Cake Mix Pumpkin Cake Published: Oct 6, 2026 by Farah Abumaizar · Leave a Comment (edit post info) ↓ Jump to Recipe ↓ Jump to Video Print Recipe Is it even fall until the first pumpkin cake comes out of the oven? This cake mix pumpkin cake is my shortcut to cozy fall baking. A box of yellow cake mix gets a whole can of pumpkin, a splash of buttermilk and a warm blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. It all comes together in one bowl, no mixer required, then bakes into a tall, pretty bundt cake that looks like you spent way more time on it than you did. It’s beautiful, and it’s so easy! It’s especially delicious paired with this easy cream cheese frosting, but also great plain. slice of pumpkin bundt cake on a gray plate with a gold fork. Consider this your sign to usher in autumn baking season with the lowest effort, highest reward pumpkin bundt cake you could try. My kids initially refused to try this, because they had already decided they don’t like pumpkin, but when I convinced them to take a bite they were immediately obsessed. This was inspired by my pumpkin pancakes also made from a mix, and this other awesome doctored cake mix recipe for a cinnamon swirl bundt cake. Jump to: What makes this a great everylittlecrumb recipe: Ingredients you need: How to make easy pumpkin cake from cake mix: Pro Tip How to serve: Recipe variations: Storing Leftovers: Expert tips and tricks: Top Tip Recipe FAQs: If you liked this recipe, you might like: Pairing Cake Mix Pumpkin Cake What makes this a great everylittlecrumb recipe: Cake mix shortcut: a box of yellow cake mix does most of the work, so there’s no measuring flour, baking powder or salt. One bowl: everything goes into one bowl and gets beaten together. You don’t even need an electric mixer, it’s just the easiest thing ever. The WHOLE can: no leftover half-can of pumpkin sitting in your fridge. Less added sugar: only ¼ cup of sugar on top of the cake mix. Cozy and rustic : I love bundt cakes, they are easy to transport to gatherings, and with minimal effort always look beautiful. Ingredients you need: ingredients needed to make pumpkin cake from cake mix on a marble table. Yellow cake mix- you can always substitute spice cake mix too, and omit the additional added spices. Pumpkin purée- you want canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix! That comes already sweetened so will be excessively sweet. Eggs- at room temperature White sugar- just a tiny bit to sweeten the additional added pumpkin Vegetable oil- this keeps the cake so moist and fluffy. You could substitute melted butter if you prefer. Buttermilk- I used laban drink, you can use buttermilk or milk, or even water! Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves and ground nutmeg- some great spices to really enhance the pumpkin flavor. You can also substitute with 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. See recipe card for quantities. How to make easy pumpkin cake from cake mix: canned pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugar, cake mix, and spices in a glass bowl. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Add the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk and spices to a large bowl. pumpkin cake batter in a glass bowl with a spatula. Step 2: Use a whisk and mix until smooth and well blended. The batter will be thick. pumpkin cake batter in bundt cake pan before baking. Step 3: Spread the batter evenly in a greased and floured bundt cake pan. baked pumpkin bundt cake in bundt cake pan. Step 4: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick in the thickest part comes out clean. Hint: Test the cake near the middle ring, not the edge. The edges bake faster, so a clean toothpick at the edge doesn’t mean the cake is done. Pro Tip Give the cake about 30 minutes in the pan before turning it out, then let it cool completely before frosting. Frosting a warm cake makes the cream cheese frosting melt and slide off. How to serve: Top the cooled cake with cream cheese frosting, then slice and serve with a cup of karak chai or coffee. It’s the same cream cheese frosting from my one layer carrot cake, just a half batch and without the lemon juice, so the pumpkin spice flavor shines through. Recipe variations: Chocolate chip pumpkin bundt: fold chocolate chips into the batter before pouring it into the pan. Nutty: fold in chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch. 9×13 inch pan: You can definitely make this in a 9×13 inch pan bake for less (start checking at 25 minutes). Also, you’ll want to double the frosting recipe. Plain: you can make this and not top with any frosting whatsoever, it’ll still be delicious! For another delicious pumpkin recipe that starts with an easy mix, check out these fluffy and delicious pumpkin pancakes. Storing Leftovers: Unfrosted cake: keep it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Frosted cake: because of the cream cheese frosting, don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours. Store it covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Take out only the slices you plan to eat, so the rest of the cake stays cold. Freezer: freeze the cake unfrosted. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then frost. You can also freeze individual frosted slices of pumpkin cake, and thaw for a few hours in the fridge. slice of pumpkin bundt cake on parchment paper and on a wooden board. Expert tips and tricks: Bring the eggs and buttermilk to room temperature so they blend smoothly into the batter. Same thing with the cream cheese frosting, make sure the butter and cream cheese are really soft so you don’t get lumps. If you do have small lumps, try to smoosh them out with a fork. Grease every groove. Bundt pans have lots of detail, and any missed spot is where the cake will stick. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl: it’s a thick batter and you may have some stubborn dry patches at the bottom of the bowl after mixing. Start checking at 40 minutes. Ovens vary, and a bundt this moist can go from perfect to dry quickly. Cool completely before frosting so the cream cheese frosting doesn’t melt. Top Tip Grease and flour the bundt cake really well, or use non stick pan spray. Get into every groove! It’s so annoying when a bundt cake sticks to the pan. If it does (which mine did a little by the way), run a butter knife between the cake and pan and bang on the upside down cake pan with a wooden spoon when flipping it out firmly and it should start to release. Recipe FAQs: Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée? No. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, which will throw off the flavor and sweetness. Use plain pumpkin purée. Can I make this pumpkin cake mix recipe with spice cake mix instead of yellow? Yes! And you can totally leave out the additional spices, or supplement with just a little extra cinnamon. How do I keep my bundt cake from sticking? Grease and flour the pan very well, getting into every groove, and let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before turning it out. How do I know when my cake mix pumpkin cake is done? Insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, it’s done. The top of the cake will also lightly spring back when you gently poke it. close up slice of pumpkin bundt cake being removed from plate with a golden cake server. If you liked this recipe, you might like: Looking for other recipes like this? Try these: Date Apple Cake Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread Biscoff Pumpkin Cheesecake Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping Pairing These are my favorite things to serve with this cake mix pumpkin cake: Karak Chai Instant Pot Hot Chocolate Honey Caramel Sauce Nana tea Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card and a comment! Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! slice of pumpkin bundt cake on a gray plate with a gold fork. Cake Mix Pumpkin Cake This easy cake mix pumpkin cake uses a whole can of pumpkin and warm spices, topped with cream cheese frosting. A moist, one-bowl bundt cake for fall! No ratings yet Print Pin 0.5x 2x 3x Rate Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDiet: Halal, Vegetarian Prep Time: 5minutes minutesCook Time: 45minutes minutes Servings: 12 people Calories: 353kcal Author: Farah Abumaizar Equipment ▢ 10-12 cup bundt cake pan Ingredients For the pumpkin cake: ▢1 box 15.25 oz yellow cake mix ▢4 large eggs ▢1 can 15 oz pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) ▢¼ cup white sugar 50 g ▢½ cup vegetable oil 110 g ▢¼ cup buttermilk 60 g ▢2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ▢1 teaspoon ground ginger ▢¼ teaspoon ground cloves ▢¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg Cream cheese frosting ▢2 tablespoons softened butter 25 g ▢2 oz softened cream cheese 60 g ▢¾-1 cup powdered (icing) sugar 75-100 g Instructions For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-12 cup bundt pan, getting into all the grooves. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Use a whisk to beat until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. For the frosting: In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the softened butter for 20–30 seconds until fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. If the ingredients are soft enough, you can also mix them by hand, using a fork to smush the butter and cream cheese into a paste. Drizzle the frosting over the completely cooled cake. Video Notes Ingredient Notes: Use plain pumpkin purée, NOT pumpkin pie filling. A 15 oz can of pumpkin is about 1¾ cups. Use the whole can. Use full-fat cream cheese and butter at room temperature so the frosting is smooth, not lumpy. Recipe Tips: Grease every groove of the bundt pan and flour thoroughly, or spray very generously with non-stick spray so the cake turns out cleanly. Start checking for doneness at 40 minutes, testing near the thickest part of the cake. Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then cool completely before frosting. Storing Leftovers: Store the frosted cake tightly covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months, swrapped in plastic wrap then foil. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then frost. You can also freeze individual frosted slices of pumpkin cake, and thaw for a few hours in the fridge. Nutrition Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 1mg Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!