This moist, gluten-free Pumpkin Bundt Cake is laced with a Cream Cheese Filling and topped with an irresistible Brown Sugar Icing glaze. It’s a festive fall dessert that makes a perfect alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!
Quick Note: This is an updated version of a post that originally appeared on Bright-Eyed Baker in 2012. Along with new text & photos, I've made a few modifications/improvements to the recipe. Two of these changes are particularly significant: 1) The cake is now written to be made gluten-free, but regular all-purpose flour will also still work in this recipe. 2) I've doubled the amount of glaze on top for better coverage. If you loved the original, I have no doubt you'll love it even more now!
How amazing are bundt cakes? They're like the laid-back sibling of layer cakes - every bit as good but so much simpler to make. And don't get me wrong, I love a pretty layer cake, but you have to have TIME for that. A bundt cake, on the other hand, is something you can whip up on a Friday night and still have time to relax and watch a movie afterwards. I don't know about you, but that's my vibe.
Here's all the things there are to love about this Pumpkin Bundt Cake:
This particular bundt cake has been a fan favorite since I originally shared it - so much so that I knew I needed to try a gluten-free version. As it turns out, using gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of regular all-purpose works beautifully, and the cake turns out just as soft & moist as I remembered it. It's a perfectly tender, lightly spiced pumpkin cake (much like these pumpkin cupcakes), swirled with a just-sweet-enough cream cheese filling. To top it all off, we glaze it with an amaaaazing cinnamon-spiced Brown Sugar Icing. Trust me when I say that doubling the icing on this cake was the best decision I made; if you're anything like us you'll be spooning up every last bit on your plate because it's that good.
Is this the perfect fall cake? Yes. Could you make this instead of pie or cheesecake for Thanksgiving? Definitely. Could you even splurge a little and call this Thanksgiving breakfast? I won't judge. ;)
And in case you're looking for more Thanksgiving Day inspiration...
These gluten-free Pumpkin Scones are another guaranteed winner for Thanksgiving breakfast. I've made them three times this fall and I honestly might not be done.
Every cozy fall morning needs a hot cup of coffee, but a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte is even better! Of course, if you're lucky enough to enjoy a warm and sunny Thanksgiving like this California gal, you can opt for Pumpkin Cold Brew instead.
These Sweet Potato Rolls are one of my favorite bread recipes of all time and perfect for Thanksgiving dinner! They're insanely soft and fluffy. Cornbread is another must-have.
And it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce! My homemade version is SO simple, there's no excuse to skip it.
Recipe Card
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake {gluten-free}
This moist, gluten-free Pumpkin Bundt Cake is laced with a Cream Cheese Filling and topped with an irresistible Brown Sugar Icing glaze. It’s a festive fall dessert that makes a perfect alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hr 45 minutes
- Yield: one 9-inch bundt cake 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-ounce portions
- ½ cup (3 ½ ounces) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- 3 cups, spoon and level (12 ¾ ounces) gluten-free all purpose flour*
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground all spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup, packed (3 ¾) ounces brown sugar
- ¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) canned pumpkin
- ½ cup (4 ounces) avocado or vegetable oil
- ½ cup (4 ounces) sour cream**
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Glaze
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup, packed (3 ¾) ounces brown sugar
- 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioner's sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth and lighter in texture.
- Wipe down the bowl and beater. Add the egg, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt and continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth, wiping down as needed. Transfer to a separate bowl and place in the fridge to chill while preparing the cake batter.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray, making sure to cover all the grooves in the pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until smoothly combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smoothly incorporated, wiping down the bowl and beater after each addition. Add the pumpkin, oil, sour cream, and vanilla and beat in until the mixture is smooth, wiping down the bowl and beater as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix in a lowest speed just until mostly incorporated. Finish folding the batter together by hand just until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick.
- Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared bundt pan, making sure the batter covers the bottom of the pan and fills every crevice. Smooth out the top with the back of a spatula. Add the cream cheese filling to cover the first layer of batter, again reaching every crevice and smoothing on top. Repeat with the remaining pumpkin batter, covering the cream cheese completely. Rap the pan firmly against the counter to release any air pockets and ensure that the batter settles into the pan.
- Bake the bundt cake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a center section of the cake comes out clean. Let the bundt cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully before glazing.
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Glaze:
- Combine butter and milk in a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup or small mixing bowl (preferably the former, since it has a spout for pouring). Microwave for 40 seconds, or until the butter has melted. Add the brown sugar and whisk in until it has melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the confectioner's sugar and cinnamon until smooth. The glaze should be somewhat thick but still fluid enough to pour.
- Pour the glaze carefully over the top of the cooled cake. For best presentation, serve cake the day it is made. Store any leftovers in the fridge in a covered container***, or covered with plastic wrap.
Notes
*You can also use regular all-purpose flour in this recipe **Yogurt also works ***I own this Bundt Cake Keeper
and love it! It makes storage super easy and keeps the bundt cake looking its best.
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debbie
on pinterest it calls for 3/4 cup brown sugar- on your website the cake calls for 3-3/4 cup brown sugar- possible error?
alexandra
Actually it calls for 3-3/4 OUNCES, which is 1/2 cup brown sugar. That should be the same on Pinterest. Hope that helps! :)
shawna
This cake looks amazing! It's there anyway I could substitute butter fir the oil? I happen to be out of oil at the moment ;-)
alexandra
Hi Shawna,
So sorry I didn't respond to this comment earlier, but I would lean towards not substituting with butter. You can switch up the type of oil - think vegetable, canola, coconut, etc., - but butter tends to create a cake that's not quite as tender and moist as it would be with oil.
savanah
This was sooo good! I'm making again this week for company. Doubled the cream cheese recipe and ended up using about three forths of it, I was glad I made the extra. This recipe was exactly what I was looking for!
alexandra
Yay, so happy to hear that! Nice to know that you can get away with adding a bit more cream cheese filling :)
jessie
Hello, I was wondering can I substitute the flour with a spice cake mix instead? Would I still need the yogurt and everything or can I go by the back of the box? I dont want it to fall apart from being too soft.
alexandra
Hi Jessie,
Usually cake mix has other things added to it, like sugar and leavener, so unfortunately you really can't just switch it out with the flour in this case.
MsK
I just made your cake and had to say thank you. Sooooo yummy! I have a silicone Bundt pan, and I'd really recommend that. My cream cheese ribbon didn't turn out perfect, but in think it was my fault. I added a bit more than half the cake batter before putting it in. This cake is so moist and delicious. Plus it smelled awesome baking. Yea for fall.
alexandra
I'm so happy to hear that!! Thanks for the tip on the silicone bundt pan; I haven't worked with one so that's good to know. :)
Laurel
Well, I ended up making it with the brown sugar instead. It's fabulous!! I made one for my sister today for her birthday...and since I knew I was going to want some too, I made a second one for our family. :) Had to cut into it while it was still warm, of course!
Thanks so much for sharing! So so yummy and moist!
alexandra
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it :)