Pumpkin Cake That Looks Like a Real Pumpkin

Pumpkin spice cake with white frosting, topped with cinnamon sticks and green leaves, sits on a black plate. A large slice has been cut, revealing the moist interior.

Pumpkin Cake That Looks Like a Real Pumpkin

This pumpkin shaped cake is two moist pumpkin bundt cakes stacked into one giant pumpkin, filled and frosted with spiced cream cheese buttercream, dusted with cinnamon, and finished with a cinnamon stick stem. Make it for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any fall party!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Pumpkin Shaped Cake

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 35

Cool time & Decorating time 2 30

Total Time 3 45

Servings slices

Calories 725kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake

3 cups pumpkin puree canned (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
2 cups light brown sugar packed, light or dark brown
1 cup granulated sugar
6 large eggs at room temperature
¾ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Spiced Cream Cheese Buttercream

8 ounces cream cheese chilled
¾ cup unsalted butter softened
⅓ cup vegetable shortening
5 cups powdered sugar (use 5 or 6 cups)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
food coloring orange gel, optional

Decorating

6 large cinnamon sticks or pretzel rods
Ground cinnamon for dusting
fall leaves artificial
Orange peel strips or artificial decorative vines, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and flour 2 Bundt cake pans, coating every groove so the cakes release cleanly.
Wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Dry ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes. Shake each pan gently to loosen the cake, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely.
Make the buttercream. Beat the butter, cream cheese, and shortening together until smooth and creamy.
Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Tint with orange gel coloring if desired.
Fill and stack the cakes. Place one cooled cake on a serving platter with the flat side facing up. Spread a generous layer of buttercream over the flat surface, leaving about ½ inch bare around the edge so the filling does not squeeze out.
Place the second cake on top, flat side down, lining up the ridges of both cakes to form one large pumpkin.
Optional shaping. Using a small serrated knife, trim away the narrow ridges between the larger sections for a more realistic pumpkin shape. Crumble the trimmings and pack them into the center opening to hold the stem. If you skip the trimming, fill the opening with a crumpled paper towel instead and remove it before slicing.
Frost the cake. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin crumb coat over the entire cake and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. Apply the remaining buttercream in a smooth final coat, keeping the ridges visible so the cake holds its pumpkin shape.
Decorate. Tie 3 to 5 cinnamon sticks together with kitchen twine and insert the bundle into the center opening to form the stem. Tuck artificial leaves around the base of the stem.
For curly vines, wrap thin strips of orange peel around a wooden skewer and let dry for 20 to 30 minutes, then slide them off and tuck them around the stem.
Lightly sprinkle ground cinnamon over the frosting for a warm, rustic finish. Keep the dusting light so the white frosting still shows through.

Notes

Pumpkin puree: 3 cups is about two 15-ounce cans. Use pure pumpkin puree, never pumpkin pie filling.
For a thicker frosting coat: Make 1.5 times the buttercream if you want a fully opaque, heavily frosted pumpkin. The amounts as written give a smooth coat with the ridges showing through just like you see in the photos!
Room temperature ingredients make a smoother batter and help the cakes bake evenly.
Grease every groove: Bundt pans have a lot of surface area, and every ridge is a place the cake can stick. I coat the pan with softened butter or shortening using a pastry brush, then flour it. Baking spray with flour (like Baker's Joy brand) also works well.
Uneven cakes: If one cake is larger, place it on top, or trim a thin slice off its bottom so the two sit flush. Use the trimmings to fill the center opening.

Storage & Make Ahead Tips

Storage: Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Freezing: Unfrosted cake layers freeze well for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly, thaw at room temperature, then fill and frost.
Make ahead: Bake the cakes a day in advance. Wrap the cooled cakes well and store at room temperature or refrigerate until you are ready to assemble.

Equipment

2 Bundt cake pans (10 or 12 cup)
Electric mixer
Wire cooling racks
Offset spatula
Long serrated knife
Cake turntable, optional
Small paring or serrated knife, optional

Nutrition