Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients
- 2 call-purpose flour
spooned & leveled
- 2 tspbaking powder
- 1 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 2 tsppumpkin pie spice
- 1 tspground cinnamon
- 115 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 coil)
(avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
- 4 largeeggs
at room temperature
- 1 cpacked light brown sugar
- ½ cgranulated sugar
- 2 tsppure vanilla extract
- ¾ csalted butter
softened
- ¾ cpacked light brown sugar
- 1 tbspall-purpose flour
- 1 tbspground cinnamon
- 2 tbspbutter
at room temperature
- 4 ozcream cheese
at room temperature
- 2 cconfectioner’s sugar
- 1 tsppure vanilla extract
- 2 tbspwhole milk or heavy cream
Directions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan. Set aside.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- 3
In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla together until combined.
- 4
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
- 5
In a medium bowl, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until creamy and smooth. Drop small dollops all over the top of the batter. Using the tip of a butter knife swirl the filling into the top of batter.
- 6
Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Every oven is different so check the cake early to be safe.
- 7
Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t let it cool completely, you want the cake to be warm when you add the glaze.
- 8
Make the glaze. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk; beat for 2 minutes or until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, gradually add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- 9
Spread the glaze over the warm cake. Cut into squares and serve.
Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake
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About this Recipe
Searching for the ultimate fall dessert that brings warmth and comfort to your table? This Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake is the perfect answer, delivering a truly special treat that will become a beloved autumn tradition.
What sets this pumpkin cake apart is its incredible combination of textures and flavors. You'll find a sweet, spiced cinnamon swirl woven throughout the tender pumpkin cake, topped with a luscious, rich cream cheese glaze. This thoughtful layering ensures every bite is pure bliss, making it far more exciting than a plain pumpkin loaf.
Prepare for a truly moist and tender cake, bursting with the inviting flavors of pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon. The cake itself is wonderfully soft, providing the perfect canvas for the ribbon of spiced brown sugar that caramelizes slightly during baking. Capping it all off is the indulgent cream cheese glaze, adding a tangy sweetness and velvety smoothness that beautifully complements the cake's warmth. It's a dessert that feels both comforting and elegant, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any autumn occasion.
Customization & Variations
You can easily tailor this Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake to your pantry. For the oil, feel free to use avocado, canola, or vegetable oil—whatever you have on hand. If you prefer, whole milk or heavy cream will work equally well in the cream cheese glaze, allowing you to adjust for richness. For an extra touch of spice, consider adding a pinch of ground ginger or cloves to the cinnamon swirl mixture if you desire a more complex flavor profile.
This Pumpkin Cake is an ideal dessert for any fall gathering, from casual family dinners to festive holiday celebrations. Serve it as the star of your dessert table, perhaps with a simple cup of coffee or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side for an added treat.