An easy, high altitude recipe for pumpkin bundt cake, that’s moist, tender, perfectly spiced, and drizzled with espresso icing. This cake is so similar to pumpkin bread, but baked in a pretty bundt pan instead. The warm spices and bitter espresso perfectly complement the flavor of the pumpkin for a cozy cake that’s not too sweet.
Looking for more high altitude pumpkin recipes? Don’t miss these pumpkin spice shortbread cookies, pumpkin pecan waffles, and pumpkin crumb coffee cake.
This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links. This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services. All opinions expressed on this site are my own.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make. As much as I love layer cakes, the simplicity of a bundt cake is one of the perks of this recipe. The cake batter and icing are quick and easy to make, and there’s no fussing with assembling and frosting cake layers.
So Cozy for Fall and Winter. I don’t know about you, but I make pumpkin baked goods all winter long, even after “pumpkin everything season” is over. In Colorado, we have plenty of snowy days in the spring, and this pumpkin bundt cake is perfect for a cozy snow day at home.
Perfect Blend of Spices. My favorite fall spices are cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, and they perfectly complement the flavor of the pumpkin. You could also use pumpkin pie spice instead, if that’s what you have on hand.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Cake
- Pumpkin. Be sure to use plain, canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Sugar. A blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar adds moisture, sweetness, and a hint of molasses.
- Oil + Butter. Using both vegetable oil and melted butter will ensure the cake stays moist, tender and flavorful.
- Milk. Adds moisture and flavor.
- Eggs. Gives the cake structure.
- Flour. All-purpose flour gives the cake structure and strength.
- Baking Soda. Leavening agent, so the cake rises as it bakes.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Spices. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and of course, vanilla extract, adds flavor and warmth to this cake.
Icing
- Milk. Thins the icing and dissolves the espresso powder.
- Espresso Powder. Instant espresso or coffee powder gives rich, bitter coffee notes to balance the sweetness and complement the flavor of the pumpkin.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Powdered Sugar. Thickens and sweetens the icing.
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Thoroughly grease your bundt pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugars, oil, melted butter, milk, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk for 10-15 seconds until smooth and combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center oven rack for about 55-60 minutes, until the top is puffed, cracked and a sharp knife or cake tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it.
TIP: I used a 12-cup bundt pan, and my cake was done at exactly 55 minutes. If you use a 10-cup bundt pan, it might take a few minutes longer to bake through.
- Set the pan on a cooling rack, and cool for exactly 15 minutes, then turn the cake out of the pan onto the cooling rack. Cover the cake loosely with a clean kitchen towel and cool for several hours, or until no longer piping hot, before adding the icing.
TIP: The icing will be very thick, but it needs to be thicker than you think it should be, or it won’t stay on the cake, and will just run off the sides.
Icing
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk, espresso powder and vanilla until the espresso powder is dissolved. Whisk in the powdered sugar, until smooth and combined.
- Set the cake on a plate or cake stand, and drizzle the icing on top of the cake. The icing will set in about 15 minutes.
- Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
Cake and Icing Variations
- Nuts and Dried Fruit. A handful of finely chopped pecans or walnuts is great in this pumpkin bundt cake, as are raisins or dried sweetened cranberries. Mix in these add-ins along with the dry ingredients when mixing the cake batter.
- Chocolate Chips. Pumpkin bread and chocolate chips are delicious together, and this cake is fantastic with some dark chocolate chips mixed in.
- Maple Icing. Instead of the espresso icing, maple icing is wonderful with pumpkin. Just omit the espresso powder and add 1 – 1 1/2 tsp maple extract.
- Vanilla Icing. For a simple vanilla icing, omit the espresso powder. Instead of vanilla extract, try vanilla bean paste for more vanilla flavor.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
What size bundt pan did you use?
I used the 12-cup Nordic Ware Original Bundt Pan. I’ve also tested this recipe in my 10-cup Nordic Ware Jubilee Bundt Pan, and while the pan was very full, the batter didn’t spill over since this cake tends to puff up high as it bakes, rather than spreading out.
Can I pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices?
Yes, instead of the blend of spices in the recipe, you can use 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
Can I replace the melted butter with more vegetable oil?
Definitely. I like to use a combination of both melted butter and vegetable oil for a moist, flavorful cake, but you can use just oil, if you prefer.
How should I store the leftover cake?
Store the leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze the cake for up to 3-6 months.
You Might Also Like
Favorite Products
Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!
High Altitude Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Espresso Icing
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Bundt Pan (10-12 cup capacity)
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Icing
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Thoroughly grease your bundt pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugars, oil, melted butter, milk, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk for 10-15 seconds until smooth and combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center oven rack for about 55-60 minutes, until the top is puffed, cracked and a sharp knife or cake tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it.Note: I used a 12-cup bundt pan, and my cake was done at exactly 55 minutes. If you use a 10-cup bundt pan, it might take a few minutes longer to bake through.
- Set the pan on a cooling rack, and cool for exactly 15 minutes, then turn the cake out of the pan onto the cooling rack. Cover the cake loosely with a clean kitchen towel and cool for several hours, or until no longer piping hot, before adding the icing.
Icing
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk, espresso powder and vanilla until the espresso powder is dissolved. Whisk in the powdered sugar, until smooth and combined.Note: The icing will be very thick, but it needs to be thicker than you think it should be, or it won't stay on the cake, and will just run off the sides. If you must, you can add 1/2 tablespoon more milk.
- Set the cake on a plate or cake stand, and drizzle the icing on top of the cake. The icing will set in about 15 minutes.
- Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
So happy to have found this recipe. I moved to Denver from San Francisco and have been struggling with baking cakes at higher altitude This one is a winner and will be on the Thanksgiving dessert menu. Thank you!