Pumpkin Pound Cake is the ultimate fall breakfast or dessert that takes just 10 minutes hands on time! This simple yet beautiful Pumpkin Pound Cake Recipe is topped with a luxurious Cream Cheese Glaze will become your favorite fall staple!

pumpkin pound cake on platter with white and blue napkin
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What Is Pound Cake?

Pound Cake is dense cake typically made with a pound each of four key ingredients: flour, butter, eggs and sugar. Of course I incorporated pumpkin for a little fall flavor while still achieving that thick, dense slice we’ve all come to love.

Even classic pound cake is packed full of rich flavor and topped with an incredible glaze, but the addition of pumpkin makes it out of this world amazing.

There are so many easy ways to adapt your pound cake! You can add citrust flavor to make an Orange Pound Cake, a little crunch (like my Chocolate Chip Pound Cake) or seasonal flavor like Apple Pound Cake or Pumpkin Pound Cake topped with a luxurious cream cheese glaze!

It’s also versatile. You can make it in a standard loaf pan, ornate loaf pan, miniature loaf pans, muffin tins and more!

It’s made with just a few staple ingredients, your favorite fall spices and of course a can of pumpkin, which we always have on hand in fall!

It keeps incredibly well so you can make it ahead to bring to a gathering or enjoy a slice at a time for a delicious snack!

This easy Pumpkin Pound Cake recipe is so much better than the coffee shop. It’s rich, moist and full of fall flavor. Not to mention, it won’t set you back $2-3 a slice! There’s just nothing quite like homemade!

Pumpkin Pound Cake is moist, rich and

full of fall flavor.

Pumpkin Pound Cake Ingredients

You just need a few pantry staples to make this yummy cake!

  • Butter – Salted or unsalted, your preference. Unsalted butter is typically used in pound cakes but I like the way salt brings out all the other flavors in this recipe. Soften butter for best results and incredible texture.
  • Sugar – White granulated sugar sweetens to perfection. You can substitute brown sugar if you prefer a rich molasses flavor.
  • Pumpkin Purée – You can make your own, or opt for canned pumpkin, without added spices works incredibly well in this recipe and makes this cake incredibly moist.
  • Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds classic fall flavor.
  • Nutmeg – A hint of nutmeg gives this pound cake warmth. Cinnamon and nutmeg can be substituted with Pumpkin Pie Spice for even more fall flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Eggs – Eggs provide the structure to this cake. They act as the leavening agent and create a tender crumb.
  • Flour – All purpose, no need to sift.
  • Milk – Use whole or vitamin D milk for best results, but you can use any milk you have on hand, including almond milk.

Variations

  • Add Nuts – Add crushed walnuts and pecans
  • Add Glaze – Add a cream cheese, classic, maple or brown butter glaze. Make a brown butter glaze by simply browning the butter before adding vanilla and powdered sugar.
  • Experiment with Extracts – Simply substitute vanilla with your favorite. Rum adds great flavor.

How To Make Pumpkin Pound Cake

It only takes 10 minutes to prepare the cake!

  1. Prep – Preheat oven to 300 degrees and prepare loaf pan. I like to use this baking spray generously to grease intricate loaf pans.
  2. Combine Wet Ingredients and Spices – In a mixing bowl, beat butter until light in color (about 3 minutes). Gradually incorporate sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until fluffy/smooth.
  3. Add Eggs – Add eggs one at a time on low just until the yellow disappears. This incorporates air into the batter, which acts as the leavening agent.
  4. Alternate Flour and Milk – This gives it great texture.
  5. Bake – Pour into loaf pan allowing space to compensate for rise (discard or use excess batter in mini loaf pans) and bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.
  6. Cool and Glaze – Allow to cool 10 minutes. Remove from loaf pan and allow to rest before adding optional cream cheese glaze.
A pound cake served on a white platter

What Do You Bake A Pound Cake In?

I most often make pound cake in loaf pans, like this beautiful pumpkin loaf pan rather than a larger bundt pan unless I’m serving a large crowd. If you are, you can double this Pumpkin Pound Cake to fill a bundt.

You can also make in miniature loaf pans or muffin tins.

Baking Alternatives

  • Bundt Pan – Double recipe and bake about 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Miniature Loaf Pans – Bake approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Muffin Tin – Bake approximately 23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
A cake with pumpkin design on a white plate

Serving Suggestions

What Glaze Works With This Cake?

It’s incredible on its own – sweet but not too sweet, but if you’re like me, and love anything and everything glazed, you’ll love it with this cream cheese glaze that hardens just enough for the perfect slice, without compromising the perfect soft bite!

You can use a basic glaze or top with a dollop of whipped cream – you can’t go wrong!

pumpkin pound cake with cream cheese glaze on kitchen countertop

Tips for Making the Best Pound Cake

  • Bring ingredients to room temperature so that you achieve the perfect crumb.
  • Use full-fat ingredients for the best results (no margarine, low fat cream cheese).
  • Add eggs one at a time on low just until the yellow disappears.
  • Use a high quality baking spray. This ensures a clean, proper release. You won’t regret it! 
  • Bake low and slow – it’s the secret to maintaining incredible moisture.
  • Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the crust is golden brown.

How to Store

  • Room Temperature – Store covered – an upside down bowl will do, for up to five days. Once you cut into this cake, moisture begins to escape. Use plastic wrap to cover the exposed slice. Sliced pound cake keeps for 3-4 days.
  • Refrigerate – Store covered in an airtight container for up to 1 week refrigerated.
  • Freeze – Simply wrap your pound cake in plastic wrap – you can add an extra layer of aluminum foil for a secondary layer of frost resistance. Add a heavy duty freezer bag and label appropriately. Freeze up to 3 months.

Dietary Considerations

  • Gluten Free – Simply substitute all purpose flour with gluten free flour.
  • Nut Free

More Pound Cake Recipes

A glazed cake on a kitchen counter top with crock in background

Note: This recipe was originally published September 2018.

More Easy Pumpkin Desserts

pumpkin pound cake on cream platter with blue checked napkin
5 from 15 votes

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Pumpkin Pound Cake is an easy made-from-scratch breakfast treat or dessert that takes just a few minutes to make and looks as beautiful as it tastes! This Pumpkin Pound Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Glaze will become your favorite fall staple with just one bite!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cool: 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12
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Ingredients  

Cream Cheese Glaze (optional)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease loaf pan.
  • In a medium mixing bowl or stand mixter fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter until light in color (about 3 minutes). Gradually incorporate sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until fluffy and smooth.
  • Add eggs one at a time on low, careful not to overbeat.
  • Alternate adding flour and milk until smooth.
  • Pour into loaf pan allowing space to compensate for rise (discard or use excess batter in mini loaf pans). Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.
  • Allow to cool 10 minutes. Invert to release from loaf pan. Allow to cool before adding optional cream chee.

Cream Cheese Glaze

  • Allow pound cake to cool before adding glaze. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar until smooth.
  • Warm until pourable. Pour over pound cake generously and allow to set before serving. 

Julie’s Tips

Substitutions, Variations and Ingredient Notes

  • Sugar – You can substitute brown sugar if you prefer a rich molasses flavor.
  • Pumpkin Purée – You can make your own, or opt for canned pumpkin.
  • Cinnamon, Nutmeg – Substitute with Pumpkin Pie Spice for even more fall flavor.
  • Milk – Use whole or vitamin D milk for best results, but you can use any milk you have on hand, including almond milk.
  • Butter – Salted or unsalted, your choice. 
  • Powdered Sugar – If you don’t have powdered sugar you can make it pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor until fine and fluffy.
  • Nuts – Optional: add 1/2 crushed walnuts and pecans
  • Glaze – Optional: add a cream cheese, classic, maple or brown butter glaze. 

Tips

  • Bring ingredients to room temperature.
  • Use full-fat ingredients.
  • Add eggs one at a time on low just until the yellow disappears. 
  • Use a high quality baking spray
  • Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the crust is golden brown.

Baking Alternatives

  • Bundt Pan – Double recipe and bake about 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Miniature Loaf Pans – Bake approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Muffin Tin – Bake approximately 23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To Store

  • Room Temperature – Store covered – an upside down bowl will do, for up to five days. Once you cut into this cake, moisture begins to escape. Use plastic wrap to cover the exposed slice. Sliced pound cake keeps for 3-4 days.
  • Refrigerate – Store covered in an airtight container for up to 1 week refrigerated.
  • Freeze – Simply wrap your pound cake in plastic wrap – you can add an extra layer of aluminum foil for a secondary layer of frost resistance. Add a heavy duty freezer bag and label appropriately. Freeze up to 3 months.
Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 6072IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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