Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
This Pumpkin Bundt Cake is incredibly moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with a rich brown butter cream cheese frosting for the ultimate fall dessert.
Quick Look: Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Serves: 12
Calories: 470 Calories
Main Ingredients: butter, flour, oil, applesauce, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spices, cream cheese
Why You'll Love It: this Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Frosting is incredibly moist and tender, and the frosting is to-die-for! It is the perfect fall dessert.
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- Quick Look: Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Expert Tips
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe FAQs
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
If you're looking for an easy pumpkin dessert that's guaranteed to impress, this Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting is it! The cake is incredibly moist from pumpkin and applesauce, perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, and topped with the most delicious brown butter cream cheese frosting.
The brown butter takes a classic cream cheese frosting to the next level, giving it a rich, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the warmly spiced pumpkin cake. Best of all, this Pumpkin Bundt Cake is simple to make but looks beautiful enough for Thanksgiving, a fall dinner party, or any cozy autumn gathering!
Other pumpkin deserts when I'm in the mood for pumpkin spice: Giant Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Bars with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting, and Pumpkin Poke Cake.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Incredibly Moist - Pumpkin, applesauce, and vegetable oil make this Pumpkin Bundt Cake super moist and tender with every bite.
Full of Fall Flavor - Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice give the cake plenty of warm and cozy pumpkin spice flavor.
That Frosting! Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor to the cream cheese frosting that pairs perfectly with the spiced pumpkin cake.
Easy but Impressive - Bundt cakes are simple to make but always look beautiful, making this the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, or weekend baking.
Key Ingredients
Pumpkin Puree - Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for moisture and plenty of pumpkin flavor.
Applesauce - Unsweetened applesauce helps keep the Pumpkin Bundt Cake extra moist and tender without making it heavy.
Pumpkin Spice - cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice are classic pumpkin spices that give this cake its cozy fall flavor.
Brown Butter - Browning the butter gives the frosting a rich, nutty, almost caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
Please refer to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Substitutions and Variations
Oil - Canola oil or another neutral-flavored oil can be used in place of the vegetable oil.
Applesauce - If you don't have applesauce, you can replace it with an equal amount of vegetable oil. The cake will be a little richer but still delicious.
Individual Spices - Instead of using pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and ½ teaspoon of allspice.
Add Chocolate Chips - Fold 1 ½ cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips into the batter for a pumpkin chocolate chip Bundt cake.
Add Nuts - Chopped pecans or walnuts would add a delicious crunch and pair especially well with the brown butter frosting.
Skip the Frosting - For a simpler Pumpkin Bundt Cake, skip the cream cheese frosting and dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar instead.
How to Make Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla.
Step 2.
Add the pumpkin and mix to combine.
Step 3.
Add the pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt, and mix to combine.
Step 4.
Add the flour and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Step 5.
Transfer the batter to a well-greased bundt pan.
Step 6.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs on it. I start checking it at 55 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Once cool invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 9.
In a small saucepan, brown the butter. Do this by melting the butter over medium heat. Keep cooking until brown specks form on the bottom of the pan. Remove immediately and let cool.
Step 10.
In a medium bowl, beat the cooled brown butter with room temperature cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency is reached. Frost the cooled bundt cake. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Grease the Bundt Pan Well - Be sure to thoroughly grease every nook and cranny of your Bundt pan so the cake releases easily after baking.
Don't Overmix - Mix the batter just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can result in a denser cake instead of a soft and tender crumb.
Use Pumpkin Puree - Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added sugar and spices.
Let the Cake Cool - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before carefully turning it onto a cooling rack, then let it cool completely before frosting.
Watch the Brown Butter Closely - Once the butter starts to brown, it can go from perfectly golden to burnt quickly. Remove it from the heat when it smells nutty and you see golden-brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Check out my Brown Butter Oatmeal Ginger Cookies and Carrot Cake Bars with Brown Butter Frosting for more brown butter deliciousness!
Get the Frosting Consistency Just Right - Add milk or cream a little at a time until the brown butter cream cheese frosting is thick but pourable, so it drips beautifully down the sides of the Bundt cake.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe FAQs
Yes! Bake the cake up to one day in advance and store it tightly covered. Add the brown butter cream cheese frosting before serving.
Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. For the best texture and flavor, let it come closer to room temperature before serving.
Yes! I recommend freezing the Pumpkin Bundt Cake without the frosting. Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw and frost before serving.
Bundt pans have lots of grooves, so it's important to grease the pan REALLY well, making sure you get into every nook and cranny. I like to sprinkle some flour on top of the cooking spray too. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before carefully turning it out of the pan.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 large eggs
- 2 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 6 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoon milk or cream
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with oil and then dust well with flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar and vanilla until well combined.
- Add pumpkin and whisk well to combine.
- Add the baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, and mix to combine.
- Add the flour and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Pour into the prepared bundt pan.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, checking after 55 minutes with a toothpick to ensure doneness and adding more time as needed.
- Cool the cake in the bundt pan for 10-15 minutes.
- Carefully invert onto a wire rack until completely cooled.
Make the frosting:
- Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat and melt.
- Continue letting the butter cook until it has browned, about 5 minutes. You will see the butter foaming and brown specks start to form on the bottom of the pan (this is easiest with a light-colored saucepan). Remove from heat immediately so it doesn't burn.
- Let the brown butter cool for about 20 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cooled brown butter and softened cream cheese until creamy and not lumpy.
- Add the vanilla and salt, beating well to combine.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until creamy.
- Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Drizzle/frost the cake with the frosting.
- Serve and enjoy!
