Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake (Made With a Cake Mix)

This Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake is so moist and simple to make with a doctored up yellow cake mix! Ingredients like oil, sour cream, and pure pumpkin are added to a cake mix along with warm pumpkin spice. Top it off with an easy homemade cream cheese frosting for the ultimate Fall pumpkin dessert. It’s also perfect for the Thanksgiving dessert table too. 

Fore more pumpkin spice recipes be sure and try my Pumpkin Spice Cake and this Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake. 

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake Recipe

Some of my favorite desserts include using a ‘doctored up’ cake mix as the base of the recipe. This pumpkin spice bundt cake starts with a yellow cake mix, and then you add some super moist ingredients to it in order to “doctor it up” and make it taste homemade. 

It’s a quick way to get dessert ready for your family or friends without a lot of effort. Plus, any skill level can prepare this recipe!

Other family favorite desserts, that start with a cake mix, is this Easy Oreo Dirt Cake, Orange Pineapple Cake, and these Cake Mix Sugar Cookies. 

Ingredients Needed

• Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake Ingredinets

  • Yellow Cake Mix – I prefer the brand ‘Duncan Hines’ because their cake mixes have no added pudding to the mix. As long as you are using the correct sized box (15.25 oz) then any yellow cake mix will work. 
  • Light Brown Sugar – This pairs perfectly with the warm pumpkin spice in this bundt cake. It also provides additional warm sweetness to the cake. 
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • Pure Pumpkin – Make sure you are using the 100% pure pumpkin for this recipe. There is a similar can titled ‘pumpkin pie filling’ and that is not the same thing. Use the pure pumpkin. 
  • Large Eggs
  • Canola or Vegetable Oil
  • Whole Milk – I recommend using whole milk because it has a higher fat content. 
  • Sour Cream – Full-fat sour cream has the best flavor, thickness, and texture. 

• Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

  • Cream Cheese – Again, as with any dairy in baking recipes, it’s best to use full-fat cream cheese rather than the reduced-fat cream cheese. 
  • Butter – I use salted butter but unsalted butter can be used as well. 
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Whole Milk

How To Make Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with a Cake Mix

Learn how to make this easy pumpkin spice bundt cake with the simple steps below. For the full recipe be sure and read to the bottom of this post where there is also a pin it button so you can save it for later, and a printable recipe card as well. 

• Prep : Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a bundt cake pan (10 cup or 12 cup) with cooking spray and then sprinkle flour in it. You can also just use a baking spray (also called Baker’s Joy) instead. Baking spray is cooking spray + flour in one spray. 
• Pumpkin Cake Batter : Whisk the dry ingredients first in a large mixing bowl. Yellow cake mix, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the pure pumpkin, large eggs, oil, whole milk, and sour cream. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until it’s combined well and mix together. Pour this into the prepared bundt pan. 
• Cook : Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs on it. 
• Cool : Allow the cake to cool inside the warm bundt pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a serving tray or plate. Let it cool completely before frosting. 
• Make The Cream Cheese Frosting : Using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and combined. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of the whole milk. Beat until combined well. The frosting should be thin enough that you can pour it over the cake. If it’s too thick, add an additional 1 tablespoon of whole milk. 
• Frost Bundt Cake : Pour the cream cheese frosting over the bundt cake. Slice and serve!

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake FAQ’s

• How To Store Leftovers

  • Leftover bundt cake can be stored in an airtight container, or wrap the serving plate in plastic wrap, inside the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Because of the cream cheese frosting, leftovers do need to be stored in the fridge. 
  • If you are making the cake ahead of time, prepare as directed in the recipe, and let it cool completely. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or tin foil and leave it out at room temperature overnight. Frost it the following day before serving. 
  • If the bundt cake is unfrosted then leftovers can be stored at room temperature. 

• Can I Freeze Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake?

  • Yes you can freeze this bundt cake. Prepare as directed in the recipe and let it cool completely to room temperature. Double wrap the bundt cake in tin foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature. 
  • Make the frosting, frost the bundt cake, and serve. 
  • I do not recommend freezing the frosted bundt cake. 

• Variation & Substitution Ideas

  • Cake Mix : Although I recommend using the yellow cake mix, you can substitute with a spice cake mix. If using a spice cake mix omit the pumpkin pie spice. I think the yellow cake mix paired with the pumpkin spice tastes the best. 
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice : Instead of using pumpkin pie spice you can use each individual spice instead. Use 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg + 1/4 teaspoon allspice.
  • Butter : I use salted butter in the cream cheese but you can use unsalted butter if preferred. If using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt in with the powdered sugar.  

• Can I Make This Ahead of Time?

  • Yes! As with anything pumpkin (or banana too!) it tastes even better the day after they’re made. I love making this bundt cake the day before I need it, storing it at room temperature overnight, and then frosting it the following day before serving. 
  • Prepare the cake up to 2 days before and store it covered at room temperature. 
  • I prefer this cake cold so I always chill it in the fridge for a couple hours before serving it. 

Recipe Tips

Here are a few of my helpful tips so that you can have success making this recipe in your own kitchen ♥

• Use Full-Fat Dairy Products : For the best taste, thickness, and texture make sure you are using full-fat sour cream, whole milk, and full-fat cream cheese. The reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream have more water added to it, which makes it thinner and not as thick, and not as much flavor. 
• Pure Pumpkin : Ensure you are using 100% pure pumpkin and NOT the pumpkin pie filling. The cans looks similar and they’re usually right next to each other at the grocery store. I use the Libby’s brand of pure pumpkin, which is just pureed pumpkin. The pumpkin pie filling has ingredients and other liquids added to it, which changes the thickness of it. You want the pure pumpkin.
• Moist Cake : This recipe yields a very moist bundt cake. When you insert a toothpick into the center it might come out with wet looking crumbs. That is ok. If it comes out with wet batter then it needs to cook longer. 
• Tin Foil : If the top of the bundt cake is browning too fast, loosely place a piece of tin foil over the bundt pan during the last 15 minutes of baking. 

More Bundt Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Carrot Bundt Cake
• Caramel Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Brownie Bundt Cake
• Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake