Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake (with Spice Cake Mix)

As much as I love to entertain, I don’t always have time to bake dessert from scratch. Thank goodness for boxed cake mixes that are convenient and easy to dress up!

This recipe is easy to make, and a great alternative to pie when you’re hosting Thanksgiving. The flavors and subtle sweetness make it perfect for dessert or brunch!

This is an excellent treat for a fall baby shower or a ladies luncheon, too. You can pre-cut single serving slices so they’re easy to grab.

Why You’ll Love It

• You’re going to love the ease of this recipe. The spice cake mix already has cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in it so it’s the ideal base for a Thanksgiving meal.
• The addition of canned pumpkin makes this cake super moist. And the white chocolate compliments it so well. 
• This cake has 15 servings so it’s great for parties. Plus, bundt cakes with a pretty glaze drizzled on top always look more festive!
• It’s a fantastic dessert option for brunch as well as dinner. Take it to potluck parties at work, church or school.
• The seasonal flavors take you from September all the way through the holidays. Make it part of your Friendsgiving, and Christmas entertaining.

Ingredients

• Spice cake mix. I used Duncan Hines.
• Canned pumpkin. Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Evaporated milk. I’ve made this with low-fat (2%) evaporated milk and it worked out just fine – super moist! Use the 12-oz can and you’ll get enough for the cake and the glaze topping.
• Eggs. Use 3 large eggs and let them sit at room temperature so they integrate more easily.
• White Chocolate Chips. I used an 11-oz bag of Ghirardelli white baking chips. You’ll use half for the glaze and stir the other half into the cake batter.
• Vegetable oil. For baking I use a basic vegetable oil so there’s no added flavor.

Variations

• If you like nuts in your cake, feel free to substitute the white chocolate chips for chopped pecans or walnuts.
• Try this with carrot cake mix instead of spice cake.
• Use milk or dark chocolate chips instead of the white chips.
• Drizzle with cream cheese glaze, or caramel sauce for a different take. Or simply sprinkle it with powdered sugar on top.

How to Make Pumpkin Cake with Spice Cake Mix

The steps are as simple as 1, 2, 3. You basically prep the pan, make the batter, and make the glaze.

The most time consuming part is letting the cake cool!

1. Add cake ingredients to a bowl and use a hand mixer to combine everything together.
2. Once the batter is mixed, stir in white chocolate chips.

3. Prepare a bundt cake pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray, making sure you get in all the crevices. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the spice cake mix (or flour) all around the pan and give it a little shake to distribute it as evenly as you can. 
4. Pour in batter and bake as directed in the recipe card below.
5. When the cake is done, let it cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 25 minutes before turning it out onto a serving platter.

6. To make the icing, heat evaporated milk to a steady simmer, then turn heat off and stir in white chips until smooth.
7. Once the glaze it completely smooth, stir in ground cinnamon.
8. When the cake has cooled completely, spoon the glaze all over the top, letting it run down the sides. 

Storage

Serve at room temperature and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil so you don’t disturb the icing.

You can freeze the cake without the icing for up to 2 months. Then you can defrost in the fridge and make the drizzle fresh, and serve.

Expert Tips

• Make sure you let the cake cool completely before adding the icing, AND before slicing. The inside needs to be cooled so the texture is soft and fluffy; this can take a couple of hours. 
• Use a toothpick or cake tester to make sure the cake is cooked through. Insert it into the thickest part and if it comes out clean it’s done. If there’s batter on it, let it cook in 5 minute increments and test again. 
• When you’ve made the glaze, let it sit for about 5 minutes to cool slightly and thicken. This will make it easier to control the flow of the glaze when you spoon it over the cake.
• Use a 10-inch bundt cake pan and it should fill about half way up.

More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

If you like this pumpkin spice bundt cake you’ll want to give these other pumpkin desserts a try.

• Easy Pumpkin pie
• Pumpkin dump cake (with spice cake mix)
• Pumpkin layer cake
• Easy pumpkin ice cream
• Thanksgiving trifle