With warming aromas of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and pumpkin, this moist and tender Pumpkin Pound Cake fills the kitchen with cozy fall scent. Made from a simple batter using pantry staples and a few special touches—like almond flour for extra moisture—this cake is easy to prepare and can be adapted to be gluten-free.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pound Cake
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make This Pumpkin Pound Cake Recipe
- How to Make Mini Pumpkin Cakes
- How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting/Glaze
- Recipe Tips
- Serving Tips
- Storage Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Pumpkin Desserts
- Get the Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Pound Cake
This pumpkin pound cake captures everything that makes fall baking special: warm spices, rich pumpkin flavor, and a tender crumb. It’s simple enough for a weekday dessert yet handsome enough for holiday gatherings. A bit of almond flour keeps the cake moist and tender, and an optional bourbon cream cheese glaze adds a decadent finish.
A full 9×5-inch loaf bakes in about an hour, or you can make four mini loaves to reduce baking time and create lovely gifts. The cake actually improves after resting overnight, so it’s great to make ahead.
Serve plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an irresistible finish to any meal.
Ingredient Notes
This recipe uses a combination of all-purpose flour (or a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend) and almond flour. The almond flour contributes extra moisture and a tender crumb. The pumpkin flavor comes from canned pumpkin puree and a blend of warm spices.
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend)
- Almond flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Warm fall spices: ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Organic cane sugar (or regular granulated sugar)
- Large eggs
- Canned pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
- Vanilla extract
- Water
For Serving
- Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze (optional)
- Toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
How to Make This Pumpkin Pound Cake Recipe
Prep Equipment and Dry Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line it crosswise with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang to form a sling for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Break up any lumps of almond flour with your fingers or a fork.
Mix the Wet Ingredients and Finish the Batter
1–2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
3: Scrape down the bowl, then add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and water. Beat on low until smooth; the batter may look curdled—scrape the sides again.
4: With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Finish by folding with a rubber spatula to ensure no streaks of flour remain.
Bake and Frost
5: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top into an even layer.
6: Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 55–60 minutes. The top will likely crack.
7: Cool the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then lift the cake from the pan using the parchment sling and cool completely on a rack before glazing or slicing.
8: To glaze, place the cake on a wire rack over parchment or foil and spoon the Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze evenly over the top, letting excess drip down the sides. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to set.
How to Make Mini Pumpkin Cakes
For smaller loaves, divide the batter among four 3×5.75-inch mini loaf pans. Bake mini loaves for about 30–35 minutes. Mini cakes make excellent gifts and can be frozen (without glaze) for months.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting/Glaze
- Beat softened cream cheese until light and smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar to avoid lumps.
- Mix in vanilla, optional bourbon, and a splash of milk.
- Beat until the glaze is creamy and thick but pourable.
- Drizzle or spoon the glaze over the cooled cake and let it set.
Recipe Tips
- You can bake this recipe in a single 9×5-inch loaf pan or in four mini loaf pans; adjust baking time accordingly.
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to make this cake gluten-free.
- Almond flour improves moisture and crumb; it’s a small but impactful addition.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute coconut oil for the butter.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, a hand mixer works fine.
- Optional: fold in 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for texture.
- Do ahead: the unglazed cake keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months. Once glazed, refrigerate up to 3 days.
Serving Tips
Serve slices plain, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or with a dollop of whipped cream for a special dessert.
Storage Tips
Store the unglazed cake wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. After glazing, keep refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Store any leftover glaze separately for up to one week.
Recipe FAQs
What rack should you bake a pound cake on? Bake on the center oven rack for even heat distribution.
Can you make pumpkin pound cake ahead? Yes. The unglazed cake can be wrapped and refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months. Once glazed, refrigerate up to 3 days.
How do you serve pound cake? Serve plain, with ice cream, or with whipped cream.
*This post originally included affiliate links to products used by the author.
More Pumpkin Desserts
- Healthy Paleo Pumpkin Bread
- Crustless Pumpkin Pie Custards
- Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Get the Recipe!
Pumpkin Pound Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting (Gluten-Free Option!)
A moist, spiced pumpkin pound cake with an optional bourbon cream cheese glaze. Makes one 9×5-inch loaf (or four mini loaves).
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- ½ cup (55 g) almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups (260 g) organic cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (236 g) canned pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup water
For serving
- Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze (optional)
- ¼ cup finely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray and parchment-line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a 2-inch overhang.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, breaking up any almond flour lumps.
- In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time. Scrape bowl and add pumpkin, vanilla, and water; beat on low until smooth.
- With mixer on low, add flour mixture gradually and mix until just combined. Fold with a spatula to remove streaks.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 55–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool completely.
- To glaze, spoon bourbon cream cheese glaze over the cooled cake, let excess drip off, and chill 30 minutes to set. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Notes
Do ahead: Unglazed cake refrigerates up to 4 days or freezes up to 3 months. Glazed cake refrigerates up to 3 days. Adjust baking time to 30–35 minutes for mini loaves.