• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Portfolio
  • Subscribe

Bright-Eyed Baker

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Portfolio
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Portfolio
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Published: Nov 20, 2019 · Modified: Feb 5, 2020 by alexandra · This post may contain affiliate links

    Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling {gluten-free}

    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    Front-facing view of brown sugar icing being poured over a pumpkin bundt cake. this recipe

    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.

    Front-facing view of a pumpkin bundt cake topped with a brown sugar glaze, ready to serve on a white plate with a serving spatula placed nearby.

    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.

    Slice of pumpkin bundt cake on two-stacked plates, with the full cake and a glass of milk in the background.

    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. ;)

    Two slices of pumpkin bundt cake on cream-colored plates, one in the foreground and one in the background.

    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.

    Overhead view of three slices of pumpkin bundt cake on various sized plates, along with forks and a flax-colored linen.
    Print

    Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake {gluten-free}

    Front-facing view of brown sugar icing being poured over a pumpkin bundt cake.
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    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!

    • Author: Alexandra
    • 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

    Scale

    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:

    1. 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.
    2. 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:

    1. 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.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. 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:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.

    Keywords: pumpkin bundt cake, pumpkin bundt cake cream cheese filling, pumpkin cream cheese bundt cake, gluten-free pumpkin bundt cake

    Have you made this recipe?

    Tag @brighteyedbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #brighteyedbaker

    Digiprove sealCopyright protected by Digiprove © 2012-2019

    More Cake and Cupcake Recipes

    • Halloween Spider Web Cupcakes (gluten-free option)
    • Simple and Moist Carrot Bundt Cake (gluten-free option)
    • Moist Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Easy Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting {gluten-free/df options}
    • Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Laurel says

      September 22, 2014 at 6:52 pm

      This is almost to the tee what I was looking for to make- the only exception is that I'm thinking of using maple syrup instead of brown sugar for the glaze..we'll see how that goes. Thanks for the wonderful recipe! Love the idea of the cinnamon in the cream cheese filling!!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        September 23, 2014 at 12:51 pm

        Let me know how it goes! You'll probably have to add a bit more confectioner's sugar to the glaze (or drop the milk) so it's not too thin with the maple syrup, but it should work out just fine! :)

        Reply
    2. sarah murphy says

      October 17, 2013 at 11:26 am

      This is how they looked in my childhood, hence the "need" for me to try to replicate that...
      http://mamasgottabake.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/dsc_0052.jpg?w=590&h=802

      Until recently, I did not know you could use the pan to just bake a cake - there was a mysterious secret to getting that filling ring in there that must have had something to do with the pan, somewhere in my childhood/imagination...

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 19, 2013 at 11:30 am

        Ooh, I can see how that would be nice to cut into the bundt and find that surprise inside! Glad you figured out how to make it work. :)

        Reply
    3. sarah murphy says

      October 16, 2013 at 5:42 pm

      I made this and wanted the traditional bundt look (that's where some midwestern mommy spends half the day making the filling be surrounded by cake, I think)... Here's my tip - no clue how they really did it back in my childhood, but this worked... when you put the first half in the pan, use the back of a spoon to make a well in the center of the cake mix for the filling and you will get the filling surrounded by cake, instead of in a layer.

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 17, 2013 at 11:05 am

        Thanks for sharing the neat tip! I was never really bothered by seeing the cream cheese layer on the outside, but perhaps that's because nobody in my family baked bundt cakes when I was young, so I had no prior ideas of what a bundt should look like. :) I think adding a cream cheese glaze is a good way to incorporate more cream cheese if wanted, and you could even merge the two glazes with a brown sugar cream cheese glaze - YUM!

        Reply
    4. Felecia Cofield says

      October 15, 2013 at 7:39 pm

      Hello Alexandra! What a pretty cake this is! I love pumpkin anything and I especially love cream cheese, so this is the perfect dessert recipe for me! Thank you for sharing it with us! Have a nice Holiday Season! Blessings from Bama!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 17, 2013 at 11:07 am

        Thanks so much Felecia! This is actually one of my favorite recipes on the blog; I love using cream cheese in baking. :)

        Reply
    5. kristy says

      October 07, 2013 at 6:04 pm

      Does this cake have to be refrigerated?

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        October 08, 2013 at 8:16 am

        I would recommend refrigerating due to the cream cheese filling, but if you have no qualms about leaving baked goods with cream cheese at room temperature, that might be okay. For a day or so, it would probably be fine at room temp as long as it's not too hot outside.

        Reply
    6. Jennifer says

      September 15, 2013 at 3:12 pm

      I made this to bring over to a friends place for dinner. It was super easy. The only thing I'm concerned about (as its still baking) is that my cake batter was super thick!! I had to use a spoon to put it in the bunt pan, and had a hard time spreading the batter on the top of the cream cheese.

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        September 15, 2013 at 7:35 pm

        It should be fairly thick; some cake batters are liquidy thin and this one isn't like that. However, it's possible that you used too much flour, which could happen if you didn't measure it with the spoon and level/sweep method. Let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    7. jenny says

      March 03, 2013 at 1:05 pm

      This may be a silly question, but could i substitute the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for pumpkin pie spice? If so, how much should I use?

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        March 03, 2013 at 9:58 pm

        Yes! No question is silly. :) I would go with about 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Do you have the all spice? If not, you could up it to about 2 1/4 teaspoons.

        Reply
    8. Mary Kay says

      January 02, 2013 at 6:36 pm

      I made this for Christmas Day and I took it a family dinner and everyone loved it. I was so good. I'm defiantly going to make it again. The only thing I changed was instead of yogurt I use cinnamon applesauce.

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        January 03, 2013 at 3:36 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that! The cinnamon applesauce sounds like an interesting addition (good call on the cinnamon!). I'm glad it worked out well. :)

        Reply
    9. Riley says

      November 25, 2012 at 12:26 pm

      This looked amazing so I decided to make it for my family for Thanksgiving. It was a huge hit but with some suggestions. The cream cheese filling could definately be doubled, and left many of my family members craving more. However, the brown sugar glaze was fantastic and the entire cake was gone by Friday morning! Next time I make this, I will double the cream cheese, but otherwise, delisous! Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        November 26, 2012 at 10:10 am

        I'm so glad you tried the bundt cake! I guess my family is kind of the opposite from yours because most of us felt that the cream cheese was just the right amount for us. Everyone has to make things to suit their tastes though, so that's good to know that some people might want to double the filling. :) Thanks for letting me know that you all liked it!

        Reply
      • sarah murphy says

        October 16, 2013 at 5:46 pm

        I accidentally used a pound of cream cheese for the 2nd cake filling and it was too much to not have it layer (see my other comment about the tidy filling surrounded by cake solution). It also made the baking a bit off - not as fluffy and pulled together as the first one, where I followed the recipe because I was not rushing. The second cake was a birthday cake and the birthday boy asked for cream cheese frosting/glaze instead of the brown sugar glaze, so that might be your fix to add more cream cheese to the end cake...

        Reply
      • Lorraine says

        October 09, 2014 at 5:53 pm

        Did you ever try making this with double cream cheese. We were thinking the same thing.

        Reply
        • alexandra says

          October 10, 2014 at 4:47 pm

          I haven't tried it with double the cream cheese filling, but you could easily do a cream cheese glaze instead of the brown sugar glaze to get a similar effect. This carrot bundt cake uses a cream cheese glaze that would work here too.

    10. Simply Tia says

      November 20, 2012 at 5:00 pm

      Perfect for the season and looks soooooo delicious. Bookmarked.

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        November 21, 2012 at 10:55 am

        Awesome :)

        Reply
    11. Nik@A Brown Table says

      November 19, 2012 at 11:51 am

      I love anything pumpkin, this cake will be on the menu this week!

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        November 21, 2012 at 10:55 am

        Yay! I hope you love it as much as I do!

        Reply
    12. Priya Sreeram says

      November 18, 2012 at 3:58 am

      wow - i am bookmarking this recipe

      Reply
    13. Meghan says

      November 17, 2012 at 1:46 pm

      This sounds scrumptious

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        November 19, 2012 at 11:45 am

        It is... possibly my favorite pumpkin recipe this season!

        Reply
    14. sara says

      November 17, 2012 at 12:38 pm

      Love this - the perfect fall cake. That is some seriously great orange color!

      Reply
    15. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      November 16, 2012 at 9:25 pm

      That is one incredible bundt, I'm drooling over the glaze!

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Primary Sidebar

    about-me

    Hey There! Thanks for stopping by! Here's what you can expect to find on Bright-Eyed Baker: lots of baked goods and other sweets made from scratch (many of which are gluten-free), plus the occasional savory recipe or mixed drink. My goal is to show you that from-scratch baking - gluten-free or not! - doesn't have to be intimidating. Learn more about me.

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • DIY: Caramel sauce with milk (no butter, no cream)
    • How to Cut Parchment Paper Rounds for Cake
    • Easy caramel iced coffee
    • DIY: Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts {gluten-free}
    • DIY: Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream
    • DIY: Candied orange peel {gluten-free}
    seasonal favorites icon
    VALENTINE'S DAY RECIPES
    • Cranberry Chocolate Sweet Rolls
    • Sorbet & Chambord Kir Royale
    • Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Cake {gluten-free}
    • Sugar Cookie Dough Truffles
    • Raspberry chocolate tart {gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free}
    • Moist Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Easy Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting {gluten-free/df options}

    Footer

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme