Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
A warmly spiced pumpkin Bundt cake layered with a smooth vanilla cream cheese filling, baked until tender, then finished with salted caramel sauce and an optional scattering of flaky sea salt.
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Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake Batter
- 1 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil such as canola
- ½ teaspoon finely ground cloves
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 standard 15-ounce can pure pumpkin purée
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar light or dark
- 4 large eggs brought to approximately 70°F or room temperature
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly grated
Cream Cheese Filling
- 12 ounces full-fat brick-style cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
For Finishing
- Salted caramel sauce as needed for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt for a final garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Thoroughly grease a 10-inch Bundt pan, taking care to coat all ridges and crevices so the finished cake releases cleanly, including when using a nonstick pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, fine sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice until the spices and leavening are evenly distributed. Set the bowl aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, four eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and uniformly combined.
- Finish the pumpkin batter. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Whisk until a thick, cohesive batter forms and no pockets of dry flour remain.
- Place the softened cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, or use a handheld electric mixer. Beat on high speed for approximately 1 minute, until completely smooth and free of lumps. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the room-temperature egg, granulated sugar, and vanilla to the cream cheese. Beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, or until the filling is creamy and thoroughly blended.
- Spoon approximately half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spread it into an even layer. Distribute the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pumpkin batter.
- Cover the cream cheese layer with the rest of the pumpkin batter, gently smoothing the surface so the filling is enclosed.
- Run a knife carefully through the layered mixtures with a gentle swirling motion to form a marbled pattern between the pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling.
- Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 55–65 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean or with only a few lightly moist crumbs attached.
- Place the Bundt pan on a wire cooling rack and allow the cake to cool inside the pan for 2 hours. After this resting period, carefully invert the cake onto a cooling rack, serving plate, or cake stand and allow it to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, drizzle the cake generously with salted caramel sauce. Sprinkle the surface with flaky sea salt, if using, before slicing and serving.
Notes
For the smoothest cream cheese layer, ensure the cream cheese is fully softened to room temperature before mixing; cold cream cheese is more likely to leave lumps in the filling.
The full cooling period is important because the cream cheese center remains soft while warm and may make the cake more difficult to unmold cleanly.
Leftover cake may be covered securely and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days.
The salted caramel sauce may be gently warmed before drizzling if a more fluid consistency and pronounced caramel flavor are preferred.