Soft Pumpkin Cream Cheese Latte Bundt Cake.

This cake is SO good! Soft pumpkin cake made with pumpkin butter, sweetened with brown sugar, swirled with cream cheese, and finished with a sweet brown butter icing that drips down the sides and sinks into every soft, moist crumb. I don’t think I’ve had anything better, even from a bakery!

You know when you finally get something just right and you get SO excited? That’s me right now. I’m embarrassingly happy, with all this fall and holiday spirit building up inside me. I love this time of year so much. Everything about it makes me happy and brings such a sense of comfort!

Baking over the weekend is pretty much all I want to be doing right now. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I baked three cakes in one day before finally landing on this one!

And it’s a Bundt cake, too! Which I know can feel a little intimidating. I think we’re all a bit nervous when it’s time to flip a Bundt cake out of the pan. After a few flops of my own, I finally got it right!

The flavors, the sweetness, the warm spices, and that incredibly soft texture. Oh my goodness, it’s all SO good.

I took inspiration from one of my favorite holiday cookies, my soft gingerbread latte cookies. But for this cake, we’re going all in on pumpkin!

My secret is using pumpkin butter instead of just pumpkin purée. Pumpkin butter adds sweetness, warm spices, and a much richer, more intense pumpkin flavor. I’ve found that it’s really the secret to making the most delicious pumpkin recipes.

You can use my homemade pumpkin butter or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Amazon, or your local market. Though, of course, I’m partial to mine! Just make sure your pumpkin butter is spiced for the best flavor.

I also add a shot of hot espresso, which gives the cake that delicious pumpkin spice latte flavor. It’s subtle, but pairs so well with the warm spices and brown sugar.

Then comes a thick, creamy swirl of cream cheese through the center. It bakes right into the soft pumpkin cake, making every slice even more delicious.

And finally, the brown butter icing. It’s sweet, with hints of vanilla and cinnamon, and drips down the sides of the cake, settling into all those soft, moist crumbs. It’s the perfect finishing touch!

I really can’t tell you how much I love this cake. It’s everything I want in a cozy fall dessert, and it has me SO excited for all the fall and holiday baking ahead!

These are the details

Ingredients

• coconut oil
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• pumpkin butter
• canned pumpkin purée
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• hot espresso or brewed coffee
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• cream cheese

The Icing

• salted butter
• powdered sugar
• warm milk
• ground cinnamon

The Steps

Step 1: Start with the pumpkin batter

First, butter your Bundt pan really, really well. This is important! Make sure to get into every little crevice of the pan. I like to use softened butter for this.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin butter, pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, and hot espresso.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until just combined. The batter will be thick, which is exactly what you want!

The pumpkin butter is key here. It’s what gives this cake its deliciously sweet, spiced pumpkin flavor. I love using my homemade pumpkin butter, but store-bought works great too. Just make sure you’re using spiced pumpkin butter, not plain pumpkin purée. You need both for this recipe!

Step 2: Make the cream cheese swirl

In a separate bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. This makes it so much easier to whisk and spread evenly throughout the cake. You don’t want cold, lumpy cream cheese! I like to use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture.

Step 3: Layer the cake

Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into your prepared Bundt pan. Add the cream cheese over the batter, gently spreading it into an even layer.

Spoon the remaining pumpkin batter over the cream cheese, then use a butter knife to gently swirl the layers together.

Don’t overdo the swirling! You want a nice, thick ribbon of cream cheese running through the center of the cake. It’s so pretty when you slice into it!

Step 4: Bake

Bake for 55–65 minutes, until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin cake comes out clean. I bake mine for about 55 minutes, loosely tenting the cake with foil after 30 minutes to prevent the top from getting too dark.

I like to loosely tent the cake with foil once the top starts to turn golden. This keeps the outside from getting too dark while the center finishes baking.

Every oven is a little different, so keep an eye on your cake toward the end of baking.

Step 5: Cool the cake

Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and place the Bundt pan on a wire rack. Let the cake cool in the pan for 1–2 hours before carefully inverting it onto a serving plate.

I know it’s tempting to flip the cake out right away, but please don’t rush this step! I’ve had a few Bundt cake flops myself, and I’ve learned that allowing this cake to cool is key.

The cream cheese center makes the cake extra soft and delicate while it’s warm. Giving it time to cool helps everything set so the cake holds together when you invert it. It also helps keep the cake soft and moist.

Once cooled, gently loosen the edges if needed, then carefully invert the cake onto your serving plate.

And if a little cake sticks to the pan, don’t worry! Just piece it back together. The icing will cover it right up, and no one needs to know! I promise it will still be just as delicious.

Between greasing the pan really well and allowing the cake to cool, you should have a beautiful Bundt cake that comes out in one piece. Don’t skip either step!

Step 6: Make the brown butter icing

While the cake cools, make the icing.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it cook until lightly golden and smelling toasted and nutty. Watch closely because brown butter can go from perfectly golden to burned quickly!

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and a pinch of cinnamon. You want the icing to be thick but still pourable. Add a splash more milk if needed.

Tip: The icing will begin to thicken and set as it cools, so I like to spoon it over the cake shortly after mixing.

Step 7: Ice, slice, and enjoy!

Once the cake has cooled completely, spoon the brown butter icing generously over the top. Let it drip down the sides and into all those pretty little ridges of the Bundt cake.

The icing settles into the soft pumpkin crumbs, making every bite that much more delicious.

Let the icing set slightly, then slice and serve!

This is such a delicious cake to bake over the weekend, share with friends, or bring to a fall gathering. And it’s especially good with a hot cup of coffee!

Make Ahead and Storage

This is a great cake to make ahead, especially if you’re entertaining. I actually love how the pumpkin flavor develops as the cake sits.

Because of the cream cheese filling, keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. Let the slices come to room temperature before serving so the cake is nice and soft.

And remember, the two most important things are to grease your Bundt pan really well and let the cake cool before inverting. Those little steps make all the difference!