Easy Pumpkin Pound Cake (with cream cheese swirl)

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This Pumpkin Pound Cake is rich, buttery, and loaded with warm spices! To take it up a notch, there’s a creamy cheesecake filling and maple brown butter glaze on top that makes every bite super cozy and decadent!
If you love this pumpkin cake recipe, make my pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting and pumpkin cake cheesecake!

overhead photo of pumpkin pound cake sliced on a cake stand.

This Pumpkin Pound Cake is the ultimate Fall dessert. It has a dreamy cream cheese filling and maple brown Butter glaze that takes this cake over the top. It’s rich, cozy, and oh so perfect for pumpkin season.

The pound cake is perfectly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and it bakes up super moist thanks to pumpkin puree. Right in the center is a smooth cream cheese layer that adds the dreamiest, cheesecake-like surprise to every bite. The combination of buttery pumpkin crumb and tangy filling is heavenly.

Once baked, the whole cake gets drizzled with a silky maple brown butter glaze… and honestly, it’s chef’s kiss. The glaze seeps into all the ridges of the bundt, adding a nutty sweetness that makes this pumpkin cake special. It’s one of those cakes that feels fancy but comes together so easily you’ll want to make it on repeat all season long.

Slice it up, grab a fork, and enjoy with a cup of coffee or a scoop of ice cream.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
Pro Baking Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Bundt Cake Ingredients

sliced pumpkin pound cake on a cake stand so that you can see the cream cheese swirl.

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)

Canned pumpkin puree brings moisture and that signature earthy sweetness to the cake. It also helps create a dense, plush texture that makes for the most perfectly tender cake.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice enhances the pumpkin flavor! It consists of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice. It has a beautiful depth of flavor that you simply can’t find in store bought pumpkin spice mixes.
A mix of salted butter and vegetable oil adds richness and structure. The oil keeps the crumb incredibly moist and tender and the butter adds flavor! Together, they give you that perfect balance.
Sour cream adds extra moisture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness and enhances the cake’s richness. It also helps tenderize the crumb, giving you that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Maple syrup deepens the flavor with warm, caramel-like notes and adds a little extra moisture to the batter. It complements the pumpkin and warm spices beautifully.
Large eggs bind the batter together, add richness, and help with structure so the cake bakes up with a fine, even crumb. They also trap air during mixing, which helps the pound cake rise in the oven.

Substitutions and Variations

Swap out the cream cheese filling and add in some chocolate chips instead! I actually love chocolate and pumpkin together, it’s a great combo. Make my chocolate chip pumpkin bread if you love it like I do.
Fresh Pumpkin Puree! if you make your own pumpkin puree, love that for you! You can use this, just be sure to blot out any excess moisture as fresh pumpkin puree tends to be a bit more watery than canned. You’ll need 15 oz ~ 425g so measure accordingly!
You can use unsalted butter if you prefer. I like using salted butter as it enhances the flavor of the cake.

How To Make Pumpkin Pound Cake

cream cheese filling mixed together in a bowl.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare the cream cheese filling by adding cream cheese to a medium bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to mix together for about 30 seconds, until smooth, then add in the brown sugar and continue to mix until smooth. Add vanilla extract, maple syrup, cornstarch, and and milk and mix until just combined, about 20-30 seconds. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.

butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar creamed together in a bowl.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar, and white sugar. Cream together on medium speed for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and reduce mixer to low speed. Begin adding eggs one at a time, ensuring that each egg is fully incorporated prior to adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, ensuring everything is combined.

pumpkin puree and sour cream added into the pumpkin pound cake batter.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together until combined and smooth. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds, then add all of the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds.

pumpkin pound cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Step 5: Add the remainder of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more, ensuring that the batter is smooth.

half of the batter in a bundt pan with the cream cheese filling on top.

Step 6: Spray a 15-cup bundt pan or tube pan with nonstick baking spray. Add 1/2 of the batter to the pan. Smooth into an even layer, then add all of the cream cheese filling.

Step 7: Add the remainder of the cake batter on top, ensuring that all of the cream cheese is covered. Bake in the oven for 80-90 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 8: Once cooled, make the brown butter maple glaze. Brown butter in a skillet, then pour into a medium bowl. Pour in the maple syrup, powdered sugar, and milk. Whisk together until smooth (add more milk if the glaze is too thick). Pour on top of the cooled cake and enjoy!

Pro Baking Tips

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator! This cake can sit out for about 24 hours, however, because of the cream cheese swirl, it needs to be refrigerator. Wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the fridge to prevent it from drying out. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for optimal texture.

Use all room temperature ingredients! This is crucial to the success of the recipe. With the high amount of moisture in the cake batter, it’s important that all of the ingredients are room temp to ensure proper emulsification.

Recipe FAQs

How do I keep the cream cheese layer from sinking?

Spread half the batter in the pan first, add the cream cheese filling evenly, then top with the remaining batter to fully cover it. The batter is dense enough so that it can support the cream cheese filling without sinking.

How do I know when the cake is done?

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the filling) comes out clean, about 80 to 90 minutes.

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Yes, but make sure it’s well puréed and not watery. Canned pumpkin is thicker and gives a more consistent texture.

Can I skip the cream cheese filling?

Totally! The cake is still amazing on its own, just reduce bake time slightly (start checking at 70 mins) since the center will cook faster without the filling.

Do I need to refrigerate the cake because of the cream cheese filling?

Yes! It can sit at room temperature for 24 hours. After that, store in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.