Pumpkin Spice Cake (Soft + Moist!)

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This pumpkin spice cake recipe is the perfect dessert to kick start cozy season but also delicious year-round. Warm spices give the cake a depth of flavors while the pumpkin puree keeps the cake moist. It's a great addition to any holiday table but also fantastic to enjoy with coffee for breakfast!

Pumpkin spice cake slice peeking out from the larger cake on a plate.

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Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Spice Cake
Ingredients You'll Need
Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Serve this Pumpkin Spice Cake
Equipment
Storing and Freezing Pumpkin Spice Cake
Top tip
FAQ
Tips and Tricks
Related
Pumpkin Spice Cake (Soft + Moist!)

Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Spice Cake

Fall vibes. Nothing kick starts the fall season quite like pumpkin and the spices in pumpkin pie spice! This cake delivers the warmth of fall, all in yummy cake form.
Moist! The sour cream, along with the pumpkin puree, in this cake keeps is soft and moist.
Great on its own. While I have a few topping ideas listed for you on the "How to Serve this Pumpkin Cake" section, I love enjoying this cake on its own. It's not too sweet so its perfect for breakfast alongside some coffee or as an impressive, simple dessert for a dinner or party.

Ingredients You'll Need

Ingredients needed to make pumpkin spice cake, including: brown sugar, eggs, ground pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, sour cream, pumpkin puree, avocado oil, kosher salt, melted butter and vanilla bean paste.

Baking spray. Use to prepare your pan so the finished cake doesn't stick. If you don't have, just spread some melted butter onto your pan and then dust flour all over.
All-purpose flour. A pantry staple that provides structure to the cake.
Baking powder. Will help to give our cake a nice rise.
Baking soda. Similar to baking powder, will help leavening in this recipe.
Pumpkin pie spice. Tips on how to make your own in the Top Tips section!
Kosher salt. This will help balance the sweetness of this Bundt cake.
Eggs. We'll use both the yolks and the whites for this cake.
Granulated sugar. Keeping things sweet but not cloyingly so!
Brown sugar. This will give the cake a deep sweetness that pairs perfectly with pumpkin, all while keeping the cake moist.
Sour cream. Helps keep the cake moist!
Avocado oil. You can also use any other neutral oil, like vegetable or canola.
Vanilla bean paste. I love the specks of vanilla in the paste but you can sub this for a high-quality vanilla extract.
Pumpkin puree. Canned is perfect for this recipe!
Unsalted butter. You can adjust the salt when using unsalted butter.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat + prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray baking spray onto the Bundt pan - this will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan. If you don't have baking spray, simply spread melted butter onto the pan with a pastry brush and dust with some flour all around the pan.
Combine the dry ingredients. Sift the all-purpose flour into a medium bowl and then add the baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt, whisking together to combine.
Whip the egg whites. Using the electric handheld mixer, whip together the egg whites in a separate, clean medium bowl until you have medium peaks, about 3-4 minutes.
Mix the wet ingredients together. Add the egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, avocado oil, vanilla, pumpkin puree and melted butter to a large bowl and mix together with an electric handheld mixer. Alternatively, you can also use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. For either of these mixers, make sure to clean and dry the whisk attachment before whipping the egg whites.
Combine the wet + dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the sugar + pumpkin mixture, mixing together with a spatula so you don't over mix.
Finish the batter. Add in the egg white mixture to the batter and fold together gently using a spatula. You want to make sure there are no white spots left while still mixing the batter gently.
Pour + bake. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, making sure the batter is level. Gently bang the pan onto the counter to make sure there are no air bubbles in the batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester/skewer comes out clean. Flip onto a plate or serving vessel and enjoy at room temperature!

A hand spraying a Bundt pan with baking spray.

A metal bowl holding the dry ingredients for a pumpkin pie spice cake, including: all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.

A hand using an electric handheld mixer beating egg whites in a metal bowl.

A metal bowl holding the wet ingredients for a pumpkin pie spice cake, including: pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, sour cream and vanilla bean paste.

A hand mixing the dry ingredients of a pumpkin spice cake into the wet ingredients of the cake to create a cake batter.

A hand folding the whipped egg whites into the cake batter of the pumpkin spice cake in a metal bowl.

A hand smoothing the top of the pumpkin spice cake batter, using a spatula, in a Bundt cake pan.

An overhead view of a baked pumpkin spice cake in a Bundt cake pan.

How to Serve this Pumpkin Spice Cake

This pumpkin spice cake is meant to be eaten on its own since perfectly sweet without being cloyingly, overly sweet. However, I have a few suggestions if you want to take your cake to the next level:

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. A nice finishing touch, simply sift some powdered sugar over the top of the whole cake once it reaches room temperature.
With mascarpone cream. My all-time favorite frosting, try my recipe for an elevated frosting that you can dollop next to each slice.
À la mode. Top a slice of this pumpkin cake with a scoop (or two!) of vanilla bean ice cream for a decadent treat.

A hand with a small fork digging into a pumpkin spice cake slice behind a set scene.

Equipment

Bundt pan. A Bundt pan is my favorite pan to use not only because I love its share but also because the fluted shape encourages even cooking and browning.
Bowls. You'll need 2 medium bowls and 1 large bowl.
Whisk. To combine your dry ingredients.
Electric handheld mixer . This will help you mix together the wet ingredients, as well as whip the egg whites. Alternatively, you can also use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. For either of these mixers, make sure to clean and dry the whisk attachment before whipping the egg whites.
Sifter. To make sure your flour is nice and light without any clumps.
Silicone spatula. Helpful for mixing the batter together until just combined.

Storing and Freezing Pumpkin Spice Cake

Store this pumpkin spice cake in an airtight container for up to a 6 days, preferably in the fridge. Leave on the counter so the cake reaches room temperature before enjoying.

Alternatively, you can freeze this pumpkin spice cake for up to 3 months. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and leave on the counter to enjoy at room temperature.

Top tip

Don't over mix the egg whites as you're folding them into the batter. You'll want to keep the fluffiness of these to keep the cake light.

A close up shot of several pumpkin spice cake slices arranged next to the whole Bundt cake.

FAQ

Can I use a different pan to bake this pumpkin cake?

Yes, you absolutely can. However, monitor the baking time since it may take less or more time depending on the pan. To check the doneness, make sure to insert a cake tester/skewer in your cake and ensure it comes out clean. You can try baking this cake in a loaf pan, muffins, two 8x8 pans - it's up to you.

Are pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin spice the same thing?

Yes! Some spice mixes may have an extra ingredient or two but, for the most part, these two spices are the same. Feel free to use interchangeably in this pumpkin spice cake recipe.

Tips and Tricks

Always prep your pan before baking. After preparing + baking your cake, the last thing you want is for it to be stuck to the pan after coming out of the oven. I love using a baking spray to prep my pan before baking but you can also spread oil or butter all over the pan and then lightly dust with flour, ensuring your cake will slide right out after it's done.
Don't have pumpkin pie spice? Make your own! Fill an empty spice jar with the following ground spices: 2 parts allspice, 2 parts cloves, 6 parts nutmeg, 6 parts ginger and 12 parts cinnamon. Experiment a bit and add more or less of a spice to your liking. Bonus points if you add ground black pepper, ground cardamom and ground lemon peel to your spice mix - these are some secret ingredients that make pumpkin pie spice even better!

Shot of the whole pumpkin spice Bundt cake, sprinkled with powdered sugar in front of a set scene with a jar of milk, pumpkins, cloth napkins and stacked plates.

Did you try out this recipe? I'd love to know how it went! Leave me a comment and rating below or tag me on Instagram at @AFabulousBite!

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