Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 08:45 pm
Today, I’m going to share an easy recipe for a moist and decadent Pumpkin Spice Cake with cream cheese filling. But not just any pumpkin spice cake. Oh, no. This cake has a boxed cake mix as its base, because who doesn’t love making life easier? And it has a sweet cream cheese drizzle on top! Trust me; this cake is a slice of pumpkin heaven!
Why to Use Pumpkin Puree Instead of Pumpkin Pie Filling
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s address a fundamental choice: pumpkin puree vs. pumpkin pie filling. You might be wondering, “What’s the difference, and why is puree the way to go?” Well, it’s all about control and flavor.
Pumpkin puree is just cooked and mashed pumpkin, with no added sugars or spices. Using pumpkin puree gives you the freedom to control the sweetness and spice levels of your cake. You get to craft that perfect pumpkin flavor without being overwhelmed by sugar or spices. It’s like having a blank canvas for your pumpkin masterpiece!
On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling is a pre-sweetened and spiced mixture. While it’s convenient for making pie, it can overpower your cake if you plan to add your own spices. It’s also not ideal for this cake in particular because it uses a spice cake mix as a base, so spice is already in the name.
Other Fillings You Could Use Instead of Cream Cheese
While I absolutely love the classic cream cheese filling for this Pumpkin Spice Cake, there are other yummy fillings you can experiment with to suit your taste buds or surprise your guests. Here are a few delicious alternatives:
1. Nutella Filling: Nutella goes great with just about any dessert! It definitely goes well with pumpkin. If you’re looking for other pumpkin and Nutella ideas, check out my pumpkin bread with Nutella filling!
2. Cookie Butter Filling: I am always looking for an excuse to include more cookie butter in things! Cookie butter and pumpkin (really, cookie butter and anything) make a fantastic combination. The spices used in cookie butter pair super well with pumpkin, giving almost a pumpkin pie flavor but also the cookie butter itself adds a rich creaminess. If you are using a cookie butter filling with this, I would recommend adding some cream cheese and a little bit of milk, as cookie butter by itself is very thick.
3. Caramel Swirl Filling: For a rich and indulgent twist, try a caramel swirl filling. Make caramel sauce (or use store-bought) and swirl it into the cream cheese filling. It’s a decadent surprise with every bite! Caramel is just another flavor that can pair well with others, making it a great choice for this dessert!
Now that we’ve explored our options let’s get to the heart of the matter: How to make this Pumpkin Spice Cake with a cream cheese filling and drizzle.
How to Make this Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
– 1 box of spice cake mix (I used the Duncan Hines one)
– 1 can (15 ounces) of pumpkin puree
– 3 large eggs
– 1/2 cup vegetable oil
– 1/2 cup water
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
– 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
– 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
– 1/3 cup granulated sugar
– 1 egg
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Drizzle:
– 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (Note, you’ll need 2 bricks of cream cheese total, most likely. I buy mine in 8 oz bricks.)
– 1 cup powdered sugar
– 1/4 cup milk + a tablespoon or 2
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat Your Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a bundt pan
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the spice cake mix and the ground spices (if using). Stir them together until well mixed.
Add the Wet Ingredients: To the dry mixture, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Mix until everything is well combined, and there are no lumps.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: In a separate bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Assemble the Cake: Pour half of the pumpkin spice cake batter into the prepared pan(s). Spread it out until it’s smooth with a rubber spatula. Then, carefully pour cream cheese filling evenly over the cake batter, making a ring in the middle, trying to avoid the edges (It’s okay if some of it goes to the edge! As you can see, I didn’t do a great job of it!). Carefully spread the remaining pumpkin spice cake batter over the cream cheese filling.
Bake: Place the pan(s) in the preheated oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes. Note: My cake mix said that a bundt cake would take 30 minutes, but it actually took much longer. Watch yours carefully. It’s done when a toothpick inserted into the middle (NOT the edges, because those bake first) comes out clean.
Cool: Allow the cake(s) to cool in the pan. When cooled completely, carefully turn your pan upside over a plate. If you greased and floured it well, it should pop right out.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Drizzle:
Mix Cream Cheese and Powdered Sugar: Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until slightly fluffy, and smooth. Trust me, do this part first before adding in the milk. The cold milk will cause your softened cream cheese to firm up and become chunky.
Add in Milk and Vanilla: Add in ¼ cup of milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Perform the “Spoon Test”: You want your drizzle to actually “drizzle,” so you have to test its consistency before putting it on your cake. Scoop some drizzle up in a spoon, and see if it drips off easily. You want a texture a little thicker than pancake syrup. If your drizzle is a little reluctant to “drizzle” off your spoon, add another tablespoon or so of milk and mix well.
Drizzle Your Drizzle: Put your drizzle in a piping bag or a sandwich bag. Carefully cut off the tip or a corner of the bag (Do this so you have the mixture NOT pointing down and all over your floor! I’ve made that mistake too many times to count). Drip your cream cheese drizzle over the top of your pumpkin spice cake. I used a back and forth motion, starting from the center and working towards the edges, then back towards the center again.
This cake is the epitome of fall comfort, with the warm spices and creamy filling blending together in perfect harmony. Whether you’re serving it for a cozy family gathering or as a delightful treat for friends, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Cake Base
- 1 box spice cake xix I used Duncan Hines
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 15 oz pumpkin puree 1 can
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Cream Cheese Drizzle
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk plus some extra
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Prepare Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F, grease and flour a bundt pan
- Mix together spice cake mix and cinnamon and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.
- Add pumpkin, eggs, water, and vegetable oil. Mix until combined.
Prepare Cream Cheese Filling
- In a bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and there are no chunks of cream cheese.
Assemble and Bake Cake
- Pour half of your cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Smooth it over with a rubber spatula.
- Carefully pour cream cheese filling over the batter in the pan. Try to avoid letting it spread to the edges too much, but it's okay if that happens!
- Pour the rest of the batter on top of the cream cheese filling.
- Bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the middle (Make sure it's the middle, because the edges bake first) comes out clean. Mine took about 45-50 minutes, even though the cake mix box said it would be about 30. I checked mine every 5 minutes after 30 minutes of baking until it was done.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Then, carefully turn your pan upside down over a plate.
Make Cream Cheese Drizzle
- Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Add in 1/4 cup milk and vanilla, beat until smooth.
- See if your drizzle is the correct consistency by sticking a spoon in the drizzle and pouring it out. Your drizzle should be maybe slightly thicker than pancake syrup, and it should drizzle out pretty easily. If your drizzle is too thick, add in another tablespoon or so of milk.
- Pour your cream cheese drizzle into a piping bag, or a sandwich bag with the corner cut off. Carefully drizzle it over your cooled pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese filing.
