This delicious gluten-free pumpkin bundt cake is the perfect dessert for fall! The moist pumpkin cake, made with pure pumpkin purée and pumpkin spices, is topped with soft cream cheese icing. Easy to make, yet stunning!
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The Best Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake
This gluten-free pumpkin bundt cake recipe is the perfect choice for kicking off the fall season and thereby pumpkin dessert season!
The texture of this pumpkin cake is so moist and tender, you'd never guess it was gluten-free! This pumpkin cake is delicious all on its own, dusted with powdered sugar, or glazed with cream cheese icing.
This delicous cake recipe was based on my gluten-free vanilla cake, which is perfect for birthdays! Be sure to check out that recipe too!
I love how pretty bundt cakes turn out, they are a sure fire way to impress family and friends with your baking skills! But let's be real, making a bundt cake is so simple and this delicious dessert is no exception.
This cake is not only gluten-free but the pumpkin spice cake itself is also dairy-free. I've listed some dairy-free icing suggestions for you to try below as well.
If you love all things pumpkin as much as I do, be sure to check out more of my gluten-free favorites, like gluten-free pumpkin pie inspired by the Libby recipe, gluten-free pumpkin oatmeal cookies, gluten-free pumpkin cream pies, gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, gluten-free pumpkin bars, or even a simple recipe to make your own PSL's with Starbucks pumpkin spice sauce right at home!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cake Ingredients
- Pumpkin Purée: Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. I always prefer Libby's brand.
- Neutral oil: Any neutral oil of your preference, such as canola, light olive oil, avocado, or coconut oil.
- Gluten-Free Flour: Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour for baking. The all purpose blend you choose should have xanthan gum or another binder already included. I used King Arthur Measure for Measure.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch lightens the flour blend. You may substitute tapioca starch.
- Eggs: The eggs are important for the structure of the cake. I have not yet tested any substitutions for egg in this recipe.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add those classic fall spicy flavors.
Cream Cheese Bundt Cake Icing Ingredients
The icing for this pumpkin bundt cake is a simple cream cheese icing made of powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and butter, milk, and pure vanilla extract.
Icing Tip! This icing is not overly sweet. You can add more powdered sugar to make it sweeter if you like, but you'll need to add more milk so it has a pourable consistency. Also note, the icing will not harden, but rather stays soft, even after refrigeration.
Dairy-Free Options:
If you need dairy-free icing try one of these suggestions:
- Feel free to skip the icing and dust the cake with powdered sugar.
- Substitute the above ingredients with dairy free options.
- Make a simple glaze by mixing together dairy-free milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Many canned icings are dairy free, you can slightly warm the icing to a pourable consistency and drizzle over the cake.
Instructions
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- In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients: sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.
- Then blend in the whisked dry ingredients.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared bundt pan.
- Spread the batter evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Let the cake cool for ten minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cake cools, you can make this simple cream cheese icing.
- Combine softened cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
- Blend in powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Then mix in milk until smooth with a thick yet pourable consistency.
- Place the cake on a serving plate. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake in a ring around the center. Gently tap the plate on the counter or use a small knife or spatula to guide the icing down the sides. Keep it organic! Drips are fun and the cake shouldn't be perfectly covered.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.
Equipment
In order to make this cake, you will need some baking supplies.
- Good quality 10-cup bundt cake pan, I haven't tried this in mini bundt cake pans but I do think it would work.
- Hand or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons and/or digital scale
- Pretty cake plate
Storage
This cake should be kept refrigerated. Cover the cake plate with some sort of wrap, cake dome, or place in an airtight container to keep it fresh for up to 3 days. It's ok to leave the cake at room temperature for up to 2 hours when serving.
Top Tips
- Don't forget to prepare the bundt pan! Even nonstick pans need a little help. Grease the pan with gluten-free cooking spray and lightly dust the pan with a little bit of gluten-free flour. This will ensure your cake will pop right out.
- Measure ingredients properly. Use the spoon and level method for measuring flour or measure by weight. Weight measurements can be found by clicking the metric button on the recipe card below.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Be sure your cake and icing ingredients are at room temperature for proper mixing.
FAQ
If bundt cake has cream cheese frosting, it's best to keep it refrigerated. It is ok to remove the cake to room temperature for up to two hours for serving purposes.
Keep the cake covered with either plastic wrap or a cake dome to prevent it from drying out.
It's best to flip the cake out onto a cooling rack about 10 minutes after removing the cake from the oven. The cake will release easier if it is still slightly warm.
Place a cooling rack over the top of the cake pan. Grab the pan and cooling rack together and flip them over. Gently lift the bundt cake pan. If the cake doesn't immediately release, tap the pan gently on the cooling rack to help release the cake.
There are three ways to check for doneness; the cake should be golden brown and spring back when touched, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, or check the internal temperature with a digital instant read thermometer, the temperature should be 205-210°F.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
I hope you enjoyed this gluten-free pumpkin cake recipe! Be sure to check out more gluten-free pumpkin recipes before you go!
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Recipe
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cake
- 2 cups gluten-free 1:1 flour (King Arthur Measure for Measure)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 15 ounces canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ¾ cup oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-4 Tablespoon milk
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare bundt pan, grease and dust with gluten-free flour.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugar, pumpkin purée, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and blend again until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan, spread evenly.
- Bake in preheated oven, 45-50 minutes.
- To check doneness: Cake should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center should come out clean, or have an internal temperature of 205-210°F when checked with a digital instant read thermometer.
- Cool cake for 10 minutes in the pan before flipping out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Cream Cheese Icing
- In a large mixing bowl, blend together the softened cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla, blend until well combined.
- Blend in the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, until a thick pourable consistency is reached.
- Pour icing in a ring around the top of the bundt cake. Use butter knife or offset spatula to gently nudge the icing down the sides in drips. You can also gently tap the cake plate on the counter to encourage the icing to drip.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired.
Notes
- Don't forget to prepare the bundt pan! Grease the pan with gluten-free cooking spray and lightly dust the pan with gluten-free flour.
- Measure ingredients properly. Use the spoon and level method for measuring flour or measure by weight. Weight measurements can be found by clicking the metric button at the top of the recipe card.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Be sure your cake and icing ingredients are at room temperature for proper mixing.
- Don't add too much milk or it will all just run right off the cake. The icing should be thick, yet pourable.
- The icing is not overly sweet. You can add more powdered sugar to make it sweeter if you like, but you'll need to add more milk so it has a pourable consistency.
- The icing will not harden, but rather stays soft, even after refrigeration.
Nutrition
* Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should be used as an estimate only. See the nutrition policy for more information.
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dlb says
Hmmm....looks great, it's in the oven now.
I noticed that there's no leavening agent in the printed recipe, but there is baking powder in the picture of the ingredients. I added 1.5 tsps baking powder.Is the lack of baking powder a misprint?
Katie Olesen says
The baking powder is 2 teaspoons and is listed right under cornstarch in the recipe card. Maybe you overlooked it?
Jodi Dezara says
If I use regular flour, such as 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, and 1/2 cup oat flour, do I still need to use cornstarch?
Katie Olesen says
You're welcome to experiment, as this change would make it an entirely different recipe. I haven't baked with wheat flour in many years.
ILBarb says
Looks so tasty
Karen says
Made this cake today for an evening adult class. It is easy to make, moist and full of wonderful fall pumpkin flavor. Everyone loved it! Now one of my favorites!
Katie Olesen says
Thank you for the wonderful review, Karen! I am glad everyone enjoyed the recipe!