Pumpkin Dessert is a moist and soft pumpkin-flavored pound cake drizzled with a sweet cream cheese glaze. While both are amazing on their own, the cream cheese glaze really takes this dessert to a whole new level of deliciousness! If you love everything pumpkin, make sure you check out my Pumpkin Cheesecake and Pumpkin Waffles!
Pumpkin Dessert
Yes, I described this dessert as a pound cake, but it does not exactly meet the criteria. The definition of a pound cake is “a rich cake containing a pound, or equal weights, of each chief ingredient, typically flour, butter, and sugar”. So, although it does not officially qualify as such, it has the amazing flavor and texture density that a pound cake does. And, of course, it has all the pumpkin flavor you would expect from a pumpkin dessert!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Room Temperature Ingredients: I can’t stress enough that this cake needs to be made with room temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, buttermilk). This will ensure easier mixing and helps achieve that perfect crumb.
Glaze: This glaze is totally customizable, but I do encourage you to try it as-is first. If you don’t happen to have buttermilk on hand, make your own or use whole milk instead. However, using milk will create less depth of flavor and will result in a sweeter glaze.
Pure Pumpkin vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling
100% Pure Pumpkin, also known as pumpkin puree, is cooked pumpkin that is blended or mashed into a smooth texture. There should be no seasoning, spice, flavoring, or sugar added. Pumpkin Pie Filling has spices and sweeteners added. They should not be used interchangeably.
When to add the Glaze
In this recipe, I have you make the glaze first, but don’t be tempted to eat it before adding it to the cake! Anyway, when it comes to adding the cream cheese glaze, you can do it while the cake is still warm or after it has cooled. If you drizzle while the cake is warm, the glaze will soak into the cake more. If you drizzle when the cake is cool, the glaze will appear thicker. It’s the right choice either way!
What is a Tube Pan?
A tube pan is any type of round baking pan that has a hollow tube in its center. The tube helps large, deep cakes bake faster. It often has detachable sides.
If you do not have a tube pan, you can use a bundt pan. If you do not have a bundt pan, simply place a glass cup or ramekin in the middle of a large cake pan (I recommend at least a 9-inch for this cake, 10-inch is ideal) before pouring the batter inside.
How to Store Pumpkin Dessert
Because of the cream cheese glaze, store this cake in the refrigerator, covered, for 3-4 days. If you do not add the glaze, store the cake, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cake without the glaze for up to 3 months.
More Pumpkin Desserts
Pumpkin Dessert
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (83 g) confectioners' sugar
- ⅓ cup (82 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cake
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin pie filling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (184 g) buttermilk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Glaze
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Combine until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes, or until smooth. Set aside.
Pumpkin Cake
- In a large bowl, add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3-5 minutes, or until well blended.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in pumpkin pie filling and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, a few crumbs are okay.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan, and allow it to continue cooling on a wire rack.
- Drizzle the glaze on the warm or cooled cake.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Hi ….. I can not use pumpkin…allergy…can I use squash?
I noticed the recipe specifically calls for pumpkin pie filling (not purée), but in the video she says purée. I know pumpkin pie filling already has the spices added. Please clarify. Thank you. It looks amazing.
Can we use puree ? I’m so interested in this recipe and wanted to use pumpkins which are available in abundance here in India (we don’t really get the canned pumpkin pie filling here:,(. ) So any tips for me sing a real ripe pumpkin in this recipe would be appreciated greatly!!!
Can you use 2% milk instead of buttermilk.
Well, I followed the recipe exactly and the cake was so very dense. Could not really enjoy it, even with whipped cream. It was fine when it was still warm, but the next day it just changed.
Do you think using GF flour instead of all purpose flour would work OK in this recipe?
Thank you
I have a question … in the video you say “add the pumpkin purée” but the ingredient list states use not the purée but pumpkin pie filling. I would like to make this, but want to make sure I am using the correct pumpkin….
Thank you so very much for your wonderful recipes!!
Looks great! Can modifications be made to use a can of plain pumkin?
Love iambaker’s recipes and want to make them correctly! Would really appreciate attention & answers to the comments submitted to iambaker. Example are these 2 questions regarding the pumpkin pound cake: 1) use pumpkin purée or pumpkin pie filling? 2) incorporate flour mixture or pumpkin first?
How can i substitute pumpkin pie filling (which I do not use) for real pumpkin (real pumpkins cooked and scooped out into 2 Cup measurements and frozen) in this recipe.
I want to make this tomorrow…