be surprised if it takes longer. If your cake begins to brown too quickly, you can cover it with foil toward the end of baking time.
- Cool. Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out onto a serving platter. Cool completely.
- Glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients until smooth. You can adjust the consistency by adding more or less milk. Pour around the cooled cake, in the center of the ring and allow the glaze to drip off the sides. Serve immediately or store.
- Serve. Serve with a cup of coffee or tea or try this Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe.
Common Questions About Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Under-baking or over-beating can cause the consistency of a pound cake to be gooey.
You can prevent a pound cake from falling by properly pre-heating the oven and avoiding opening the oven door during baking.
If your pound cake is dry you can brush it with simple syrup, milk, or cream.
Storage and Freezing
Because this cream cheese and pumpkin bundt cake contains dairy, be sure to put any leftovers in the fridge.
How to Store
A pound cake will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 1 week. Keep it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.
Can I Freeze Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake?
Freeze the pound cake for up to 3 months. Be sure to first wrap it with plastic wrap, then add a layer of aluminum foil, too.
More Pumpkin Recipes
On the prowl for more pumpkin-infused treats? We have plenty to choose from!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pound Cake Layer:
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree , canned or fresh*
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 3 cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
Cream Cheese Layer:
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup sugar
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 3 tablespoons milk , more or less as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a bundt pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, prepare the pound cake batter by mixing the pumpkin, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Lower the speed and add in the flour, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder. Mix just until incorporated. Set aside.
- Prepare the filling in a separate bowl by mixing the cream cheese, egg and granulated sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer.
- Pour half of the pound cake batter into the bundt cake.
- Gently spoon the cream cheese filling layer into the pan and top with the remaining batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until cooked through. Cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, cream cheese and milk until desired consistency is achieved. Pour over bundt cake and allow to set before serving.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
I made this yummy cake! After baking, it looks like the filling separated from the cake inside (there is space between the layers). Any ideas why? Also, the cake portion is not as moist. Maybe I over mixed the batter- but do you think I should use slightly less flour? Also to kick up the flavor, should I use more pumpkin pie spice? Many thanks!
You can surely use Pumpkin Pie Spice- I’m thinking maybe it sat in the pan for too long and essentially steamed? How long did you let it cool until you flipped it?
I think I let it sit for 10 mins before I flipped out of the pan and let it cool completely for about an hour.
Hmmm.. was it a humid day? You can also email me at jessica@savoryexperiments.com to chat it out. I hate it when things don’t work and want to troubleshoot so I can add that info to the post for others.
Hello-this looks amazing, but you did not note if the pans needs to be greased or greased and floured. I presume since you do not mention it, it does not need any grease or grease, but hesitate to waste the ingredients cooking this if it gets stuck in the pan.
Hi Ann- the first step is to preheat the oven and spray the pan cooking spray. Hope you like it!
This cake looks amazing! One of my favourite fall flavours, so I am SO going to try this soon! Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
I love the photo if this pound cake and even though I am looking at it on the computer, I get the feeling it would smell AMAZING!! Yum, love the swirl of icing right in the middle and the way the cooking makes the top of the cake open up to release the delicious aroma of the pumpkin. Can’t wait to give this a go!
I am all about the pumpkin recipes at the moment and these looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it.
I absolutely love this pound cake. The fall flavors are perfect and I cant say enough about the cream cheese in the middle, yum!