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Home » Recipes » Thanksgiving

Published: Nov 26, 2019 · Modified: Nov 10, 2022 by Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Buttermilk-Pumpkin Pound Cake

Jump to Recipe
The pumpkin pound cake on a wooden cake platter with fall decor around it and text overlay on top of the photo.
The pumpkin pound cake on a wooden cake platter with fall decor around it and text overlay on top of the photo.

Rich, decadent and dense, this buttermilk-pumpkin pound cake is a welcome addition to any holiday dessert table. Each delicious bite is perfectly moist and full of our favorite fall flavors and warm spices. Plus, this pound cake features simple ingredients, and it’s easy to make for even the novice baker.

The pumpkin pound cake on a wooden serving platter against a black background with a napkin in front and fall decor surrounding it.
Jump to:
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • How to Serve
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Expert Tips
  • Perfect Pairing
  • Love Pumpkin Spice?
  • 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Your go-to fall dessert: Everyone needs a tasty, reliable pound cake recipe in their back pocket. Luckily for us, this buttermilk-pumpkin pound cake is happy to oblige, especially during the fall months when we can’t get enough pumpkin spice in our lives. This cake is perfect for every fall occasion.

So many versatile serving options: We can serve it simply as cake, or we can cube it and use it in a holiday trifle. Or maybe we use this fall pound cake to make an out-of-this-world French toast or even a festive icebox cake. With so many serving ideas, you need this buttermilk-pumpkin pound cake in your holiday recipe collection.

Easily serves a crowd: We make this bundt style, which means we get a lot of cake from just one batch. When the whole family is coming over for the holidays, this pumpkin cake will keep everyone full and happy.

Bonus: Love this pumpkin pound cake? Try this carrot pound cake, banana pound cake and eggnog pound cake.

Ingredients

The cake ingredients on a wooden board with black and white labels by each item.

Now let's organize our ingredients. Here are a few notes to ensure you make the perfect fall cake.

Flour: Please note that this recipe was specifically tested with all-purpose flour.

Leavening: For this, we use a combination of baking soda and baking powder. Make sure you double check the expiration date for both. Expired leavening will not rise the cake.

Pumpkin purée: Make sure you get pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. They’re two very different products and are not interchangeable. I opt for canned pumpkin, but you're more than welcome to roast your own pumpkin purée.

Buttermilk: This gives us a nice moisture boost and a little zip to balance those warm spices. 

Butter: We use salted butter rather than unsalted butter.

Dark brown sugar: I like to use dark brown sugar over light brown sugar because of the higher molasses content for a richer flavor. That said, you can substitute light brown sugar if need be.

Spices: These warm fall spices include a mixture of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Alternatively, you could substitute 2 ½ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice for the individual ingredients if that’s what you have on hand.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Now to show you how truly simple this buttermilk-pumpkin pound cake is.

Step 1: We start by combining the dry ingredients, including our flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt in a medium bowl, and then we sift the mixture (photo 1). To sift, you can use an actual sifter, a fine-mesh sieve or even a whisk. In case you've never sifted a flour mixture, check out the video in the recipe card that shows how I like to use a fine-mesh sieve for sifting.

The dry ingredients mixed together in a large stainless steel bowl on a wooden surface.

Step 2: In a large bowl, we now cream butter, sugars and vanilla extract using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed (photo 2). Expect to spend about four to five minutes creaming the butter and sugars. Our butter and sugars are properly creamed when they're light and fluffy like so.

The sugar and butter creamed together in a large stainless steel mixing bowl with the paddle attachment.

Step 3: From here, we beat in our large eggs at medium speed one at a time (photo 3). This makes for a more stable emulsion as opposed to adding the eggs all at once, so don’t skip this process, thinking it doesn’t matter. 

The creamed sugar and butter mixture with an egg before mixing in with the paddle attachment.

Step 4: Once we incorporate our eggs, we add a scoop of our sifted flour to the wet ingredients and mix, and then we do the same with a splash of our buttermilk (photos 4 and 5). We repeat the process until we mix in all the flour and buttermilk.

The cake batter with some of the dry ingredients on top before mixing together.
The cake batter with the buttermilk poured on top before mixing.

Step 5: Now we stir in our pumpkin purée (photo 6). And just like that, the cake batter is ready.

The pumpkin purée on top of the batter in a large mixing bowl before stirring together.

Step 6: At this point, we generously grease the bundt cake pan with cooking spray, lightly flour it and pour the batter into the prepared pan (photos 7 and 8). If we don’t flour the pan, the cake may stick during the removal process. Flouring makes a world of difference.

Flour dusted all over the inside of a gold bundt pan before pouring in the batter.
The cake batter poured into the gold bundt pan on a wooden surface before baking in the oven.

Step 7: All that’s left is to bake the pumpkin pound cake in a 350-degree F oven for about 55-60 minutes until it's completely cooked in the middle. We then remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool (photo 9).

The cake in the gold bundt pan on a wooden surface after it finished baking in the oven.

How to Serve

Sure, you could serve this pumpkin pound cake sliced and unadorned or with a simple powdered sugar topping and still have one tasty dessert, but it's even better with a couple additions. First, we warm up the pound cake in the microwave along with my oh-so decadent bourbon caramel. We then top our warm, caramel-soaked moist cake with a big scoop of ice cream.

I'm especially partial to my bourbon-pumpkin ice cream or butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans. You can't go wrong with either flavor. A caramel ice cream is another delicious option.

You might also love topping this pumpkin spice bundt cake with a tangy cream cheese frosting or brown sugar glaze. Feel free to get creative here. No matter how you serve it, you have the perfect fall dessert.

Recipe FAQs

How do you remove the cake from the bundt pan?

Before attempting to remove the cake, we need to first let the cake cool for about an hour. We then use a butter knife to loosen the cooled cake from the side of the pan, place a wire rack on top and then flip the pan. As long as we properly greased and floured the pan, the cake should slide out easily.

How do you store pound cake?

Keep the cake stored at room temperature in an airtight container. A cake dome works especially well for this. This pumpkin pound cake is nice and moist and should last on the countertop for up to five days.

What if you don’t have buttermilk?

You can make your own buttermilk with just a few simple ingredients. Mix ½ tablespoon lemon juice or distilled white vinegar with ½ cup whole milk. Allow the mixture to sit for five to 10 minutes, and the buttermilk substitute is ready.

An aerial view of the pumpkin pound cake on a wooden platter with fall decor all around it on a wooden surface.

Expert Tips

Use softened butter: Make sure the butter is softened before creaming. Softened butter is crucial to getting the proper texture.

Measure properly: Don’t scoop your measuring cup into a bag of flour. That packs in too much flour and can throw off the recipe. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a butter knife.

Use room-temperature eggs: Room-temperature eggs mix better than cold eggs. 

Check doneness with a long skewer: While a toothpick works for a simple layer cake, it’s not nearly long enough to reach the center. We need a long skewer to ensure the cake is fully baked.

Double check your bundt pan’s capacity: This recipe specifically calls for a 12-cup bundt pan rather than a 10-cup bundt pan. This pumpkin pound cake recipe makes a lot of batter, so we need the room. 

Perfect Pairing

Do yourself a favor and get a barrel-aged, dessert-like pumpkin ale. You can thank me later. Whether you pick a pumpkin ale aged in bourbon barrels or rum barrels, both boozy beers are delicious with this pound cake.

For wine, a tawny port is almost always my favorite pairing with pumpkin desserts, and this recipe is no exception. I just love how those dried fruit and caramel-like flavors of the tawny port play with the pumpkin spice. As far as I'm concerned, the two are the perfect match.

This cake also makes a lovely brunch dessert. For that occasion, serve it with my pumpkin chai latte, and you're in for a real treat. Or you could go with a nice dessert cocktail if this is the end of your Thanksgiving dinner. In that case, you'll love it with my maple bourbon sour.

When you need the ultimate fall dessert, I hope you try this buttermilk-pumpkin pound cake. This easy but delicious fall bundt cake always impresses, no matter the occasion.

Cheers!

A slice of the pumpkin pound cake on a small wooden plate with the rest of the cake in the background and fall decor around it.

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If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

📖 Recipe

The buttermilk pumpkin pound cake on a wooden platter with fall decor around it.

Buttermilk-Pumpkin Pound Cake

Rich, decadent and dense, this buttermilk-pumpkin pound cake is a welcome addition to any holiday dessert table. Each delicious bite is perfectly moist and full of our favorite fall flavors and warm spices. Plus, this pound cake features simple ingredients, and it’s easy to make for even the novice baker.
5 from 186 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 390kcal
Author: Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

  • Stand or hand mixer
  • 12-cup bundt pan
  • Foil

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly grated
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
  • 7 eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk well shaken before measuring
  • 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin purée

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift into another bowl.
  • Add the dark brown sugar, white sugar, butter and vanilla extract to a separate large mixing bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the ingredients over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about four to five minutes. From time to time, scrape the butter off the side of the bowl to ensure everything is well-incorporated.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time. Once you beat in all the eggs, add about ½ cup of the flour mixture into the batter and beat until combined on low speed. Beat in a splash of the buttermilk. Repeat the process until both are fully incorporated into the batter, ending with the buttermilk. Stir in the pumpkin puree.
  • Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. The flour makes a big difference in keeping the finished cake from sticking, so don't skip this step. Pour in the batter and smooth on top.
  • Bake for 55-60 minutes. The cake is ready when a long skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for an hour or up to two hours. Run a knife along the edge of the bundt pan to loose the cake. Invert on a wire rack to finish cooling before serving.
  • Move to a cake stand when ready to serve. Store under a cake dome to create an airtight environment. If desired, serve with bourbon caramel or your favorite ice cream, such as this butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans or bourbon-pumpkin ice cream. Enjoy!

Notes

  • For baking at 5,280 feet altitude, I adjusted to 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder and ⅞ teaspoon baking soda.
  • Make sure your butter, buttermilk and eggs are at room temperature. Since we rely on physical leavening, we need to properly incorporate the ingredients, and room-temperature ingredients mix much better than cold ingredients.
  • Do not scoop a measuring cup into your flour and white sugar to measure. Instead, spoon the ingredients into your measuring cup and then level with a knife. Scooping can pack in too much of your ingredient and throw off the entire recipe.
  • When beating the sugar and butter, periodically stop the timer and scrape the butter off the side of the bowl. Turn the timer back on when you continue to whip.
  • Since this is a big cake, we want to test the doneness with a long skewer rather than a toothpick. I recommend checking in several spots to ensure it's baked all the way. Make sure you insert the skewer all the way.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 203mg | Sugar: 40g
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BurrataandBubbles or tag #burratandbubbles!

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Comments

    5 from 186 votes (168 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Elizabeth says

    November 21, 2024 at 11:54 am

    I plan to add toasted, chopped pecans to our cake. Any tips?

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      November 26, 2024 at 7:59 am

      Hi, Elizabeth! I do a carrot cake pound cake that has nuts, and I add 1 cup and just stir them in at the end before pouring into the Bundt pan. Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
  2. LornaRN says

    October 30, 2024 at 10:08 pm

    5 stars
    I made the cake for a block party and everyone loved it.
    I am Dutch and it reminds me of the Dutch Spice Cake Ontbijtkoek.
    My house smelled of amazing spice while it baked.
    I found it had a slight bit of a “corn bread” type of consistency but it was delicious. I am a very experienced baker and followed the directions perfectly.
    I will definitely make it again.
    I used Pam Baking Spray in my 1970’s Nordic Ware non-stick Bundt Pan and it slipped right out. My pan is very well used.

    Reply
  3. Mrs. Bobbie says

    October 02, 2024 at 10:46 pm

    5 stars
    Moist and delicious fun cake to make. Thanks for giving all the great tips to make my baking experience a success. My family and neighbors across the street loved it. Looking forward to making your bourbon caramel sauce to drizzle on top.

    Reply
  4. MiMi says

    October 02, 2024 at 8:31 pm

    4 stars
    AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! Love all of the flavors!!!!💕💕💕💕

    Reply
  5. Paulette rowe says

    September 10, 2024 at 1:01 pm

    How would u change spices to pumpkin spice?

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      September 10, 2024 at 3:43 pm

      So if you add up all the spices, that’s a spice total of 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon. I’d probably do that because the individual spices basically make a pumpkin spice. I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s a big cake!

      Reply
  6. Robin says

    November 20, 2023 at 6:04 am

    Amanda, I'd like to try making this recipe using small, individual 'mini' bundt pans rather than the single, large pan. Do you have any suggestions as to how I should adjust the baking time? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      November 20, 2023 at 10:07 am

      Hi, Robin! I haven’t personally made this in a mini bundt pan, so there’s that caveat. But I’m seeing most mini bundt cake recipes call for baking at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes. To prevent overbaking, I’d check the cake with a toothpick at the 15-minute mark and then see if the cakes need more time.

      Reply
  7. Southern Cook says

    October 07, 2023 at 7:05 am

    5 stars
    Beautiful and delicious! Best pumpkin pound cake. Followed directions exactly. Pay attention to the cooling time before turning out of pan (1 -2 hours) so cake doesn't stick.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 07, 2023 at 9:50 am

      Thank you so much! So great to hear you loved it so much.

      Reply
    • Rose says

      October 08, 2023 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      The cake was delicious and my family liked it so much. I made a cream cheese caramel frosting, with the homemade caramel glaze drizzle done the side. It was a gourmet cake for sure. It would have cost a fortune if I had bought it for my family gathering. Thank you

      Reply
      • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

        October 09, 2023 at 10:44 am

        Thank you so much, Rose! The caramel frosting sounds wonderful. Very happy to hear it was a hit.

  8. Sheena says

    October 03, 2023 at 9:05 am

    5 stars
    I tried this pumpkin pound cake over the weekend and it was an absolute hit! It turned out perfectly moist, which is what I love about it the most. I'll definitely be making this again for the upcoming holiday season.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      October 03, 2023 at 9:22 am

      Oh, that's so great! Thanks, Sheena!

      Reply
  9. Edward Ritchie says

    November 25, 2022 at 6:11 am

    5 stars
    Very Good

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      November 25, 2022 at 7:59 am

      Thank you! Hope it was a great Thanksgiving!

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Amanda, a Denver-based lady who believes life is best spent with comforting meals, tasty beverages and good company. When I'm not playing in the kitchen, I'm probably exploring new breweries with my husband, Matt, or obsessing over my adorable dog, Baylor.

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