Pumpkin bread is a classic, but a pumpkin bundt cake is an elegant, underrated alternative. It’s attractive on the table and surprisingly simple to prepare. This spiced pumpkin bundt cake is tender, warmly seasoned, and finished with thick, creamy maple glaze drips that add sweetness and richness. The combination of aromatic spices and a buttery maple icing makes it a favorite for fall gatherings and holiday desserts.
HOW TO MAKE THE PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE:
This recipe has two main parts: the spiced pumpkin bundt cake and the brown sugar maple glaze. Follow the simple steps below for a moist, evenly baked cake and a glossy, pourable icing that sets into thick drips.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake: This cake comes together quickly with just a bowl and a whisk. Sift the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a larger bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in the vanilla. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—overmixing will toughen the crumb. Pour the batter into a well-greased 12-cup bundt pan and bake at 325°F for about 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Maple Glaze: For the glaze, combine dark brown sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, then raise the heat to medium-high and boil for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Place powdered sugar in a separate bowl, pour the warm maple mixture over it, and whisk with a hand or stand mixer until the icing lightens in color, about two minutes. Let the glaze cool until thickened—around 20 minutes—before spooning it over the fully cooled cake. Cooling both cake and glaze is crucial to create those large, creamy drips rather than a thin runny glaze.
PERFECT PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE NOTES:
- Mixing: Whisking by hand keeps the batter light and helps prevent overworking the gluten, resulting in a tender cake.
- Icing consistency: Allow the glaze to rest for about 20 minutes so it thickens. This creates the thick, creamy drips that cling to the cake instead of running off.
CAN I MAKE THE CAKE WITHOUT THE ICING?
Yes. The cake itself is subtly sweet and full of warm spice, so it’s delicious on its own. The maple glaze adds sweetness, depth, and a silky texture, but the bundt cake will still be enjoyable without it if you prefer a less sweet option.
DO I NEED A BUNDT PAN?
A bundt pan helps the cake bake evenly because the center tube distributes heat through the batter. If you don’t have a bundt pan, divide the batter into two or three smaller pans so each portion bakes evenly and finishes at the same time.
WHAT TYPE OF PUMPKIN PUREE DO YOU USE?
Canned pumpkin puree works perfectly and keeps the recipe quick and reliable. If you prefer homemade puree from roasted and strained pumpkin, that will also produce an excellent result—just be sure it’s not too watery.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 if morton
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup salted butter 1/2 stick
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste 1 teaspoon vanilla extract can also be used
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325°F
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Grease a bundt pan (12 cup size) with cooking spray or butter
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Sift flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside
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Add sugar, oil, and pumpkin to a bowl. Mix with a whisk until smooth
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Add in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition
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Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not over mix at this step)
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Pour the batter into the greased bundt pan and bake for 55 minutes – 1 hour 5 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
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Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack. If it sticks, run a knife gently around the edges without cutting the cake
For icing:
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Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, salt and butter to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring until butter melts and sugar dissolves
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Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla bean paste
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Place powdered sugar in a bowl and pour the warm maple mixture over it. Whisk with a hand or stand mixer for about 2 minutes until lighter in color. Let the icing cool until thickened, roughly 20 minutes
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Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to drip down the sides
