This pumpkin bundt cake with brown butter glaze is a moist, warmly spiced cake made with pumpkin puree and finished with a cinnamon-scented brown butter glaze. It requires no mixer and uses simple pantry ingredients, making it a quick and comforting dessert for autumn gatherings or any time you crave cozy flavors.
My oldest asked for a pumpkin bundt cake with a brown butter glaze for his eighteenth birthday. From the very first bite we all fell in love. Bundt cakes are one of my favorite easy desserts: one bowl, one pan, and a simple glaze or drizzle to finish. The glaze in this recipe adds a rich, nutty cinnamon note that pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin and warm spices.
For more pumpkin-inspired sweets, try pumpkin pecan bars, pumpkin chocolate chip cake with whipped cream, or no-bake pumpkin cheesecake bars.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple and approachable: Mix everything in one bowl and bake in a bundt pan—no layers or complicated frosting required.
- Moist texture: Oil and pumpkin keep the crumb tender and soft, so the cake stays moist for days when stored properly.
- Rich flavor: Warm spices in the batter and a browned butter cinnamon glaze create a deeply comforting flavor profile.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient amounts and the complete method are included below in the recipe card. A few quick notes on key ingredients:
- Oil: Neutral oils like melted coconut oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, or canola work well.
- Sugars: This recipe uses both granulated and brown sugar for balanced sweetness and depth.
- Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for best texture and control of sweetness.
- Flour: If possible, weigh your flour for accuracy. If not, spoon and level your measuring cup so the flour stays light and fluffy.
- Butter for the glaze: Brown the butter and let it cool slightly so it blends smoothly with the powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and spray a 10–12 cup bundt pan. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs and pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Step 3: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for a short time, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Step 4: Make the brown butter glaze while the cake bakes and cools. In a medium saucepan, melt ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) salted butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, past the point of foaming until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Watch closely—browned butter can become burnt in moments. Pour the browned butter into a bowl to cool slightly.
- Step 5: After the browned butter has cooled a bit, whisk in ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 2–3 tablespoons warm milk until smooth. Adjust powdered sugar or milk to reach your preferred glaze consistency.
- Step 6: When the cake is fully cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before slicing.
Expert Baking Tips
- Add 1 cup of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or cinnamon chips to the batter for extra texture and flavor.
- Use room temperature eggs and other ingredients when possible to help the batter come together more evenly.
- Grams provide the most consistent results for flour measurements. If you don’t have a scale, spoon and level the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping directly from the bag.
FAQ
If the brown butter gets too cold before you combine it with the powdered sugar and milk, the butterfat can separate. Warm the glaze gently (about 10 seconds in the microwave) and whisk until smooth to recombine.
Yes. You can bake the batter in two loaf pans or halve the recipe for a single loaf. Baking time may be slightly less—watch for doneness with a toothpick.
Yes. If you prefer a thicker finish, you can frost the cake with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting or another favorite frosting in place of the glaze.
Storing & Freezing
Store the pumpkin bundt cake at room temperature in an airtight container for a few days. Wrapping it in foil helps protect the glaze from becoming overly sticky or moist. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. Individual slices can be frozen in zip-top bags for convenient breakfasts or snacks.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
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Peaches and Cream Cake
-
Brown Butter S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies
-
Easy S’mores Bark
-
S’mores Golden Graham Rice Krispie Treats
For more treats, follow and tag on Instagram @thesaltedsweets. If you make this cake, please leave a comment to share how it turned out!
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Author: Brooke Homec
This pumpkin bundt cake with brown butter glaze is moist, warmly spiced, and easy to make without a mixer.
Times & Yield
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Cooling: 1 hr
- Total Time: 2 hrs
- Servings: 12
- Calories: 479 kcal per serving
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) oil (neutral oil)
- 1¼ cups (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 2¼ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Brown Butter Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, browned and cooled
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk, warmed to room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10–12 cup bundt pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together oil and both sugars. Add eggs and pumpkin; mix until combined.
- In a medium bowl whisk flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into wet batter until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake 45–55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before flipping out of the pan.
- To make the glaze, brown ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it turns golden and smells nutty. Pour into a bowl and let cool slightly.
- Whisk cooled browned butter with cinnamon, powdered sugar, and 2–3 tablespoons milk until smooth. Adjust to desired consistency.
- When the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top and let set before slicing.
Notes
- Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or cinnamon chips if you like.
- Room temperature ingredients combine more smoothly and yield a more even crumb.
- If you don’t have a kitchen scale, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off to avoid compacted flour.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 479 kcal | Carbs: 62 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 25 g | Sugar: 41 g | Fiber: 2 g