Pumpkin Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Glaze

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 10 to 12 servings
  • Total: 3 hr (includes cooling time)
  • Active: 40 min
A boxed mix cake is super-easy, and I understand the shortcut. That said, this cake is scratch made, and you can taste the difference. It has taken me many years to see the virtue of using oil to moisten a cake. It's lighter than butter, and this cake is so tender from the pumpkin and olive oil. Here, we rely on a little bit of both. The cream cheese layer meandering through the middle is for a little tang and acidity. It picks up on the layer of white chocolate glaze and creates a beautiful trio with the pumpkin. This can be a classic cake for fall, like on Halloween or Thanksgiving, but I will admit that I make this in March or July just as easily, and the flavors surprise every time. Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature; you will get a superior taste and texture from your cake. You can also take the batter and turn it into cupcakes…
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Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake:

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

4 large eggs

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Nonstick spray, for the pan

Glaze:

3/4 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate (6 ounces)

1/4 cup whole milk

2 to 3 grates orange zest

Directions

Special equipment:
a 10-inch Bundt pan
  1. For the cream cheese filling: In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese, granulated sugar and nutmeg together until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Spoon the filling into a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate so it becomes firm.
  2. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Place a medium metal (heatproof) bowl next to the stove. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and watch as it melts and turns light brown, about 5 minutes. Before it becomes overly browned or burned, pour the butter into the metal bowl and let it cool.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree with the sugars, molasses and eggs until smooth, then whisk in the olive oil. Gently whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until smooth. Stir in the browned butter. (Do not overmix.)
  5. Thoroughly spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then pour in about half of the batter in an even layer. Cut a hole in one of the bottom corners of the plastic bag of filling and squeeze the cream cheese filling (like toothpaste out of a tube) in a circle in the center of the batter. Imagine it like a hidden cream cheese ring in the center. Gently spoon the remaining half of the batter on top to conceal the cream cheese. Don’t mix or spread the batter.
  6. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until the tip of a knife inserted in the center emerges free of batter, 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 30 minutes in the pan, then unmold onto a serving platter and cool.
  7. For the glaze: In a small, heatproof bowl, melt the white chocolate over a pot of gently simmering water (a double boiler). In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat. When the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and stir into the milk until smooth. Add the orange zest. Let cool and thicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before pouring right over the cake.

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Tara Gernand

This cake is amazing. So moist and delicious. Will definitely be making this again<br />

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