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Bite of orange pumpkin cake being scooped out of big slice with fork on white plate.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Warm Vanilla Cinnamon Sauce

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can (425 g) pumpkin puree
  • 1 ¾ cups (370 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (170 g) vegetable or canola oil
  • ½ cup (106 g) lightly packed brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour

Sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, cut into chunks
  • ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (173 g) heavy cream or evaporated milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (If your pan has a dark finish/coating, decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees.)
  • Grease a 12-cup bundt cake pan with butter or shortening, lightly dust with flour, and tap out excess flour. Set aside. (If your pan is nonstick, you may not need the flour and can just grease the pan.)
  • For the cake, in a large bowl, add the pumpkin, granulated sugar, oil, brown sugar, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Whisk until really well-combined.
  • Add the flour and mix just until the dry streaks disappear. Try not to over mix.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
  • Bake for 55-65 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch.
  • Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan. Invert onto a serving platter.
  • For the sauce, in a medium saucepan, add the butter, sugar, and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon.
  • Serve the pumpkin cake cut into slices with warm sauce drizzled over the top.

Notes

Make-Ahead: the sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a week (possibly longer). Warm before serving. The cake can be made a day ahead of time and kept well-covered over night. The cake can be served warm or at room temperature.