Irresistible Swirled Pumpkin Pound Cake: Your Ultimate Fall Baking Guide

Prepare to fall in love with this truly irresistible Swirled Pumpkin Pound Cake, a recipe that masterfully blends rich, buttery notes with warm, autumnal spices, creating a dessert that is 100% delectable. As a devoted fan of all things pumpkin, I can confidently say this swirled cake deserves a top spot on any autumn baking list. It’s not just a cake; it’s an experience – a moist, tender, and visually stunning centerpiece perfect for any holiday gathering, cozy weekend, or simply a delightful treat with your afternoon coffee.

The intricate design of this cake is largely thanks to a beautiful bundt pan. I absolutely adore the pan I use for this recipe – you can find the bundt pan I use HERE. Its elegant pattern not only makes the cake a showstopper but also helps it bake perfectly, ensuring even heat distribution for that classic pound cake texture. A truly beautiful pan makes baking even more enjoyable!

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Gather Your Ingredients for a Perfect Pumpkin Pound Cake

While this recipe might appear to have a slightly longer list of ingredients, don’t be intimidated! Most of these are common pantry staples for any avid baker. If you frequently indulge in baking, you’ll likely have nearly everything on hand, perhaps with the exception of cream cheese, which is essential for our delightful glaze. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in achieving the pound cake’s signature dense yet tender crumb and vibrant flavor.

For those who love to infuse their bakes with extra care and personal touch, this recipe offers a wonderful opportunity to utilize your own homemade staples. Consider using your homemade vanilla extract for a deeper, richer vanilla flavor that store-bought versions simply can’t match. Similarly, opting for homemade pumpkin puree will lend an unparalleled freshness and robust pumpkin taste to your cake. These small touches can elevate an already fantastic recipe to extraordinary heights.

For precise measurements and detailed instructions, use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or simply scroll down to the bottom of the post to view the complete recipe card.

Crafting Your Swirled Pumpkin Pound Cake: Step-by-Step Perfection

Embarking on this baking adventure begins with establishing the perfect base for our pound cake. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine softened butter, neutral oil, granulated sugar, and fragrant vanilla extract. Beat these ingredients together on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes wonderfully light and fluffy, almost doubled in volume. This crucial step incorporates air, which contributes significantly to the cake’s tender texture. Then, gradually beat in the large eggs, one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This helps create a smooth, emulsified batter. Finally, alternate adding your dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt) with the whole milk, mixing on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake. This perfectly blended mixture forms the foundational plain pound cake batter.

Now, it’s time to introduce the star flavor! Carefully remove about two cups of your freshly prepared plain pound cake batter into a separate bowl. To this portion, gently fold in the pumpkin puree and a generous blend of pumpkin spices. The key here is to fold gently, using a spatula, just until the pumpkin mixture is evenly incorporated and no streaks of plain batter remain. Overmixing the pumpkin batter can deflate it, so a light hand is essential to maintain its delicate texture and vibrant color.

Next comes the magical part: creating the stunning swirl! Take your well-greased, 12-cup bundt pan (more on proper greasing in our tips section!). Begin by layering spoonfuls of the plain pound cake batter, then dollop spoonfuls of the pumpkin-spiced batter on top. Continue alternating these layers, creating an attractive pattern in the pan. After every two additions of batter, take a skewer or a thin knife and gently swirl through the layers. Move the skewer in an upward, downward, and side-to-side motion, being careful not to overmix the batters, as this will blend the colors too much rather than creating distinct swirls. You want defined streaks of pumpkin and plain cake throughout. Repeat this layering and swirling process until all the batter is used, ensuring a beautiful marbled effect will be revealed once sliced.

Bake the cake in your preheated oven until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, but no wet batter. This indicates a perfectly baked, moist cake. Overbaking can lead to a dry texture, so keep a close eye on it during the final minutes. Once baked, allow the cake to cool in its bundt pan for 10-15 minutes. This crucial resting period allows the cake to firm up and pull away from the pan’s edges, preventing it from breaking when inverted. After this initial cooling, carefully turn the cake out onto a wire cooling rack and let it rest until it reaches room temperature. Cooling completely before adding any glaze is essential to prevent the glaze from melting and running off.

While this pound cake is undeniably delicious on its own, perhaps simply dusted with a delicate layer of powdered sugar, I highly recommend elevating it with a simple yet decadent cream cheese glaze. This rich, tangy glaze provides a perfect counterpoint to the sweet, spiced cake. Just drizzle it generously around the base and top of the cooled cake, allowing it to artfully cascade down the sides. It adds an extra layer of moisture and flavor that truly completes the experience.

Did you make this recipe? I would absolutely love to hear about your experience! Please let me know by leaving a review or comment below. And for more delicious recipes and baking inspiration, be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 1, 12-Cup Bundt (12 servings)

Swirled Pumpkin Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
1 hour

Total Time:
1 hour 20 minutes

Indulge in the rich, moist, and perfectly spiced Swirled Pumpkin Pound Cake, crowned with a delectable cream cheese glaze. This buttery and flavorful pound cake features a beautiful pumpkin spice swirl, making it a stunning and delicious dessert for any fall gathering or cozy occasion.

Ingredients

For the Swirled Pound Cake:

• 16 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
• 3 tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 4 large Eggs, room temp
• 2 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
• 6 tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ¾ cup Whole Milk
• ⅔ cup Pumpkin Puree, not pie mix
• 3 teaspoons Pumpkin Spice Blend

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 4 ounces full-fat Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 2-4 tablespoons Whole Milk
• 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice Blend
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

For the Swirled Pound Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350˚ F (175˚ C). Prepare a 12-cup bundt pan by generously buttering it with a stiff pastry brush, ensuring every detail is coated to prevent sticking. Reserve until needed.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the room temperature butter, canola oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and significantly increased in volume.
3. Beat in the large eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition until fully incorporated and the batter is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt. Measure out your whole milk.
5. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three alternating additions with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until fully incorporated and no streaks of flour remain, being careful not to overmix.
6. Once all ingredients are added, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter for an additional 2 minutes until it is completely smooth and homogeneous. This ensures a uniform pound cake base.
7. Carefully pour about 2 cups of the plain cake batter into a separate medium bowl. To this, gently fold in the pumpkin puree and 3 teaspoons of pumpkin spice blend using a spatula, just until mixed through. Avoid overmixing to keep the pumpkin batter tender.
8. Begin layering the plain and pumpkin batters into your prepared bundt pan. Start with a layer of plain batter, then dollop pumpkin batter on top. Continue alternating layers. After every second layer of batter, use a wooden skewer or a thin knife to gently swirl the batters together in an up-and-down and side-to-side motion to create a marbled effect. Repeat until all batter is used.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, indicating it’s cooked through.
10. Cool the cake in the bundt pan for 15 minutes. This allows it to firm up and release easily. Then, carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely to room temperature before applying the icing.

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

1. To make the icing, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip together the room temperature cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice blend, and powdered sugar until smooth.
2. If the mixture is too thick, add the remaining milk (or more, a teaspoon at a time) until it reaches a pourable, yet thick, consistency. If it becomes too thin, add a few extra tablespoons of powdered sugar to thicken. Drizzle the finished icing over the completely cooled pound cake.

Notes

For unparalleled success using a bundt pan, always use a stiff pastry brush and generously brush softened butter into every single nook and cranny! In all my years of baking, I have ONLY ever had perfect release when using butter; nothing else compares. Be exceptionally generous, especially in a pan with lots of detail, to ensure absolutely no sticking.

The initial creaming stage is paramount for a truly great pound cake. It is important to beat the butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla very vigorously until the mixture is visibly light and incredibly fluffy. This process incorporates vital air, creating a tender, fine crumb. The combination of butter for flavor and oil for moisture ensures your cake remains wonderfully moist for days.

When preparing the cream cheese icing, you’ll find it starts quite thick. To achieve that perfect pourable consistency for drizzling, gradually thin it out with milk. Begin with the amount specified in the recipe, but don’t hesitate to add a bit more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a smooth, flowing, yet still substantial texture.

Once completely cooled and glazed, this magnificent pound cake will keep wonderfully at room temperature in an airtight container for 5-6 days. It’s an ideal make-ahead dessert for entertaining or simply enjoying throughout the week.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Tovolo Flex-Core Stainless Steel Handled Spoonula Spatula Spoon, Ergonomic Grip, Dishwasher Safe, Charcoal
• OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set
• KitchenAid KSM3316XER Artisan Mini Stand Mixers, 3.5 quart, Empire Red

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 556Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 254mgCarbohydrates: 76gFiber: 2gSugar: 47gProtein: 7g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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