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Pumpkin bundt cake with espresso icing dripping down, on a black cake stand.

High Altitude Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Espresso Icing

Heather Smoke
Tender and moist, spiced pumpkin bundt cake, drizzled 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.

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings16

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.

Notes

Store the leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze the cake for up to 3-6 months.
Keyword Bundt Cake, Espresso, High Altitude, Pumpkin Cake
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