Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes (Easy Fall Dessert Recipe)

If you love pumpkin season but don’t love worrying about whether a big Bundt cake will bake through, these pumpkin mini Bundt cakes are about to be your new favorite fall dessert.

They’re soft, moist, and full of cozy pumpkin spice flavor, and because they’re baked in mini Bundt pans, they cook evenly and release beautifully every time. No sinking centers. No sticking. No stress.

I make these pumpkin mini Bundt cakes every fall for parties, bake sales, and holiday gatherings because they always work and still look extra special. I’ll walk you through everything step by step, from mixing the batter to frosting and decorating, so you can make bakery-style mini pumpkin cakes that feel totally doable at home.

If you want a dessert that looks impressive but bakes up reliably, you’re in the right kitchen.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes

• They bake evenly and come out perfectly every time, so you get all the charm of a Bundt cake without worrying about a raw center or overbaked edges.
• Soft, moist, and full of cozy pumpkin spice flavor, thanks to real pumpkin purée that keeps the crumb tender without feeling heavy or dense.
• Individually sized and downright adorable, which makes them easy to serve, easy to share, and perfect for parties, bake sales, and fall gatherings.
• They look bakery-special but feel totally doable at home, even if you don’t bake often or usually feel nervous about Bundt cakes.
• Flexible and forgiving, whether you keep them simple, drizzle on a glaze, or decorate them into cute little pumpkin cakes.

This recipe has been tested multiple times to ensure the mini Bundt cakes bake up soft, moist, and evenly every time.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes

• 15 oz pumpkin purée (425 g)
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1¾ cups brown sugar (350 g)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened (226 g)
• ½ cup butter, softened (113 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar (480 g)

Decorating (Optional)

• Cinnamon sticks (for stems)
• Green food coloring

Substitutions

• Vegetable oil: Swap with melted butter for richer flavor, or replace ½ cup oil with unsweetened applesauce for a lighter option (do not replace all the oil).
• Brown sugar: Substitute with half brown sugar and half granulated sugar if needed. Dark brown sugar gives deeper flavor; light brown sugar keeps it milder.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Replace with 1 teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon ginger + ¼ teaspoon nutmeg + a pinch of cloves or allspice.
• Cream cheese frosting: Swap with a simple vanilla glaze, maple glaze, or powdered sugar dusting for a quicker, less sweet finish.
• Dairy-free option: Use plant-based cream cheese and butter substitutes made for baking.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Mini Bundt pans – Standard mini Bundt pans with cavities that hold about ½ cup of batter each work best for even baking.
• Mixing bowls – One large bowl for the batter and one medium bowl for the frosting.
• Hand mixer or stand mixer – Makes mixing the batter and frosting quick and smooth.
• Measuring cups and spoons – For accurate ingredient measurements.
• Rubber spatula – Helpful for scraping the bowl and folding ingredients evenly.
• Cooling rack – Allows the mini Bundt cakes to cool completely before frosting or decorating.
• Piping bag (optional) – Useful for decorating leaves or adding frosting neatly, but not required.

How to Make Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes (Step-by-Step)

1. Set your oven to 350°F. Spray two mini Bundt pans thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray, making sure all the grooves are coated so the cakes release easily.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin purée, eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.

3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt to the bowl. Mix just until everything is incorporated and the batter looks uniform.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared mini Bundt pans. Place them in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the centers are set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans. Once cooled, gently remove them and trim the bottoms if needed so they sit flat.

6. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until creamy and smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar until the frosting is light and spreadable.

7. Scoop out about 1 cup of frosting and set it aside for decorating. Spread the remaining frosting onto the flat side of half of the mini Bundt cakes, then place the remaining cakes on top to form pumpkin-shaped sandwiches.

8. Tint the reserved frosting with green food coloring and transfer it to a piping bag. Snip the tip and pipe small leaves and vines onto the tops of each cake.

9. Finish each mini pumpkin cake by pressing a cinnamon stick into the center to create the stem.

Troubleshooting

If something doesn’t turn out quite right, don’t worry — here’s how to fix the most common issues.

• Cakes stuck in the pan: This usually happens if the cakes are turned out too warm or the pan wasn’t fully greased. Let cakes cool completely and use a baking spray with flour, making sure all grooves are coated.
• Cakes came out uneven or lopsided: Batter may not have been evenly divided. Fill each cavity about ⅔ full and tap the pan gently on the counter before baking to release air bubbles.
• Cakes are dense or gummy: Over mixing the batter or using watery pumpkin purée can cause this. Mix just until combined and use thick, well-drained pumpkin purée.
• Cakes are dry: Ove rbaking is the most common cause. Start checking for doneness at 20 minutes and remove the cakes when a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
• Cakes sank after baking: This can happen if the cakes were underbaked or removed from the oven too soon. Make sure the centers spring back lightly and are fully set before removing.
• Edges browned too quickly: Dark-colored pans can cause faster browning. If this happens, check the cakes early and tent loosely with foil if needed.

Variations

• Chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) can be folded into the batter for a little crunch or sprinkled on top for texture.
• Chocolate chips are an easy swap if you want a slightly sweeter, kid-friendly version.
• For an adult twist, you can add a small splash of a pumpkin-friendly liqueur to the frosting or glaze.
• Maple glaze: Mix powdered sugar with maple syrup and a little milk for cozy fall flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
• Powdered sugar dusting: The easiest option — lightly dust just before serving for a bakery-style look.
• No frosting at all: Serve the mini Bundt cakes plain with coffee or tea — they’re moist enough to shine on their own.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing Instructions

• Make-ahead option: The mini bundt cakes can be baked 1–2 days in advance. Store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature, then fill and decorate closer to serving for the freshest look.
• Short-term storage: Once assembled and frosted, store the cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
• Freezing unfrosted cakes: Fully cooled, unfrosted mini bundt cakes freeze very well. Wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Freezing frosted cakes: For best results, freeze the cakes before decorating. Cream cheese frosting can soften when thawed, so it’s better to add decorative details after freezing whenever possible.
• Thawing instructions: Thaw frozen cakes overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about an hour. Once thawed, fill, frost, and decorate as desired.
• Decorating ahead of time: Cinnamon sticks and piped frosting decorations are best added the day of serving to keep everything looking neat and fresh.

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If you try these pumpkin mini bundt cakes, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you. Leave a comment below and let me know if you added anything fun—those little tips always help other readers too.