Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake: This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake is the perfect fall treat with flavorful layers of pumpkin spiced pound cake, cream cheese filling and a simple vanilla glaze. 

This recipe first appeared on Savory Experiments where I am a contributor.

When the weather begins to get colder, nothing is more comforting than the familiar flavors of pumpkin spiced drinks and treats. This layered pumpkin spiced pound cake is perfect with a cup of coffee and great for dessert. 

How to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Don’t be fooled by the layers, this recipe is easier than it looks. To make it, you will need to get three bowls and make each layer separately. Prepare your oven by preheating to 350 degrees and spray a bundt cake with nonstick cooking spray and let’s get started! 

Making the Pound Cake

For the pound cake layer, you will need:

• Canned Pumpkin
• Eggs
• Vegetable Oil
• Brown Sugar
• Granulated Sugar
• Vanilla
• Flour
• Pumpkin Spice
• Baking Powder

Start by using an electric mixer on medium speed to combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugars and vanilla until smooth. Lower the speed of the mixer, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. 

Pro-Tip - Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can cause the gluten to over develop which will result in a tough and chewy cake. 

Cream Cheese Filling

For the cream cheese filling, you will need:

• 12 ounces softened cream cheese
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg

Use an electric mixer on medium low speed and mix until smooth. 

Creating the Layers

Getting those beautiful layers may look complicated, but it’s super easy! Simply pour half the pound cake batter in the prepared pan. Carefully spoon the cream cheese layer in next, then top with the remaining batter.  

Baking the Perfect Pound Cake

Bake for about an hour or until cooked through. This cake is dense, so don’t be surprised if it takes longer. If your cake begins to brown too quickly, you can cover with foil toward the end of baking time. Remove from the oven, cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a serving platter. Cool completely.

Preparing the Glaze

To make the glaze, you will need:

• Powdered Sugar
• Milk
• Cream cheese

Combine all the ingredients until smooth. You can adjust the consistency by adding more or less milk. Pour around the bundt cake, in the center of the ring and allow the glaze to drip off the sides. 

Pan Size

This recipe uses a standard 10’ bundt pan. If you don’t have a 10’, don’t worry! You can still make this recipe in a 9 or 11 inch and it will turn out perfectly fine. 

Storage Tips

Because this cake contains cream cheese, you should serve any leftovers in the fridge. I love a slice of this cake cold with a hot cup of coffee, but if you want it room temperature just pull it out about 30 minutes before you plan to enjoy it. Alternatively, you can freeze it and thaw as needed. 

Make it Gluten-Free

I have experimented making this recipe with a 1/1 gluten free flour replacement and while the texture was a bit more crumbly, it tasted just fine. So if you have food allergies, you can still make this dessert

Checking for Doneness

You will know when your pound cake is done when the top is cooked through and a knife inserted in the cake comes out mostly clean. The cream cheese layer will spread a bit on the knife, but the orange pumpkin batter should not spread when the knife is removed. 

Fresh vs Canned Pumpkin 

For this recipe, it is OK to take a short cut and use store bought canned pumpkin. Just make sure to choose plain 100% pureed pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.  If you want to make your own puree, check out our complete guide to making your own puree from fresh pumpkin. 

Adjusting the Spices

If you do not care for pumpkin pie spice, or there is a particular spice you prefer to leave out you can adjust the spices as needed. Simply put, you will want to add 1-2 Tablespoons worth of spice to the cake layer and you can adjust that to your personal taste. This recipe tastes great using only cinnamon as well, but pumpkin pie spice gives it that well-rounded classic fall flavor. 

If you liked this pumpkin cream cheese pound cake, you will love our Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl.

Have you tried this recipe yet? Let me know in the comments!

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