Pumpkin Shaped Cake (Made with Two Bundt Cakes)

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This pumpkin-shaped cake is two pumpkin Bundt cakes stacked into one giant pumpkin, filled and frosted with cream cheese buttercream, dusted with cinnamon, and topped with a cinnamon-stick stem. Perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any fall party.

Giant Pumpkin-Shaped Cake for Fall Baking, Halloween, and Thanksgiving

Okay, I will just say it. This is probably the most over-the-top dessert I have ever made, at least by my standards. I am usually a one-pan, one-bowl kind of baker, so a cake that looks like an actual pumpkin sitting on the table is a real departure for me. However, the biggest reason I decided to make this kind of cake is that it's SO EASY!

All you have to do is bake two pumpkin Bundt cakes, then sandwich them together flat side to flat side with buttercream in the middle. Just like that, the two Bundts form one big, round pumpkin. The Bundt pan already creates the natural pumpkin ridges, and I simply carve the grooves between them a little deeper to give the pumpkin more definition. Then, I cover the whole thing with buttercream while keeping those ridges visible. The hole in the center is exactly where the cinnamon stick stem goes. 

It looks like an elaborate sculpted pumpkin-shaped cake, but the Bundt pans have already done most of the shaping for you. You can even tint the outside buttercream with orange gel food coloring to make it look like a classic orange pumpkin. I kept mine completely dye-free, though, and I think it still looks stunning!

The batter itself is close to my pumpkin Bundt cake, just doubled so it fills two pans. It is oil-based, which is the reason the cake stays soft for days. If you have made my very popular apple pumpkin Bundt cake, you already know how well that method works.

Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Cake

Let me show you how easy this is. No carving, no special pumpkin pan to buy, and no sculpting skills needed.

• Two Bundt pans are the only special equipment; you can even get away with a single Bundt pan!
• The pumpkin shape happens on its own; no carving required
• Oil-based batter keeps the crumb moist for days
• Spiced cream cheese buttercream fills it and frosts it
• Bakes a day ahead, so party day is just decorating
• Serves 12 to 18, which covers a whole Thanksgiving table
• Every slice shows a pretty stripe of thick buttercream through the middle

About the Spiced Cream Cheese Buttercream

This frosting does two jobs. It glues the two cakes together and covers the outside with a smooth coat you can dust with cinnamon. I use chilled cream cheese, softened butter, and a small amount of vegetable shortening. The shortening is what keeps the frosting stable enough to hold ridges at room temperature. The cornstarch goes into the buttercream too, sifted in with the powdered sugar. It absorbs a little moisture from the inside so the frosting stays thick. One batch of buttercream does both jobs, so the filling between the layers and the outer coat are the same frosting.

The spices are gentle on purpose. Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg give warmth without turning the frosting brown. I wanted my cake white, with the cinnamon dusting doing all the coloring, but you can use orange gel food coloring if you want a bright orange pumpkin instead.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This recipe consists of 3 components: the pumpkin cake, the spiced cream cheese buttercream, and the decorations. I encourage you to read my ingredient notes below or skip ahead to the printable recipe card for all the details.

1) Pumpkin Cake Ingredients

• Canned pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, which will throw off the whole recipe. You will need about two 15-ounce cans.
• Vegetable oil: Canola, sunflower, or a light olive oil all work. I don't recommend swapping in melted butter here because oil keeps this cake soft for days.
• Light or dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor and a slightly darker crumb. Light brown sugar keeps the color brighter, which matters a little if you are tinting your frosting orange.
• Granulated sugar: Works with the brown sugar to give the cake structure, not just sweetness. Do not replace all of it with brown sugar.
• Large eggs: Room temperature. Cold eggs can make the oil seize slightly and give you a lumpy batter.
• Whole milk: Buttermilk works too and adds a little tang. Unsweetened almond or oat milk is a fine substitute.
• Vanilla extract: A full tablespoon. Vanilla bean paste also works.
• All-purpose flour: Measure by spooning into the cup and leveling off, or weigh it. Packing the flour down is the fastest way to get a dry cake.
• Baking soda: Do not substitute baking powder one-for-one. See my note in the FAQs about adjusting this.
• Pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon: No pumpkin pie spice on hand? Use 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
• Kosher salt: If you only have table salt, use half the amount.

2) Spiced Cream Cheese Buttercream Ingredients

• Cream cheese: Use block-style full-fat cream cheese, straight from the fridge. Cold cream cheese gives you a stiffer, more pipeable frosting, which matters when it has to hold two heavy cakes together.
• Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature. If your butter is too warm, the frosting will slump.
• Vegetable shortening: This is the stability insurance. It keeps the frosting firm enough to hold the pumpkin shape at room temperature. You can leave it out and use an extra ⅓ cup of butter.
• Powdered sugar: Start with 5 cups and add more only if the frosting is too soft. Sift it if it looks clumpy.
• Cornstarch: A small amount tightens the frosting and helps it hold ridges. Skip it if you prefer, and add a little extra powdered sugar instead.
• Ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg: These echo the spices in the cake. For a plain vanilla frosting, leave all three out.
• Vanilla extract and kosher salt: The salt is not optional. It keeps a frosting this sweet from tasting flat.
• Orange gel coloring (optional): Use gel, not liquid, so you do not thin the frosting. I leave mine white and rely on the cinnamon dusting for color.

3) Decoration Ingredients

• Cinnamon sticks or pretzel rods: 4 or 5 tied together with kitchen twine make the stem.
• Ground cinnamon: A light dusting over the white frosting gives that rustic, just-picked look.
• Fall leaves and vines: Fresh, dried, or artificial. Orange peel curled around a skewer makes pretty tendrils.

How to Make a Pumpkin Shaped Cake (Step-by-Step)

This is a recipe overview. Scroll down for complete instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

• Mix the batter: Whisk the wet ingredients together in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another, then combine them and stir just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing tightens the crumb.

• Bake two bundt cakes: Grease and flour both pans thoroughly, getting into every groove, and fill each pan no more than two-thirds full. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35 to 45 minutes.

• Cool completely: Rest the cakes in their pans for 10 to 15 minutes, gently shake each pan to loosen the cake, then invert onto wire racks. Do not assemble a warm cake.

• Make the buttercream: Beat the cream cheese, butter, and shortening smooth, then work in the powdered sugar, cornstarch, and spices. Finish with vanilla and salt.

• Fill and stack: Set one cake flat side up, spread a generous layer of buttercream, leaving a half-inch border, then set the second cake on top flat side down, lining up the ridges.

• Carve, optional: Trim away the narrow ridges between the wide sections with a small serrated knife for a more realistic pumpkin. Push the crumbs you trim off into the center hole to give the stem something to sit in.

• Crumb coat and chill: Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to trap loose crumbs so they don't mix into the final layer of buttercream. Refrigerate the cake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the frosting feels firm, then add the final coat over the chilled surface. A crumb coat traps loose cake crumbs, creating a clean, firm surface so crumbs don't get mixed into the final layer of buttercream.
• Frost with the final layer of buttercream and decorate: Apply the final coat, keeping the ridges visible, then insert the cinnamon stick stem, tuck in leaves and vines, and dust lightly with cinnamon.

Why does this recipe use 4 teaspoons of baking soda?

I know that sounds like a lot, but keep in mind you are making two full-size bundt cakes here, not one loaf. Baking soda also needs something acidic to react with, and this batter has plenty between the 3 cups of pumpkin and the 2 cups of brown sugar. That reaction is what gives you the first big lift, and the soda keeps working in the oven to push a heavy batter up into all those Bundt ridges. 

It does two other nice things too: it turns the crumb a deeper, richer orange-brown instead of pale, and it keeps the cake soft and tender. Just measure it level and whisk it into the flour really well so you do not end up with bitter spots.

Baking Tips

• Grease and flour the Bundt pans thoroughly. Make sure to coat every groove so the cakes release cleanly and keep their detailed shape.
• Use room-temperature ingredients. This helps create a smooth batter and helps the cakes bake evenly.
• Cool the cakes before inverting. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 15 minutes before inverting them onto wire racks. Shake the cakes gently in the pans to loosen them before inverting. Removing them too soon can cause them to break, while waiting too long can make them stick.

Cake Assembly & Decoration Tips

• If the cakes are slightly different sizes, place the larger one on top, or cut off a little from the bottom of the larger cake. Use the crumbs in the middle of the cake.
• For a more realistic pumpkin, carefully trim away the narrow ridges between the larger sections of the cakes with a small serrated knife before assembling and frosting.
• Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting first. Then chill the cake for 20 to 30 minutes before adding the final coat for a smooth, professional-looking finish.
• Spread a generous layer of vanilla buttercream between the two cakes. This helps hold them together and creates a beautiful slice.
• Lightly dust the white frosting with ground cinnamon. This gives the pumpkin a soft, rustic appearance and a hint of warm fall flavor.
• Use several cinnamon sticks tied together for the stem. Then tuck decorative fall leaves and curly vines around the top for a festive finishing touch.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

• Keep the cake refrigerated until about 30 minutes before serving. Let it come to room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
• Make the cake a day in advance. Wrap the cooled cake layers well and store them at room temperature or refrigerate them until you're ready to assemble and decorate.

Bundt Pan & Baking FAQ

1. Do I need two Bundt pans that match? Ideally yes, since matching ridges line up into a cleaner pumpkin. If your pans are slightly different sizes, put the larger cake on top, or trim a thin slice off its bottom so the two sit flush.
2. Can I use one bundt pan instead of two? Yes. Bake half the batter, let the pan cool, wash and re-grease it, then bake the second half. Cover the remaining batter and keep it at room temperature while the first cake bakes.
3. My two cakes came out slightly different sizes. Does that ruin it? Not at all. Put the larger cake on top so the pumpkin tapers like a real one, or slice a thin layer off the bottom of the larger cake to even them out. Save those crumbs for the center hole.

Frosting & Decorating FAQ

1. What is the best way to frost the cake? Spread a thin crumb coat of vanilla buttercream over the cake and refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes. Once chilled, apply a final coat of frosting, allowing the pumpkin ridges to remain visible for a realistic appearance.
2. What do I do if I run out of frosting? Make 1.5 times the buttercream if you want a thick, fully opaque coat. The amounts as written cover the cake nicely with the ridges showing through, which is the look I go for.
3. Can I make an orange pumpkin instead of a white one? Yes. Tint the outer coat with orange gel coloring and skip the cinnamon dusting. I like the white version with cinnamon because it looks like an heirloom pumpkin.
4. How can I give the cake a rustic fall finish? After frosting, lightly dust the cake with ground cinnamon. The cinnamon adds warm flavor while giving the white frosting a soft, natural look that resembles a freshly harvested pumpkin.
5. How do I decorate the top of the pumpkin cake? Insert several cinnamon sticks into the center opening to create the stem. Surround the stem with artificial fall leaves, grapevine tendrils, or decorative vines to give the cake a beautiful harvest-inspired look.
6. Can I use real leaves and vines to decorate the cake? Yes. Fresh vines and leaves can be used as decorations. Wash and dry them thoroughly, and if they are not food-safe, wrap the stems with floral tape or plastic wrap so they do not come into direct contact with the frosting.

Shaping, Carving & Serving FAQ

1. How can I make the cake look more like a real pumpkin? Use a small serrated knife to carefully trim away the narrow ridges between the larger sections of the cake before frosting. Carve a little at a time until you're happy with the shape, or leave the cake uncarved if you prefer.
2. Can I make this without carving the cake? Yes. The bundt ridges alone read clearly as a pumpkin once the cake is frosted. Just know that if you skip the carving, you will not have crumbs to fill the center opening. Stuff it with a crumpled clean paper towel instead so the cinnamon sticks have something to grip, and remove it before slicing.
3. How do I slice a cake this shape? Cut it like a round layer cake, in wedges from the top center down and out. A long serrated knife wiped clean between cuts gives you the neatest slices. Twelve wedges are generous, and 16 to 18 are a reasonable party size.

More Fall Dessert Recipes

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
• Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
• Carrot Cake Loaf with Pecans and Cream Cheese Frosting
• Cinnamon Pie
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake
• Apple Bundt Cake with Caramel Sauce
• Apple Cranberry Pecan Bundt Cake
• Simple Apple Cake