Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake

By Maria Lichty

Published on October 02, 2024

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I love pumpkin everything and make A LOT of pumpkin recipes, but I think this Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake is the BEST pumpkin recipe I’ve ever made.

The pumpkin cake is moist and tender, with a warm, spiced flavor profile thanks to the pumpkin pie spice. The cake is not super sweet, which balances perfectly with the gooey cinnamon swirl that runs throughout the cake.

When the cake is still warm, it gets topped with a rich and tangy cream cheese glaze that really is the icing on the cake! Pumpkin and cream cheese are a match made in heaven!

The cake is melt in your mouth good! It has cinnamon roll vibes, but with a pumpkin twist! You can serve it for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Everyone that tries this cake falls in love, it really is the BEST!

Add it to your fall baking list NOW! It is effortlessly baked in a 9×13 pan and the perfect cozy dessert for autumn, Thanksgiving, or anytime!

Ingredient Notes

• Make sure your ingredients (eggs, butter, and cream cheese) are at room temperature.
• Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• You can find pumpkin pie spice in the spice aisle.
• I like to use oil in this cake because it keeps the cake super moist. You can use avocado oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
• Make sure you use full-fat brick cream cheese for the glaze.

How to Make Pumpkin Cake

• Preheat the oven and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. You can also line it with parchment paper if you want.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and cinnamon together. Set aside.

• In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla together until combined.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined.
• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

• To make the cinnamon filing, 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. Make sure you keep the dollops of cinnamon filling small, about 1 teaspoon sized. This will make them easier to swirl and will prevent the cinnamon filling from sinking and leaving big craters in the cake.
• Using the tip of a butter knife swirl the filling into the top of batter. Don’t go all the way to the bottom of the pan with the knife. Make swirls all over the cake.
• 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. You don’t want to over bake the cake.

• 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.

• Make the cream cheese glaze, using a stand mixer or hand mixer. If the glaze is too thick, you can gradually add more milk (or heavy cream), 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

• Spread the glaze over the warm cake.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. This helps the flavors meld and makes it easier and neater to cut.
• Cut into squares and serve! I guarantee you will fall in love after one bite!

Storing Tips

• Let the cake cool completely. You can keep it covered on the counter for 1 day, but if you are storing for longer, you need to cover and store the cake in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting. It will keep for up to 5 days. The cake is so moist it doesn’t dry out in the fridge.
• Serve cold or bring back to room temperature before serving. I actually LOVE this cake cold, right out of the fridge. Pro tip-enjoy a piece for breakfast:)
• The cake is best fresh, but you can freeze it for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual pieces of cake. Wrap the pieces in plastic wrap and place in a freezer container or bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and enjoy!

More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pumpkin Cookies
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Streusel Cake
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Cake

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake

This moist and tender pumpkin cake has a sweet cinnamon swirl that runs throughout the cake and a rich cream cheese glaze that makes the cake extra special. It is the BEST pumpkin cake recipe and the perfect dessert for fall!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup oil (avocado, canola, or vegetable oil)
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the cinnamon filling:

• 3/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch metal baking pan. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla together until combined.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
• 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.
  
• 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.
• Spread the glaze over the warm cake. Cut into squares and serve.
  

Notes

You can store the cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 470kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 340mg, Potassium: 136mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 479IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 1mg

Keywords cinnamon, cream cheese, pumpkin

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