Moist Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Very important question: Is it possible to have too many recipes for pumpkin cake? I vote a wholehearted NO. (I am also willing to study this subject further…it will take a lot of cake eating, but I will do it for the greater good of society.)

Here on SugarHero, we already have some well-loved pumpkin cake recipes, like this phenomenally popular Patterned Pumpkin Roll, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake, Pumpkin Layer Cake, and Pumpkin Bundt Cakes. However, just like every snowflake is unique, no two pumpkin cakes are alike, and I promise, you need this Pumpkin Pound Cake in your life (along with all the others!)

This cake is a little different from traditional pumpkin cakes. Rather than a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, it’s more closely related to pound cake, with a damp, dense crumb that holds together well, and is perfectly suited for baking in a bundt pan.

To spice things up further (see what I did there?), this cake has a thick cinnamon swirl running through it, and a brown sugar frosting that just might be my FAVORITE FROSTING EVER. I know I say that about once a month (ummmm it’s possible I eat entirely too much frosting….) but I might really mean it this time. It’s fudgy and thick, and forms the most irresistible crackling crust that is so dreamy on top of the soft cake. Need a simpler topping for this cake? It would also taste amazing drizzled with my new Cinnamon Syrup!

Whether you’re looking for an unconventional Thanksgiving dessert recipe, pumpkin dessert recipe or just a fun fall baking project, you’re gonna love this cake. So grab your bundt pan and let’s gooooo!

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Here are a few tips and things to keep in mind as you gather your ingredients. As always, I recommend following the recipe as written for best results. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Pumpkin puree: It’s a cruel trick that pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are both sold in cans right next to each other. For this recipe, you’ll want to buy pumpkin puree (sometimes sold as pure pumpkin), not the pie filling. The pie filling has a lot of added sugar and other ingredients, and it won’t work in this recipe. Here’s the pumpkin puree I use and recommend.
• Buttermilk:In addition to its signature tangy flavor, buttermilk adds some fat to the cake, which gives it extra moisture and richness. No buttermilk? Try substituting full-fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream instead.
• Unsalted butter: Butter in cake batters help to give the cake a moist, rich flavor. You can use salted if that’s what you have, and reduce the amount of added salt to taste.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar plays an important role in both the cake and the glaze, and I don’t recommend substituting granulated sugar. If you struggle with brown sugar that dries out and becomes hard, I recommend storing it in a plastic container with a piece of bread. The bread magically softens the brown sugar and keeps it nice and workable!
• Spices: This recipe uses different fall spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. If you prefer, you can swap in 2 TBSP of pumpkin pie spice instead of using the individual spices.
• Nuts: Pecans are my nut of choice in this recipe, but walnuts also work very well. Not a nut fan? You can leave them out and it’s still delicious!

Equipment

• Bundt pan: OBVIOUSLY you’ll need a bundt pan to make a bundt cake! If you’re going to buy your first bundt pan, I highly recommend this Nordic Ware pan. It’s cast aluminum, meaning it’s solid and heavy duty, and it can handle volumes anywhere between 10-15 cups of batter. It’s super versatile and the perfect pan for a bundt newbie.
• Mixer: When it comes to stand mixers, KitchenAids are hard to beat. They last a long time and you can get all sorts of fun attachments. No stand mixer? A hand mixer like this is a great alternative.
• Wire cooling rack:This wire rack is a lifesaver if you bake cookies, cakes, or other tasty treats. For bundts, it’s especially important to cool the cake in the pan for awhile before removing it and letting it cool on a wire rack.

🍂 Edible Leaf Decorations

Because this cake is full of cozy fall flavors, I wanted the decorations to reinforce the autumn theme, so I topped it with shimmering chocolate leaves in a ring around the top. They might look fancy, thanks to their glittering metallic appearance, but they take all of 10 minutes to make, and they add such a spectacular touch to cakes and cupcakes. I have a tutorial over on About.com Candy if you want to make some chocolate leaf magic yourself.

If you’re not up for making chocolate leaves, you can buy these beautiful edible rice paper leaves on Amazon, and they’re equally gorgeous. Or just forgo leaves entirely and top the cake with some chopped nuts, chocolate feathers, or fall sprinkles.

💡 Tips for Bundt Success

If you don’t follow any of my other advice or tips, please listen when I tell you to grease the heck out of your bundt pan. The biggest issue people have with bundt cakes is the cake sticking to the pan and breaking apart. It’s SO aggravating to take the time to make a homemade cake, and then have half of the cake stay stuck in the pan!

Keep your bundt from sticking

The best way you can prevent your bundt cake from sticking? Use this easy homemade recipe for pan release! This edible “cake goop” creates a nice nonstick layer between the cake and the pan, which means it will release easily once baked through. It takes less than 5 minutes to make, it’s made with 3 ingredients you probably already have, and you can keep a jar in your pantry so you’re always ready to bake! Seriously, give this cake goop a try and tell me it’s not life-changing!

If you don’t go the pan release route, then you should absolutely sprinkle a light layer of flour inside your bundt pan after you spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

If you want to get more use out of your bundt pan, try our Orange Bundt Cake, Roasted Banana Bundt Cake, or reader favorite Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake! For other great ideas, check out all of our bundt cake recipes. And if decadent cake is your thing, check out all these great cake recipes too!

🎂 Cake Storage Instructions

If you make the cake ahead of time, don’t glaze it until shortly before you are ready to serve it (within a few hours is best). Without the glaze on top, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze an unglazed cake for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you want to serve it, allow it to come up to room temperature and glaze it before serving.

If the cake is already glazed, store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Note that the glaze might weep or liquify over time.

🎃 More Great Pumpkin Desserts

• Pumpkin Fudge
• Pumpkin Bread Truffles
• 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies
• 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Hi-Hat Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Pumpkin Pie Mousse Cups

Don’t miss the step-by-step tutorial showing how to make Pumpkin Pound Cake – check out the web story here!

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bundt Cake

This Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bundt Cake recipe is a moist, tender pumpkin bundt cake with a cinnamon swirl. Top it with a brown sugar glaze for maximum fall flavor!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin pound Cake

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Swirl:

• 2 oz pecans (1/2 cup), toasted
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Pumpkin Pound Cake:

• 15 oz canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 4 oz buttermilk (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 10.12 oz all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 6 oz unsalted butter (3/4 cup) , at room temperature
• 5.25 oz granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 3.75 oz brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 3 large eggs at room temperature

For the Brown Sugar Frosting:

• 2.5 oz unsalted butter (5 tbsp)
• 3.5 oz brown sugar (1/2 cup), packed
• 1.5 oz heavy cream (3 tbsp)
• 6 oz powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Pumpkin Pound Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously grease a bundt pan and dust it with flour, then tap out the excess flour.
• Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl in a food processor and process them until they’re in fine crumbs. Set aside for now.
• Whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla in a small bowl, and in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
• Combine the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a large mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-medium high speed until light and fluffy, for about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn the mixer speed to low and add a third of the flour, then when that’s almost mixed in, add half of the pumpkin mixture. Continue to alternate adding wets and drys, ending with the dry ingredients. When just a few streaks of flour remain, turn the mixer off and finish mixing by hand, scraping down the bottom and sides with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon about a third of the batter into the bundt pan and smooth it out. Add half of the cinnamon swirl mix, then top with more batter. Add the rest of the cinnamon mix, and finish by spreading the rest of the batter on top. Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert it out of the pan and cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Brown Sugar Frosting:

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts. It might look separated, but that’s okay. Stir in the cream, and it should all come together. Bring the mixture to a boil, then pour it into a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment to cool for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat well on medium speed for 30-45 seconds, until there are no lumps of sugar and the frosting is satiny and smooth. If the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, if it’s too thick, add a spoonful of hot water. Be aware that it sets up QUICKLY, so as soon as you’re finished mixing it, pour it over the cake while it’s still warm. Know that it’s hard to go back and correct mistakes because it starts setting and crusting soon after being poured, so one option is to put it in a large Ziploc bag and cut off a corner. Pipe the frosting over the top so it drips down where you want it to. Add any toppings or decorations before the frosting crusts over.

Notes

The frosting recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour. The pumpkin cake recipe is adapted from Gourmet.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 6145IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 2.2mg

Pumpkin Dessert RECIPES 🎃

We’ve rounded up over 50 deliciously cozy pumpkin dessert recipes to help you make the most of fall baking.  Click here to get all the recipes!

About Elizabeth LaBau

I’m Elizabeth, but you can call me SugarHero! I’m a former pastry chef turned blogger, cookbook author, and baking instructor, and I consider myself sugar’s #1 fan. Learn more from u003ca href=u0022https://www.sugarhero.com/about/u0022 class=u0022ek-linku0022u003emy About pageu003c/au003e, or connect with me on social media:

🍊 The Best Orange Cake with Orange Glaze

Today’s cake combines two of my favorite things: big, bold citrus flavor, and ultra-tender and moist cake. (Can I get an amen?!) Let’s take these one at a time:

Bright, zesty orange is one of my favorite flavors to add into cakes and baked goods. Oranges are the best because they’re available year-round, even mediocre oranges can yield delicious zest and juice, and orange pairs well with basically everything. Got chocolate? Make chocolate orange cake or orange brownies. More of a white chocolate person? Then make yourself some white chocolate-orange candy bars. Like to sip your orange desserts? This orange hot chocolate has your name on it! There’s really no wrong way to enjoy orange desserts, and I’ve made it my mission to try and cram it into as many recipes as possible.

And why choose a bundt cake? A giant frosting-filled layer cake is fantastic, but sometimes nothing hits the spot like a classic bundt cake. The simple nature of a bundt cake really lets the citrus flavor shine. Buttery and moist, this cake is adorned with an easy orange glaze and isn’t too rich or sweet, so it’s perfect as an afternoon snack, tea-time treat, or after-dinner dessert. If you want to get more use out of your bundt pan, try our Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Pound Cake, Roasted Banana Bundt Cake, or reader favorite Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake!

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

No surprises here–the ingredient list is full of pantry basics you probably already have. A few notes to keep in mind as you gather ingredients:

• Oranges: No shortcuts, please! You definitely want to use fresh oranges for this recipe, at least for the zest and preferably also for the juice. To select the best fruit, you’ll want to look for heavy oranges with a bright orange color and a slight give when you squeeze them. Since you’ll use these oranges for both juice and zest, pick up 3 large ones just to be safe.
• All-purpose flour: If you need to make this gluten-free, you could try the recipe with a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
• Unsalted butter: Butter in cake batters help to give the cake a moist, rich flavor. You can use salted if that’s what you have, and reduce the amount of added salt to taste.
• Sour cream: Sour cream has a lot of fat in it, which gives the cake extra moisture and richness when it’s done baking. No sour cream? Try substituting full-fat plain Greek yogurt instead.
• Sugar: We’re using two types of sugar in this recipe: granulated sugar (for the batter and soaking syrup), and powdered sugar, for the orange glaze that is drizzled on top.

Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to make this cake. You’ll find that a lot of these gadgets are handy for a lot of different projects around the kitchen too! (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Bundt pan: OBVIOUSLY you’ll need a bundt pan to make a bundt cake! If you’re going to buy your first bundt pan, I highly recommend this Nordic Ware pan. It’s cast aluminum, meaning it’s solid and heavy duty, and it can handle volumes anywhere between 10-15 cups of batter. It’s super versatile and the perfect pan for a bundt newbie.
• Juicer: A countertop juicer is just the thing for getting the fresh orange juice you need. This one is very affordable and gets the job done!
• Microplane: In my opinion, a microplane is a kitchen must-have. It’s a very fine grater that makes zesting citrus very easy and fast. It’s also great for chocolate, whole spices, and parmesan cheese, so chances are you’ll find yourself reaching for this little tool all the time.
• Mixer: When it comes to stand mixers, KitchenAids are hard to beat. They last a long time and you can get all sorts of attachments to help make homemade pastas, grind your own meat, or spiralize your favorite veggies.
• Wire cooling rack: This wire rack is a lifesaver if you bake cookies, cakes, or other tasty treats. For bundts, it’s especially important to cool the cake in the pan for awhile before removing it and letting it cool on a wire rack.

📋 Instructions

Here’s a quick run down on how to make the Orange Bundt Cake, glaze, and syrup. For the complete recipe, check out the recipe card below!

Making the Orange Cake Batter

• Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Prep your bundt pan by brushing on a thick layer of homemade pan release, or spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. (If you do that, I strongly recommend using the “Baker’s” variety of nonstick spray with the added flour.)
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and then set aside.
• Cream together the room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

• Once the butter and sugar are fluffy, beat in the orange zest, sour cream, and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and beat just until combined. Do not over mix! At this point, the batter might look curdled or broken but don’t worry! It will come together when you add the flour mixture into the mixer.

• Use a spatula to gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Avoid over-mixing, since this will make your cake tough.

• Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan. When it is all in the pan, tap it gently a couple of times on the kitchen counter to level it.
• Bake the cake in the pre-heated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Making the Orange Soaking Syrup

One of the secrets to making this cake so tender is the orange soaking syrup. This is a delicious orange syrup that is poured over the hot cake, so that it soaks into every nook and cranny, giving it mega flavor and moistness.

• While the cake is baking, make the orange syrup by combining orange juice and granulated sugar in a small bowl. You’ll need to mix them together until the sugar dissolves.
• When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and set on a wire rack with the cake still in the bundt pan.

• Use a wooden skewer to punch holes all over the cake and then pour the orange syrup over the still hot cake and leave it to absorb. You’ll definitely want to do this when the cake is still hot from the oven so it absorbs well, so make sure to have the syrup ready to go.
• Let the cake cool in the pan, and once it is cool, invert it over a wire rack and remove the pan.

Making the Orange Glaze

The final step is drenching the cake with a tangy orange glaze!

• Whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice. You should start with 1 to 2 tablespoons of juice, and gradually increase the amount of liquid until the glaze is the texture you like. It can be thin and syrupy, or thicker, like honey. Both ways will taste great!
• Pour the glaze all over the top of the cake. For added effect, you can top with bit more orange zest.
• Before serving, allow the glaze to set for 10 to 15 minutes. Once it is set, you can slice and serve the cake.

💭 Variations

Orange cake is just one option when it comes to this bundt recipe. If you want to experiment, here are some quick variations you can try:

• Use lime, lemon, grapefruit, clementine, tangelo, or another citrus fruit instead of orange. Or, mix and match these flavors for a unique citrus blend!
• Speaking of mixing and matching, you can add flavoring extracts to the citrus cake base. How about coconut and lime, or almond and lemon?
• If you follow a gluten free diet, you can substitute the all purpose flour for a gluten free variety.
• You can make a simple vanilla glaze for on top. Just mix in a teaspoon of extract and a bit of milk and skip the orange juice entirely.

For other great ideas, check out all of our bundt cake recipes! If decadent cake is your thing, check out all these great cake recipes too!

Have you read this far and decided a bundt isn’t for you. I’ll hook you up with a few of my favorite non-cake-based citrus treats: Key Lime Pie Recipe, Clementine Cookies and Peach Honey Ice Cream With Lemon Verbena.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

Whether you are a seasoned pro or a baking novice, these tips and questions may help you make sure the cake comes out great every time!

Do I need to grease a non-stick bundt pan?

YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES! Bundts are notorious for sticking in the ridges of their cake pans, so the more you can do to prevent them from sticking, the better. Yes, a non-stick pan surface and using cooking spray can help, but even with both of those precautions, you might run into trouble.

To make my life easier, I use and recommend this easy homemade recipe for pan release. This edible goop creates a nice layer between the cake and the pan, which means it should release easily once baked through. It takes less than 5 minutes to make, it’s made with 3 ingredients you probably already have, and you can keep a jar in your pantry so you’re always ready to bake! Seriously, give this cake goop a try and tell me it’s not life-changing!

If you don’t go the pan release route, then you should absolutely sprinkle a light layer of flour inside your bundt pan after you spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

What can I use instead of sour cream?

If you find yourself without sour cream or just prefer not to use it, a good substitute is full-fat, plain Greek yogurt. This creates a similar effect in the orange bundt cake, making it moist and rich. Another good choice is substituting room temperature buttermilk.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

If you make the cake ahead of time for a party, don’t glaze it until shortly before you are ready to serve it (within a few hours is best). Without the glaze on top, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze an unglazed cake for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you want to serve it, allow it to come up to room temperature and glaze it before serving.

If the cake is already glazed, store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Note that the glaze might weep or liquify over time.

Don’t miss the step-by-step tutorial showing how to make an Orange Bundt Cake – check out the web story here!

Print Recipe

4.70 from 13 votes

Orange Bundt Cake

If you like big bundts, you'll love this Orange Bundt Cake! This classic homemade bundt cake has a tender texture, a bright orange flavor, and is drenched in a tangy orange glaze.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bundt cakes, orange

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Equipment

• Bundt cake pan
• Wire rack
• Citrus juicer
• Microplane

Ingredients

For the Orange bundt cake:

• 9.50 oz all-purpose flour (2 ¼ cups )
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 oz unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
• 7 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 2 oz sour cream (¼ cup), room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs room temperature

For the Orange Soaking Syrup:

• Juice of 2 oranges freshly squeezed
• 2.30 oz granulated sugar (1/3 cup)

For the Orange Glaze:

• 4 oz powdered sugar (1 cup)
• 2-3 TBSP orange juice or orange juice concentrate

Instructions

To make the orange cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a thick layer of pan release on the bundt pan, or spray it generously with nonstick cooking spray. (I recommend the “Baker’s” variety of nonstick spray with flour included.)
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
• Fit a large stand mixer with a paddle attachment. In the mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
• Add the orange zest, sour cream and vanilla and beat to combine.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time and beat just until combined. Do not over mix. At this point, the batter might look curdled or broken, but don’t worry–it will come together when you add the flour mixture.
• Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture just until combined.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan and tap it gently a couple of times on the kitchen counter to level it.
• Bake the cake in the pre-heated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. If the top seems to be getting too dark during the baking process, cover it loosely with a piece of foil and continue baking.

To make the orange syrup:

• While the cake is baking, make the orange syrup by combining the orange juice and granulated sugar in a small bowl, and mixing until sugar dissolves.
• When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and set on a wire rack with the cake still in the bundt pan
• Using a wooden skewer, punch holes all over the cake. Pour the orange syrup over the still hot cake and leave it to absorb.
• Let the cake cool in the pan, then when it is no longer warm, invert it over a wire rack and remove the pan.

To make the orange glaze:

• Make the orange glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and orange juice. Start with 1-2 TBPS of juice, and gradually increase the amount of liquid until the glaze is the texture you’d like. It can be thin and syrupy, or thicker, like honey.
• Pour the glaze all over the top of the cake, and top it with a bit more orange zest, if desired.
• Let the glaze set for 10-15 minutes, then slice and serve.
• Leftovers can be stored, well-wrapped, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 680IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg

Beautiful Spring Bundt Cake

We haven’t had much of a winter this year, but even so, I’ve been eager for spring to come. I am READY for warmer weather and sunshine and bright flowers everywhere. Now, I’m not saying I’m a witch (…and I’m not saying I’m not…), but in an effort to conjure spring early, I’ve been making lots of happy, cheerful spring desserts. Don’t miss these beautiful Hydrangea Mini Cakes or easy Chocolate Flower Cupcakes.

To mis-quote Chandler Bing, “Could this Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake BE any more springy??” It’s a moist vanilla cake with a swirl of strawberry cake in the middle, topped with a lemon glaze and a garden of fresh berries and buttercream blooms on top. It’s almost too pretty to eat (almost!) and makes me smile every time I look at it.

👩🏼‍🍳How to Make a Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake

The Glaze

A good glaze texture is so important for bundt cakes, and so hard to nail! I usually like my glaze to be fairly opaque, as opposed to thin and barely-there, so I aim for a pancake batter consistency when I make it. This might make the glaze too thick for some people, but I have literally never uttered the phrase “too much glaze” in my life, so I am definitely not one of those people.

The Buttercream Flowers

I started by piping buttercream vines along the top of the cake, then put cut strawberries in even intervals along the top, and added some frosting loops to the back of the strawberries to mimic the stems–I think this helps them look more integrated into the other buttercream decorations.

Next, I pulled out my favorite Russian piping tips, and added an assortment of different colors and shapes of flowers all over the top:

You can make the flowers as full or as sparse as you like. I’ve literally never met a cake I didn’t want to douse in buttercream, so I went for a very full, lush look…but you don’t have to take things as far as I did! In fact, once I covered most of the surface with the Russian piping tips, I went back with a few small star tips, and added some colorful stars in between. Finally, I filled in any last gaps with green leaves here and there.

Traditional Pound Cake with Real Strawberries

The cake has a traditional pound cake texture, with a tight crumb and a lovely subtle vanilla flavor with a slight sour cream tang. The strawberry swirl in the middle comes from mixing strawberry puree and chopped strawberries into a portion of the batter. I love this realistic strawberry flavor, but be aware that if you don’t add pink food coloring, it’s sort of a muted mauve color. I don’t mind food coloring (obviously) so a bit of pink gel coloring helped make my strawberry layer a more traditional pink.

I hope this cake brings a smile to your face, too, and I wish you all sunny skies and colorful flowers in the very near future. If you want to see how this cake is made and decorated, check out the video below!

Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake

This Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake is pillowy soft, moist and flavorful. It is the perfect balance of tangy buttermilk and rhubarb, sweet white chocolate and sliced fresh strawberries!

View Recipe

Trendy Cream Tarts

These Cream Tarts are all the rage! Also known as cream biscuits or cream cakes, they're a beautiful and unique twist on traditional cakes. You can cut them into letters, numbers, or shapes, and decorate them with fruits, flowers, and all your favorite candies.

View Recipe

Don’t miss our collection of the 10 Best Valentine’s Day Cakes – see the whole web story here!

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5 from 13 votes

Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake

Looking for the perfect bundt cake? Try this Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake – a moist vanilla cake with a strawberry swirl inside, topped with fresh berries and beautiful buttercream flowers! 

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 16

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Bundt Cake:

• 14 oz granulated sugar (2 cups)
• 8 oz unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• 5 large eggs at room temperature
• 11.25 oz all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 8 oz sour cream (1 cup)
• 4 oz fresh strawberry puree (½ cup), approximately 8 large strawberries blended into puree
• 3 oz fresh strawberries (2/3 cup), chopped
• pink gel food coloring optional

For the Decorations:

• 6 oz powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ tsp lemon extract or other flavoring extract
• 2-3 cups buttercream frosting tinted assorted colors
• 3 fresh strawberries
• #2 piping tip
• Russian piping tips
• Piping bags

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Bundt Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 10-15 cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray—I like the Bakers variety with flour mixed in.
• Combine the sugar, butter, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until very light and creamy.
• Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
• With the mixer running on low, add about a third of the flour. After the streaks have disappeared, add half the sour cream. Continue to alternate the wet and dry ingredients until they are all added to the batter, stopping when just a few streaks of flour remain. Stir the cake batter with a spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl well.
• Separate out about a third of the batter, and add the strawberry puree, chopped strawberries, and pink food coloring (if using) to the batter. Stir gently just to incorporate.
• Add half of the plain batter to the bundt pan, then add the strawberry batter on top, and finish with the rest of the plain batter. Twirl a knife or skewer through the batter to swirl the flavors together.
• Bake the bundt cake at 375 F for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then place a wire rack on top and invert the cake. Carefully remove the cake pan and let it cool completely before decorating.

To Decorate:

• Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon extract until smooth and shiny. The glaze should be fairly thick, so that it looks opaque on the cake, but thin enough so that it drips down and doesn’t just sit in a clump on top. I like to aim for the thickness of a pancake batter to start. If it seems too thick, add a bit of milk, and if it seems to thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
• Spoon the glaze on top of the cake, and use the spoon to nudge it down between the ridges of the bundt cake. Let the glaze set for at least an hour before finishing the decorations.
• Fit a piping bag with a #2 tip and fill it with green frosting. Pipe a swirl of vines over the top of the cake.
• Pull the stems off the strawberries, and cut them in half. Press the half strawberries, cut side down, in even intervals around the top of the cake. Use the green buttercream to draw frosting stems on each strawberry.
• To make multi-colored flowers, lay out a piece of plastic wrap about 12 inches long. Spread a rectangle of frosting on the center of the plastic wrap. Take a second color of frosting and spread it on top of the first. If desired, add a third or even a fourth color on top. Roll the frosting over itself to make a cylinder. Grasp the ends of the plastic wrap in each hand, and twirl it quickly so the frosting is burrito-shaped and the ends of the plastic are tightly twisted.
• Fit a large piping bag with one of your Russian piping tips. Snip off one of the plastic wrap “tails” and insert the frosting cylinder into the piping bag, snipped-side down. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the top of the cake, about ½-inch from the top. Squeeze with steady pressure until the frosting comes out and forms a flower shape. Stop squeezing, then lift the tip so that the frosting tapers off into flower petals.
• Add flowers of various colors and shapes all around the top of the cake—you can make it as sparse or as full as you want. Finish by swapping the tip on the green piping bag for a leaf tip, and add green leaves in between the berries and flowers.

Video

Notes

This recipe calls for 2-3 cups of prepared buttercream frosting. You won’t use all of this, but if you want an assortment of colors, you’ll need enough frosting to provide that variety, and will have some left over for another use. You can use any fairly stiff homemade frosting you have on hand—my favorite is this Easiest Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 107mg | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 525IU | Vitamin C: 5.6mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1.2mg

THE BEST VALENTINE’S DAY CAKES

Check out our collection of the 27 best Valentine’s Day cake ideas — click here to get all the recipes!

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I know it’s September now, and according to my Instagram feed, the Pumpkin Spice Lattes are out in full force, but I am not ready to give up on summer desserts just yet. It’s still warm where I live, so I’m going to be eating all the fresh fruit desserts (and ice cream!) that I can. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pumpkin or apple dessert, but we have months left to enjoy those. Let’s squeeze every last drop out of summer before we give into the charms of fall, okay?

On that note, here’s an easy, breezy dessert that’s more at home among the palm trees and pool floats than hay rides and leaf piles. I’m calling them Mai Tai Bundt Cakes, after the popular tiki drink. Mai Tais are made with rum, almond syrup, and lime juice, so these mini cakes use all of those same flavors. They’re ultra-moist rum cakes with almond extract and lots of fresh lime zest and lime juice, and they are a delicious, tropical twist on the classic rum cake.

If you’ve been around here awhile, you’ve probably noticed that I don’t make too many bundt cakes. I think bundt cakes have their place, but in general I’m more interested in big tall layer cakes—my favorite cakes are moist, with a lot of frosting, whipped cream, curd, or other fun fixins’. Rum cakes are my personal exception to this rule—I just love them!

If you’re not familiar with rum cakes, one thing they all have in common is that they’re soaked with a sugar-rum syrup after they’re baked. The syrup makes them super moist and flavorful. Contrary to most bundt cakes, which are restrained and perfect for a civilized tea time, rum cakes seem wild and exuberant. Theoretically, they last for ages, but I’ve personally never had one last for more than 3-4 days in my house. They’re just that irresistible.

So I already knew I liked rum cakes, but I didn’t realize how much I was missing until I added almond and lime flavors to a classic rum cake recipe! These components came in at a few different points: in the cake batter, I added fresh lime zest and almond extract, so the cakes were already feelin’ a little tropical. Then, I added almond extract to the rum soaking syrup, so each cake was deeply infused with more almond flavor. Finally, I made a thick glaze with lots of lime zest and lime juice, so the sweet cakes were coated with a tart, tangy glaze that tastes as good as it looks.

If for some reason these additions don’t float your boat, you can leave them out and you’ll still have a fabulous homemade rum cake recipe. I stress the  “homemade” part of this recipe, because so many rum cake recipes you’ll find use cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, or both. No knocks on those recipes, but I wanted my rum cakes to be made completely from scratch. These babies have the traditional dense, moist texture of the best rum cakes, but I love that they don’t rely on store-bought mixes.

A few other logistical notes: I used a 6-cavity bundt cake pan from The Pampered Chef, and each little cake holds about 1 1/2 cups of batter and is about 5 inches wide. Other mini bundt cake pans may have different measurements, so if you’re using another brand with smaller cake cavities, you may have a larger yield out of this. Just be smart and don’t overfill the cavities, and you’ll be fine! You can also use a regular bundt pan (10 or 12 cup)—baking instructions are in the headnote of the recipe below.

Finish off your cakes with cute umbrella toothpicks, and you’re all set to enjoy summer for at least the next month! Cheers!

The Best Coconut Brownies

These coconut brownies are the BEST! They’re rich, fudgy brownies with an ooey gooey coconut center. Better than a candy bar!

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Passion Fruit Bars

These Passion Fruit Bars are going to be your new sweet/tart obsession. They have a buttery shortbread crust and a deliciously creamy, tangy and tropical passion fruit filling.

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5 from 2 votes

Mai Tai Bundt Cakes

Mai Tai Bundt Cakes are a new twist on classic rum cakes! These moist mini rum cakes are spiked with almond and fresh lime flavors, for a tropical twist that’s impossible to resist.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bundt cakes

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 6 mini cakes

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Bundt Cakes:

• 2 TBSP fresh lime zest
• 7 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
• 7.5 oz brown sugar (1 cup), lightly packed
• 10 oz cake flour (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 TBSP baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
• ¼ cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 TBSP almond extract
• 1 tsp butter extract optional, but tasty
• ½ cup rum I used Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum

For the Rum Soaking Syrup:

• 4 oz unsalted butter
• 7 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/3 cup rum
• 2 tsp almond extract

For the Lime Glaze:

• 1 TBSP fresh lime zest
• 2 TBSP fresh lime juice
• 6 oz powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 TBSP milk or more

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Bundt Cakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 6-cavity mini bundt pan with baker’s nonstick spray (the kind with flour). If you don’t have baker’s spray, coat it well with nonstick spray, then lightly dust the inside of the cavities with a thin layer of flour.
• Combine the lime zest and granulated sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Rub them together between your fingers until the sugar is fragrant with lime and has the texture of wet sand. Add the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix all of the dry ingredients on low speed for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the butter and milk to the bowl of dry ingredients, turn the mixer speed to medium, and beat for 90 seconds.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, rum, and extracts. Add a third of the egg mixture to the mixer, and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds. Add half the remaining eggs, and beat for another 20 seconds, then add the remaining eggs and beat for 20 seconds more. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and finish stirring everything together by hand.
• Divide the batter between the 6 mini bundt cake molds, filling each about 2/3rds full. If your pan has smaller cavities, bake the cakes in batches, or bake excess batter in a loaf pan instead. Bake the mini cakes for 30-35 minutes at 350 F, until puffed and dry on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave the cakes in the pan while you prepare the rum soaking syrup.

To Make the Rum Soaking Syrup and Soak the Cakes:

• Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the water, sugar, and salt. Simmer everything together for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly, then take the pan off the heat. Once off the heat, add the rum and almond extract, and whisk everything together.
• Use a toothpick or skewer to poke holds all over the top of each cake. Pour half of the syrup of the tops of the cakes. This make about 1 ½ cups of syrup, so you’ll want to use about ¾ cup to cover the tops of the cake. I found that a mixture of pouring the syrup, and then brushing it on with a pastry brush was most effective. Let the syrup soak into the cakes for about 10 minutes.
• Once all of the syrup has soaked into the cakes, place a wire rack over the top of the pan, and flip it upside down. Carefully remove the pan so that the cakes are sitting on the wire rack. Place the wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Poke more holes in the top of the cakes, and pour/brush the remaining syrup over each cake, using up all of the syrup. This may seem like a lot of syrup, but this step is what makes rum cakes so moist and delicious! Let all of the syrup soak in again.
• At this point, the cakes can be finished and served, but for the best taste and texture, they should be left to sit for at least 3-4 hours, or even overnight. Transfer each cake to a cardboard cake circle or small plate, and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Let them sit at room temperature until you’re ready to glaze them. At this point, they can also be frozen individually if you’d like to make them several weeks in advance!

To Make the Lime Glaze:

• Whisk together the lime zest, juice, powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp milk. After everything is mixed, add more milk if necessary, to make a glaze that is fluid enough to pour, but still thick enough to coat the tops of the cakes in an opaque layer.
• Spoon the glaze on top of the cakes, using the spoon to nudge it over the edges to make pretty drips. Let the glaze sit for 20-30 minutes, until it firms up, then serve the cakes!

Notes

Rum cakes are a great make-ahead dessert! They can be served shortly after baking, but for the best taste and texture, you’ll want to let them sit at least 3-4 hours or even overnight, so all the flavors can meld together. A note about the pans: my mini bundts held about 1.5 cups batter each. If your mold is smaller and holds closer to 1 cup, bake the cakes in batches so the cakes do not overflow. If you do not have a mini pan, you can make 1 large bundt cake in a 10-12 cup pan. Bake the larger cake for 65-75 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 1231kcal | Carbohydrates: 166g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 270mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 129g | Vitamin A: 1640IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 1.4mg

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You know what I have zero interest in cooking? A pumpkin. Like a real, actual, grew-from-the-ground pumpkin. You can revoke my foodie card if you want, but I just can’t get excited about adding extra steps to my fall baking, what with the cutting and the roasting and the blending involved in making pumpkin puree to use as an ingredient. I admit I’m no stranger to making things needlessly complicated, but for some reason, this is where I draw the line. (Imagine me shaking my fist in a crotchety manner.)

You know what I have mega interesting in cooking? A bundt cake that looks just like a real, actual, grew-from-the-ground pumpkin! Thaaaaat’s the kind of extra work I can get behind! Baking and blending gourds? No, thank you. Frosting, stacking, and covering bundt cakes with fondant so they look like super-realistic pumpkins? Yes, please!

As a side note, you haven’t lived until you’ve set up a mini pumpkin patch scene in the outdoor communal area of your apartment building. If the neighbors didn’t already think I was insane, the sight of me scrambling around in the dirt taking pictures of cakes perched on hay bales probably convinced them.

These mini cakes start with a moist pumpkin cake made with brown butter instead of the traditional oil. The change is subtle, but the brown butter gives the cakes a deeper flavor that’s just a bit nutty. You can emphasize the savory character by adding some chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter, too! To make the pumpkin shapes, you can use any mini bundt molds that have the traditional “bundt” shape—none of those newfangled bundt roses or princess skirts or castles or whatever.

The cakes are frosted with a simple vanilla buttercream, although you can always get frisky and add some cinnamon to boost the fall flavor. After two bundts are stuck together to form a pumpkin shape and frosted on the outside, they’re covered with pumpkin-orange fondant. Ready to hear the real secret behind the accurate appearance of these pumpkins? I have two words for you: cocoa powder. Brush a liiiiittle bit of cocoa in the indentations of the pumpkin, and it gives them great dimension and realism! In case those heavily abbreviated instructions didn’t help, I have a little photo tutorial for you:

As adorable as these pumpkins are, and as much as they might appear to be wee little things from the pictures, they’re actually fairly substantial! Each pumpkin can probably serve two people, meaning you have the opportunity to slice into them and serve them in wedges, or just ceremoniously plop a pumpkin half on someone’s plate with a hearty “Bon appetit!” Is that a weird thing to do? Don’t ask me, I roll around in the dirt in front of my apartment building. I am not a good role model.

Anyhow. Friends. We have just a short time remaining before pumpkins are passe, so carpe that diem, seize that orange fondant, and make these already!

Pumpkin Marshmallows

These homemade pumpkin marshmallows are the ultimate fall treat! Flavored with real pumpkin and fall spices, these fluffy marshmallows melt in your mouth. Great for roasting, hot cocoa, and more!

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Pumpkin Bread Truffles

If you like the taste of pumpkin bread, you will love these Pumpkin Bread Truffles! Crumbled pumpkin bread is mixed with cream cheese frosting to form moist, flavorful truffles. Decorate them like miniature pumpkins to really get in the fall spirit!

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5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Bundt Cakes

These cute Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes are made with a brown butter pumpkin cake batter, and are decorated with fondant to look like adorable mini pumpkins!

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pumpkin Bundt Cakes

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 6

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake:

• 10 oz unsalted butter
• 7.5 oz brown sugar (1 cup)
• 10.5 oz granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 3 large eggs
• 12.75 oz all-purpose flour (3 cups)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 15 oz pumpkin puree (1 small can)

For the Frosting:

• 24 oz powdered sugar (6 cups), sifted after measuring
• 8 oz unsalted butter (1 cup, or 2 sticks), at room temperature
• 4 tbsp milk more if necessary
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

To decorate:

• 1 lb fondant
• Assorted gel food coloring I use Americolor gel food coloring. I used: orange, ivory, brown, red, yellow
• 2 tbsp chocolate chips
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• Yellow luster dust optional

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a mini bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, dust the inside lightly with flour, then turn it upside-down and knock out any additional flour.
• Cube the butter, and place it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the butter to a low boil and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns brown. You’ll notice a clearer layer on top and then brown bits at the bottom of the pan. This might take 5-10 minutes or so. Once the butter is brown, remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into the large bowl of a stand mixer. Let the butter cool until it is warm but not hot.
• Add the sugars and mix the sugar and butter on medium-low speed until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, spice, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a third of the flour, and once it is mostly incorporated, add half of the pumpkin puree. Continue to alternate adding the flour and pumpkin, and stop mixing when most of the flour streaks are gone. Finish mixing the batter with a spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl well.
• Pour the batter into the mini bundt cavities. Bake the cakes for 35-40 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes at room temperature, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cakes can be made several days in advance and kept, well-wrapped in plastic, until you’re ready to assemble them.

To Make the Frosting:

• Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat again on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. You can add more milk or sugar, if desired, to get the consistency you want.

To Assemble:

• Cut three small circles out of cardboard to fit underneath the pumpkin cakes. If the bundt cakes have large puffed tops, use a sharp serrated knife to cut off the tops so that they’re completely flat. Set three pumpkin cakes on the cardboard circles—these are your bottom layers.
• Spread a thick layer of frosting on top of one bottom cake layer, and press a second cake on top to form a pumpkin shape. Make sure you line up the ridges of the top and bottom cakes. Frost the outside of the pumpkin cake so it’s completely covered with buttercream. Run a spatula or your clean finger up the grooves in the pumpkin, removing excess buttercream so the texture shows through. Remove any excess buttercream from the hole on top of the pumpkin. Repeat with the remaining cakes, until you have three small pumpkins. Place the cakes on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for an hour so that the frosting firms up.
• While you wait for the cakes to chill, prepare your fondant. Dust your work surface with powdered sugar, and if you have food-safe plastic disposable gloves, now’s the time to wear them. Form your fondant into a disc, and add a quarter-sized squirt of orange gel food coloring. Fold the disc over on itself, so the food coloring is hidden inside, and start to knead it. You’ll gradually start to see streaks of color working their way to the outside of the fondant. Dust your work surface and hands as necessary to prevent sticking. Continue kneading and adding food coloring in this way, until you get a pumpkin color you like. I used mostly orange coloring, with a fair amount of ivory, and smaller amounts of red, yellow, and warm brown. Once the fondant is tinted, wrap it with plastic wrap until you’re ready to use it.
• To decorate the cakes, dust your work surface with powdered sugar. Place the cake on a sturdy can, cup, or some other surface that will elevate it off of the table—this makes it much easier to get a clean finish on the bottom. Take about a third of the fondant and roll it out into a circle than 1/4-inch thick. Drape the fondant over the cake. Try to smooth the fondant down, starting at the top, avoiding many wrinkles, if possible. (And if you do end up with wrinkles, try to get them all in the same place so that can be the back of the cake!) Trim any excess fondant from the bottom. Press down on top to create an indentation for the stem. Run your fingers along the ridges of the cake to press the fondant down into the creases. Repeat until all of the cakes are covered with fondant.
• Use a small food-safe paintbrush to lightly brush cocoa powder inside the indentations, to give the pumpkin a more realistic look. You can mix cocoa powder with powdered sugar to get a lighter shade, if your cocoa seems too dark. If you have yellow luster dust, apply a bit to the protruding ridges of the pumpkin, to add contrasting highlights. (This is definitely optional!)
• Finally, melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave. Knead the remaining fondant and the melted chocolate together to turn your orange fondant into brown chocolate fondant. Divide it into thirds and form thick pumpkin stems. Press one stem into the top of each pumpkin, and make small cuts with a paring knife to give the stems texture. Your pumpkins are now ready to enjoy!

Notes

This recipe produces 6 mini bundt cakes, to yield 3 completed pumpkin cakes.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 690kcal | Carbohydrates: 254g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 73g | Saturated Fat: 45g | Cholesterol: 266mg | Sodium: 776mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 201g | Vitamin A: 13300IU | Vitamin C: 3.2mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 4.7mg

Pumpkin Dessert RECIPES 🎃

We’ve rounded up over 50 deliciously cozy pumpkin dessert recipes to help you make the most of fall baking.  Click here to get all the recipes!

Fun fact: if you look up “showstoppers” on Google images, you get a lot of pictures of girls in lingerie, marquee lights, Barry Manilow references (??), and at least one My Little Pony picture. What’s missing from these results?

No, not more My Little Pony Pictures. This gorgeous showstopper of a cake:

Okay, so you may not quite know what you’re looking at yet. Please don’t be scared of the shiny, shiny red frosting. That’s just a little something I like to call Red Velvet Fudge Frosting, and it’s enveloping a moist cream cheese pound cake with a cream cheese swirl. It’s like an inside-out red velvet cake, and it is so delicious and so fun.

Red Velvet cake has been A Thing for long enough—I thought it was time to turn the tables and experience the cake in an entirely new way! The cream cheese bundt cake has a dense, moist texture and a tangy cream cheese flavor that’s magnified by a swirl of cheesecake through the center. I actually thought the cream cheese swirl was a little much, and I would have preferred the cake without it, but Jason loved it and begged for it to stay in the recipe—so I’m including it as an optional addition! Add or omit it as your cream cheese preferences dictate.

And the frosting. The frosting! It was inspired by the salted caramel frosting from this cake. I just loved the candy-like texture of that frosting and knew I wanted to play around with it and try new variations. It’s made with powdered buttermilk and a bit of cocoa, so it does taste very much like red velvet cake.

The soft, fudgy texture is a perfect match for the pound cake, and I found that when combined, they made this cake one of those rare baked specimens that actually tastes better as it ages. Really. It’s good the first day, but let it sit overnight, so that the frosting and cake can meld into each other and soften each other up, and oh mama. You have one sexy dessert right there.

The bright red presentation makes this a perfect celebration cake. Fill the center with poinsettias and you have a great Christmas cake. Add some heart-shaped sprinkles and you’re set for Valentine’s Day. And hey, isn’t there some red, white and blue holiday coming up? This would be a great addition to a Fourth of July party table too! Or you can declare any day National I Like to Eat Cake Day, and make it whenever the heck you want. I’ve been known to celebrate that day myself.

Orange Bundt Cake

If you like big bundts, you'll love this Orange Bundt Cake! This classic homemade bundt cake has a tender texture, a bright orange flavor, and is drenched in a tangy orange glaze.

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Roasted Banana Bundt Cake

This Roasted Banana Bundt Cake is a fun twist on a traditional banana bundt cake!  Pieces of Banana are roasted with butter and brown sugar, then the golden bruleed bananas and their syrupy juices are added to the cake.

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5 from 2 votes

Cream Cheese Cake with Red Velvet Fudge Frosting

This Cream Cheese Cake with Red Velvet Fudge Frosting is an inside-out red velvet cake. The cream cheese bundt cake has a dense, moist texture and tangy flavor that’s magnified by soft, fudgy frosting.

Prep Time12 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 42 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cream Cheese Cake With Red Velvet Fudge frosting

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 8

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Cream Cheese Pound Cake:

• 8 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10-12 cup Bundt pan

For the Optional Cream Cheese Swirl:

• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg at room temperature

For the Red Velvet Fudge Frosting:

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 9 oz unsalted butter divided use
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 – 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder choose a light-colored variety for best frosting color
• 1/4 cup powdered buttermilk
• red gel food coloring I used Americolor Super Red
• Candy thermometer

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Cream Cheese Pound Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 C). Spray the bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, and dust the inside lightly with flour. Knock excess flour out.
• If you’re going to be adding a cream cheese swirl, make that first. Combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat on medium until creamy. Add the vanilla and egg—it might separate at first, but beat gently until incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl nearby, and make the cake batter—no need to clean the mixing bowl first!
• Combine the room temperature butter, cream cheese, and sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix it in. The batter might appear a little broken at this point—that’s okay.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient and mix just until they’re combined. Finish stirring everything together with a spatula, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Scrape about half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Spread it into an even layer, and spread a little of the batter up the sides of the pan to form a little indent in the middle. Pour the cream cheese swirl into the indent, trying to keep it from touching the edges of the pan. Pour the remaining cake batter on top, and spread it into an even layer.
• Bake the bundt cake at 350 F (176 C) for 60-70 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake seems to be getting too dark before it’s done baking, cover it loosely with foil.
• Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes, then carefully invert it, remove the cake pan, and let it cool completely before frosting.

Frosting and Assembly:

• Combine the granulated sugar, water, corn syrup, 6 ounces of butter, and salt in a large saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat, and stir until the butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture a boil, and insert a candy thermometer. Continue to cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit (115 C).
• Once at 240 F, remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot mixture into the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip the mixture on medium speed until the candy has slightly cooled and thickened, about 5 minutes. It might start to look a little grainy; that’s okay. While it’s mixing, sift together the cocoa powder, dry buttermilk, and 1 cup of powdered sugar.
• Add the remaining 3 ounces of butter, the salt, and the vanilla extract, and mix well. Add the powdered sugar mixture in 2 batches, mixing well after each addition. Once all the ingredients are added, add 1/2 teaspoon of red gel food coloring and mix it in. Add more if desired to get your ideal color, then whip the frosting on medium-high speed for about 10 seconds, until it’s light and fluffy. It should be fluid but thick, like warm fudge. If it seems too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
• Spread frosting over the outside of the cake, using a spatula to spread it evenly. To get the surface smooth, you can wet your hands with hot water and gently press them on the frosting to smooth it out. Let the cake sit at room temperature until the frosting sets.
• This cake keeps very well—as it ages the cake and frosting seem to meld together more, and the frosting helps the cake stay moist for days. If it’s well-wrapped, the cake can keep for up to a week at room temperature.

Notes

This recipe calls for powdered buttermilk, which helps give the frosting the characteristic tang of red velvet cake. It can often be found in the baking aisle of stores like Target, Walmart, and Fresh & Easy, or you can purchase it online. If you can’t find powdered buttermilk, you have 2 options. First, you can omit it entirely and replace it with an equal amount of powdered sugar. Your frosting will still have a great texture, but it won’t be quite as flavorful. Secondly, you can replace the water in the recipe with liquid buttermilk. In the course of cooking the frosting, the milk proteins will cook as well, giving your frosting a caramel color and flavor. It will still be delicious, but it will be more like a caramel frosting and less like a red velvet flavor.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 1189kcal | Carbohydrates: 128g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Cholesterol: 296mg | Sodium: 967mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 99g | Vitamin A: 2420IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 2.6mg

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I was excited about this cake for about two hours.

See, it’s a fun twist on the traditional banana bundt cake. Instead of adding banana puree to a cake batter, the banana pieces are roasted with butter and brown sugar, then the golden bruleed bananas and their syrupy juices are added to the cake. Think of it like a Bananas Foster Cake, minus the booze and flames. Sounds great, right?

It is great. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I was really feeling this cake while I was making the batter and sneaking little tastes left and right. I was psyched the whole time it was baking. It smelled awesome! I couldn’t wait to taste it. I was sure this cake and I would be soulmates.

But then…then I made the frosting.

This cake is frosted with a Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. Once I tasted the frosting, the cake was dead to me, and all I cared about was getting more of that white stuff into my pie hole as quickly as possible.

Understand, I say this as someone who doesn’t particularly care about cream cheese frosting one way or another. It’s fine, but I’ve never particularly craved it or anything. But browning the butter brings this frosting to a whole new level. It adds a depth, a complex nuttiness, that perfectly complements the tangy cream cheese and vanilla flavor. It’s ridiculous, in the best way, and it made tasting my poor, sweet Roasted Banana Cake a little anti-climactic.

I hope I haven’t talked you out of the cake, because it’s not the cake’s fault it’s paired with such a fine specimen of frosting-hood. I stuffed my cake with cinnamon and semi-sweet chocolate chunks, and it was a lovely accompaniment to the main event. (That would be the frosting, of course.) You can always add nuts or dried fruit to the cake instead of chocolate, or just leave it plain and enjoy the chunks of roasted bananas. Just don’t leave off the frosting!

P.S. I’ve updated the Book page. My baby now has an official cover that I’m allowed to share! Feel free to take a peek and pet the screen, if you are so inclined. No judgment here.

💛More Banana Desserts You’ll Love

• The Best Banana Bread
• Peanut Butter Cup Banana Cake
• The Ultimate Banana Split
• Banana Bread Tiramisu
• Banana Coconut Macadamia Nut Bread
• Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake

Looking for the perfect bundt cake? Try this Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake – a moist vanilla cake with a strawberry swirl inside, topped with fresh berries and beautiful buttercream flowers! 

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Orange Bundt Cake

If you like big bundts, you'll love this Orange Bundt Cake! This classic homemade bundt cake has a tender texture, a bright orange flavor, and is drenched in a tangy orange glaze.

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5 from 3 votes

Roasted Banana Bundt Cake

This Roasted Banana Bundt Cake is a fun twist on a traditional banana bundt cake!  Pieces of Banana are roasted with butter and brown sugar, then the golden bruleed bananas and their syrupy juices are added to the cake.

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana bundt cake, breakfast, homemade cake, tea party

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 12

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3 cups large bananas sliced & very ripe (about 4-5 small bananas)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 1 ½ tbsp unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
• 14.17 oz all-purpose flour (3 ⅓ cups)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 fl oz buttermilk (1/4 cup + 2 TBSP) at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
• 12.25 oz granulated sugar (1 3/4 cups)
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

For the frosting:

• 3 oz unsalted butter
• 4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 12 oz powdered sugar (3 cups), sifted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk or more to taste
• 1/4 cup pecans toasted, chopped, optional

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To make the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray or nonstick cooking spray.
• Toss together the sliced bananas, packed brown sugar, and cold cubed butter in an 8×8 dish and roast the bananas for about 30-40 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes, and roast the bananas until they are bubbling and have golden brown spots. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and set the bananas aside to cool slightly until warm but not hot to the touch.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
• In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, roasted banana pieces, and vanilla extract. The banana pieces will be very soft and might start disintegrating a little, but some pieces should still hold their shape.
• In the bowl of a large mixer, combine the softened butter and the granulated sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat until well-incorporated and smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• With the mixer running on low, add a third of the flour mixture, and mix until it is almost incorporated. Add half of the buttermilk, again mixing until it’s mostly mixed in. Add half of the remaining flour, then the rest of the buttermilk, and finish by adding the rest of the flour. Stop before it’s entirely mixed in, and gently finish stirring everything together by hand. Add the chocolate chunks or any other mix-ins.
• Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake the bundt cake for 55-65 minutes, until the edges pull away and the center springs back when lightly pressed. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes at room temperature before carefully inverting it on a cooling rack and letting it cool completely.

To make the frosting:

• Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook it, stirring frequently, until it is a medium brown color and has a nutty scent, about 7-8 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
• Beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment until smooth and free of lumps. Add the browned butter and mix well. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and mix on low until the powdered sugar is moistened. Increase the speed of the mixer and beat until you have a very thick frosting.
• Add the milk and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. This will give you a lovely frosting that’s perfect for spreading on cakes. If you would like an icing that is easier to pour, continue to add milk, a spoonful at a time, until it is the consistency you want.
• Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and sprinkle the top with chopped toasted pecans. This cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to a week.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 4.9mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1.5mg