This moist pumpkin bundt cake is an easy recipe packed with plenty of pumpkin spice and real pumpkin purée! It’s the ultimate cozy dessert in the fall, but it’s so good, you’ll want to bake it year-round.
Topped with homemade espresso whipped cream, this bundt cake tastes just like a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte! If you love this recipe, try my pumpkin cinnamon rolls and these creamy pumpkin bars, next.
Every fall, the smell of pumpkin spice takes me back to my college days—when I was broke and whipping up DIY pumpkin spice lattes because the local coffee spot was out of my budget. Fast forward a few years, and that same pumpkin obsession led to this moist and tender pumpkin spice bundt cake.
If there’s one fall dessert that tops my list every year, it’s this amazingly moist and tender pumpkin bundt cake. I love the color of this cake. It’s rich and golden, packed full of pumpkin spice. Serving it with a scoop of espresso whipped cream takes it to another level of deliciousness. It’s out of control. Try to resist going for a second slice, I dare you!
Reasons to Love This Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin spice flavors. This perfectly spiced pumpkin bundt cake is everything I’m craving as soon as there’s a chill in the air. It’s fluffy and moist, wrapped in rich, cozy pumpkin flavor that reminds me a bit of my pumpkin muffins.
- Espresso whipped cream. The “icing” on this cake isn’t icing at all! Nope, it’s espresso-infused whipped cream, and it’s SO GOOD. It transforms this classic pumpkin bundt cake into a latte-inspired dessert when serving.
- Easy to make. Baking a bundt cake is super simple, with a few key steps to ensure that your cake bakes up perfectly and releases easily from the pan. I go over these, plus more baking tips below.
What You’ll Need
I’ll admit, my first attempt at this pumpkin latte-inspired cake was a bit of a flop. After trying to work the espresso and the pumpkin into the cake, I realized the pumpkin and the coffee were fighting for the starring role. Whomp-whomp. So, instead, I made my pumpkin bundt cake with the “coffee” on the side in the form of espresso whipped cream, and, success! I’ve never looked back.
Below are some notes on the ingredients for the cake and whipped cream topping. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full list with amounts and recipe details.
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Check the expiration dates of the baking powder and soda to ensure they’re fresh.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – You could technically substitute apple pie spice since the blend is very similar. Otherwise, substitute ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or cloves (or any combination of these spices) per 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- Butter – Softened to room temperature.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar or light brown sugar both work well.
- Eggs – These should also be at room temperature.
- Pumpkin Purée – Note that pumpkin purée and pumpkin are NOT the same thing. Canned or homemade pumpkin purée is 100% pumpkin, while pie filling has additives like thickeners and spices. Make sure you’re using the right product, as they aren’t interchangeable in recipes!
- Milk – Whole milk or any dairy or non-dairy milk will work here.
For the Whipped Cream
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Make sure to use whole-fat heavy cream that’s cold from the fridge.
- Sugar – Since there’s just a small amount, granulated sugar is fine to use. If you have powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar), that’ll work, too.
- Brewed Espresso – This can be any freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee. I usually use my espresso machine or one of the brewing options in my iced americano recipe. The coffee in this cake recipe should also be ice-cold. If you have cold brew black coffee in the fridge that’s also a great ready-to-use option.
- Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder adds a hint of mocha flavor.
How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
It’s in the name, but you’ll need a bundt pan for this pumpkin cake recipe. This is a special type of baking pan that’s shaped like a giant donut with fluted edges. You’ll find them in most baking sections and online. Once you have yours ready, follow these steps to make a perfect pumpkin bundt cake:
- Prep the pan. Start by greasing a bundt pan with butter, shortening, or non-stick spray. Then, dust the pan with flour, turn it over, and knock out any excess. Greasing and flouring the pan is an important step in bundt cake recipes. It makes the cakes easy to remove.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Afterward, take out a large bowl and sift together the flour, leavening, salt, and spice.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a new bowl, cream the butter and sugar until that’s nice and fluffy. Then, beat in the eggs followed by the pumpkin purée.
- Combine. Now, you’ll add half the flour mixture to the wet batter, then the milk, then the rest of the flour. Mix just until the batter comes together.
- Bake. Pour the batter into your prepped bundt pan, smoothing out the top with a spatula. Bake the spice cake for 50 minutes to an hour. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes afterward, before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Easy Espresso Whipped Cream
While the cake bakes, I use the time to make a quick and easy homemade whipped cream. I love this espresso-infused version. Served with this pumpkin spice cake, it gives off total pumpkin spice latte vibes! Here’s how to make it:
- Start with cold ingredients. Add cold heavy whipping cream to an (ideally cold) mixing bowl along with cold coffee, sugar, and cocoa powder.
- Whip the cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat slowly as the whipped cream comes together, then up the speed as it starts to thicken. Finally, beat on high for 4-5 minutes until you reach soft peaks. This means the peak should bend gently when you hold up the mixer attachment, as pictured.
- Serve. Serve your pumpkin spice bundt cake slices with a big dollop of espresso whipped cream, and enjoy!
Bundt Cake Tips and FAQ’s
- Grease and flour the pan. It’s worth repeating, but it’s super important to grease the bundt pan well and dust it with flour. You could also use cocoa powder if you’d like. Make sure to get all the nooks and crannies so the cake comes out easily after baking.
- Test the cake for doneness. Use a toothpick stuck into the center of the bundt cake to test whether it’s done baking. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready to come out.
- Don’t let the cake cool completely in the bundt pan. Once you’ve removed the pumpkin bundt cake from the oven, leave it to rest in the pan for 10-15 minutes, but not much longer than that. If a bundt cake is left to cool completely in the pan, there’s a good chance it’ll get stuck.
- If the cake doesn’t pop out of the pan right away, carefully run a knife around the edges of the bundt pan to help it loosen.
- Cool the cake before serving. Once you’ve inverted the bundt cake from the pan, let it cool completely on a wire rack before serving with the whipped cream. This way, the whipped cream won’t melt against the warm cake slices.
- If you’d like to add a glaze, borrow the salted caramel glaze from my pumpkin donuts, the vanilla glaze from these cinnamon donuts, or the creamy maple frosting from these pumpkin cupcakes.
How to Store
- At room temperature. Store this pumpkin spice bundt cake airtight on the counter for up to 4 days. You can keep it in the fridge if you prefer, but I recommend serving at room temperature.
- Freeze. The cooled bundt cake freezes great! Double-wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake at room temperature before serving.
- Refrigerate leftover whipped cream. Store the espresso whipped cream covered airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week. I recommend giving it a fresh whip before you use it.
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For the Cake
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Prep. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a Bundt cake pan with non-stick spray or butter, dust with flour, then tap out any excess.
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Sift the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
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Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and continue to mix until bright yellow and smooth. Slowly pour and mix in the pumpkin puree.
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Combine. Gradually add half of the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture. Pour in the milk and add in the rest of the flour mixture. Beat until well incorporated.
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Fill the pan and bake. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smooth the top, then bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.
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Cool the cake. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack. Completely cool the cake before cutting and serving.
For the Espresso Whipped Cream
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Combine the ingredients. Add cold heavy whipping cream, sugar, cold coffee, and cocoa powder to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
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Start slow. With an electric hand mixer or a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream starting on the lowest speed so it doesn’t splash.
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Give it a whip. Slowly increase the speed as the cream begins to thicken a bit, and as the cream thickens, set the speed to the highest. You are looking for a soft peak, and the peak should bend over at the top when you remove the mixer. About 4 to 5 minutes.
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Enjoy! Serve slices of cake with a scoop of espresso whipped cream.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2819IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
