Unleash the Fall Magic: Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

Last updated on November 11th, 2026 at 03:25 pm

This pumpkin spice Bundt cake starts with a box of spice cake mix and gets its moist crumb from a whole can of pumpkin puree. Cut into it and you’ll find a sweet cream cheese ribbon baked right into the cake. A cream cheese drizzle finishes the top and settles into the grooves of the Bundt cake.

It’s an easy fall dessert to bring to a potluck or serve after Thanksgiving dinner. You can get the cake baked and cooled ahead of time, then add the drizzle when you’re ready to finish it.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

For the pumpkin spice cake

• 1 box spice cake mix, 15.25 oz. (I use the Duncan Hines brand)
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree. Look for 100% pumpkin on the label.
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup water.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

For the cream cheese filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cream cheese drizzle

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons as needed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*You’ll use 12 ounces of cream cheese altogether, so pick up two 8-ounce blocks.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan, making sure to coat the center tube and all the grooves.

Mix the pumpkin cake batter. Stir the spice cake mix, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl, if using the extra spices. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and water. Mix until the batter is smooth and no dry pockets of cake mix remain.

Make the cream cheese filling. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.

Layer the batter and filling. Spread half the pumpkin batter in the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese filling in a ring down the middle of the batter, leaving space between the filling and both sides of the pan. Spoon the remaining pumpkin batter over the filling and gently spread it to cover.

Bake and cool. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the thick part of the cake. If it hits the cream cheese ribbon, check a nearby spot in the cake batter. The toothpick should come out clean from that spot. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then invert it onto a serving plate.

Make the cream cheese drizzle. Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add ¼ cup milk and the vanilla and mix again. Lift a spoonful over the bowl. It should fall in a steady ribbon and be a little thicker than pancake syrup. Add more milk a tablespoon at a time if needed.

Drizzle the cooled cake. Spoon the drizzle into a piping bag or zip-top sandwich bag. Hold the tip upright while you snip a small opening, then drizzle back and forth over the cake so it runs down the sides.

Pro Tips

• Take an extra minute to prep the pan. Get the grease and flour into each groove and around the center tube. Tap out the excess flour before adding the batter.
• Soften your cream cheese for real. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve kicked myself for not softening cream cheese properly. Your filling will come out chunky and your drizzle won’t drizzle if the cream cheese is still cold.
• Spoon on the top layer of batter. Drop small spoonfuls all the way around the ring, then smooth them together. This makes it easier to cover the filling without pushing it toward the sides.
• Use the recipe’s bake time as your guide. My cake mix box suggested 30 minutes for a Bundt cake, but this pumpkin batter with cream cheese filling took about 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness in the thickest part of the cake.
• Beat the drizzle in stages. Mix the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth before adding the milk. That makes it easier to get a lump-free drizzle.

FAQs

Can I use pumpkin pie filling in this cake?

Use canned pumpkin puree for this recipe. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, which will change the sweetness and spice level of the cake. The spice cake mix already brings plenty of flavor, and you can add the optional cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.

What brand cake mix should I use?

I use Duncan Hines cake mixes. Really, the brand isn’t as important as the weight. As long as your cake mix is 15.25 ounces, you should be good. Some brands are smaller, so make sure you check that weight.

Can I make this pumpkin spice cake ahead of time?

Yes. Bake and cool it the day before, then cover and refrigerate it. You can add the drizzle ahead of time or wait until you’re ready to serve. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

Can I change up the cream cheese filling?

For a simple variation, try swirling a little caramel sauce into the cream cheese filling before covering it with the rest of the pumpkin batter. Cookie butter and chocolate-hazelnut spread also pair well with pumpkin. If you’d like to try either flavor, you can serve it alongside the finished cake.

If you’re baking this for a fall get-together, slice it at the table so everyone can see the cream cheese ribbon inside. Between the pumpkin spice cake, the creamy center, and the drizzle on top, each slice has a little bit of everything.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

This moist pumpkin spice Bundt cake starts with a box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin puree. A sweet cream cheese ribbon bakes right into the center, and a vanilla cream cheese drizzle finishes the cake.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 16

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.