This gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake is on the indulgent side for sure. My girlfriend Veronica invited me to have tea with her and another friend Lisa last week. I’d been thinking about converting a gluten-full recipe for a Spice Cake that a friend—another Lisa—had made for us to enjoy during the holidays years earlier, so I did.
I had just made another version of my original Pumpkin Butter using pears, apples, and one third of the honey (recipe here), so I decided to include some of that pumpkin butter to create not only a gluten-free version, but a pumpkin version—in a Bundt pan—Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake.
I subbed my Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix, added xanthan gum, and omitted the spices as my pumpkin butter already contained spices. I chose to use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, but either works well in this recipe.
The resulting cake was a delicious, very moist cake with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor and spices. It went well with our hot tea and thoroughly pleased us all! I served the remaining half to my gluten-free support group that evening and they also wholeheartedly approved.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake from Gluten Free Easily
Veronica, Lisa, and I had a really lovely time. Many thanks to Veronica for all her beautiful “props” … her kitchen, tea set, cake plate, cake server, and lovely dining room. I hope you all will enjoy this wonderful cake as much as we did!
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Goodness Plus Some Helpful Info
~ HONOR Your Body: How to Recover after Being “Glutened”
~ Over 50 Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipes
~ Pumpkin Pie Smoothie with Honey Cinnamon Whipped Cream
~ Pumpkin Streusel Cream Cheese Muffins
~ Teaching Children to Support Others with Food Intolerances/Allergies
~ Velvety Pumpkin Spice Latte + More Kid-Friendly Hot Beverages
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake Recipe
Going Fast
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Pumpkin butter turns this gluten-free Bundt cake into something very special. A slice will be just right to go with your cup of tea or coffee ... or a glass of milk! (Note that one reader uses canned pumpkin and adds pumpkin pie spice instead of pumpkin butter.)
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour mix (I use my Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 2 ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar or coconut palm sugar (I used the latter; hence, the darker color of this cake)
- ¾ cup pumpkin butter (pr canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree PLUS pumpkin pie spice--see notes for further details)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil (I used extra virgin olive oil, but coconut oil would be great)
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (dairy or non dairy; I added 1 tsp apple cider vinegar to 1 cup measure; filled with full-fat coconut milk and let sit 5 minutes)
- 3 large eggs
Penuche Frosting Ingredients (Optional)
- ½ cups brown sugar (or coconut palm sugar)
- 3/8 cup milk (“eyeball” it; dairy or non-dairy)
- 3/8 cup butter (dairy or non-dairy) or shortening
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease Bundt pan (or two loaf pans). Flour if you like as well. (Flour with rice flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour. )
- Sift together gluten-free all-purpose flour mix, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum.
- Add brown sugar, pumpkin butter, oil, and buttermilk (or sour milk).
- Beat for about 2 minutes by hand or using a mixer.
- Add eggs and beat until well mixed.
- Pour into greased (and floured) Bundt pan. (Two loaf pans will also work.) Use gluten-free all-purpose flour mix or plain rice flour to flour your greased pan.
- Bake for about 40 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick.
- Cool cake for 10 minutes or so (I place mine on the neck of a full wine bottle for cooling) before inverting on a plate.
- Once cake has completely cooled, frost with Penuche frosting, if desired. (Alll ingredients are shown above under the Penuche Frosting heading.) Add butter to medium-sized saucepan. Melt over medium low heat. Add brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat and beat until lukewarm. (A wooden spoon works fine for this task.) Add ¾ tsp vanilla extract and beat until thick.
Notes
Don't have a Bundt cake pan? One gfe reader, Sharon, reported that she used a 9 x 13 baking pan and the baking time was about 35 minutes.
I use my Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix in this recipe but you can use your favorite gluten-free flour mix. If the mix you use already includes xanthan gum, please omit the xanthan gum in this recipe.
One reader uses canned pumpkin and adds pumpkin pie spice instead of pumpkin butter. I recommend adding one to teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (or more or less to taste).
Adapted from a recipe from my friend Lisa Anderson
Originally published November 5, 2013; updated September 7, 2024.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
Now that I have more and more friends who are gluten-free, it’s great to have a few basic desserts I can make for them. This one’s a keeper!
Shirley says
Thanks, Lydia! Coming from you, I consider that quite a compliment! 🙂
Shirley
Molly (Sprue Story) says
We made an accidentally bundt spice cake this weekend after underbaking a cake and needing to cut the middle out of it once we realized…oops! (I posted a photo on my blog; it’s nowhere near as pretty as yours—understandably—though it was still good enough that I was sneaking bites at breakfast time the next day.) I’m in LOVE with the idea of penuche frosting, omigosh.
Shirley says
Molly–I’ve made accidental cakes before! Will look yours up for sure. Most cakes are definitely salvageable and often teach us something for the next round of baking. 😉 The penuche frosting is pretty phenomenal. Don’t get stuck home alone with it. Hehe!
Shirley
Ina gawne says
Shirley – I love this pumpkin cake recipe – so good! Love the frosting too…anything with pumpkin will always be a favorite for me…Yummm!
Shirley says
Thanks, Ina! You and I are definitely of the same “mind” when it comes to pumpkin! 🙂
Shirley
Megan @ Allergy Free Alaska says
Shirley,
This looks amazing, and incredibly moist and delicious! That frosting sounds killer!! I’m slightly jealous if your support group. LOL! 😉
xoxo,
Megan
Shirley says
Thanks so much, Megan! Yes, that frosting is KILLER! The cake doesn’t need it, but it definitely takes it the “next level.” 😉 Wish you could be with us for our meetings; you would love them and we’d love you being with us. 🙂 When you book gets published, you can make us part of your book tour. Seriously. You can speak to our group and the GIG group nearby!
xoxo,
Shirley
Susan says
Hi,
I can’t have honey. How can I adapt this recipe to make it so I can eat it?
Thanks.
Susan
Shirley says
Susan–The pumpkin butter recipe includes several other options besides honey; just choose one of those and you’ll be good to go. 🙂
Shirley
Susan says
Thanks.
I just saw the “honey” word and went “Rats!”
Susan
Shirley says
No worries. I always take “quick looks” at recipes, too. I’m glad you can still make the pumpkin butter and, therefore, this cake. 🙂
Maggie says
I want to come for tea! This cake looks amazing. I’ve never made a bundt but now you’ve inspired me 🙂 I’m not sure the frosting would make it to the cake in my house…
Shirley says
Maggie–I’d love for you to meet my friends and join us for tea. 🙂 And thanks, dear! I think you and I are of like mind on the frosting. Maybe that’s why I didn’t make it. 😉
Shirley
Vicky says
This looks so lovely Shirley, there’s something special about a cake made in a bundt tin, it always adds that extra something and you can cut it so easily!
I made a marmalade cake recently where I just swapped out the flour and it worked beautifully especially as it had no eggs in it. My husband was so pleased (he can’t have eggs). I’m considering making it grain free and SCD legal which will mean pulling the recipe apart and starting again..a project for later I think!
I think that cornstarch added to a flour mix works very well in cakes and breads and it is a very popular regular flour alternative over here (though I haven’t used it). Everything I’ve seen made with cornstarch seems to come out so light. We have to be careful though because some of what we can buy actually isn’t GF! I too tend to avoid sorghum because we can not guarantee it to be GF and it’s a millet therefore not good for the thyroid. A lot of our buckwheat flour isn’t guaranteed GF either.
Thank you for this lovely recipe 🙂
Shirley says
Hi Vicky–I have to agree on Bundt cakes being special. They seem so festive and are so often associated with holidays and special events. 🙂 I hadn’t thought about the ease of cutting, but you’re right on that, too.
Congrats on your marmalade cake success to date. I bet you’ll be able to make a grain-free SCD legal version without too much work. You have a knack!
Although I don’t make much that’s not grain free these days, I still like that simple gf flour mix. Argo cornstarch is safe here, but I can’t guarantee all cornstarches are. I agree with you that the other grains are risky, too. It’s been proven and I think they all need to be certified gluten free (like oats are). but it hasn’t happened yet. 🙁
Shirley
Alisa says
I can’t believe how perfect the texture looks on that cake Shirley! With so much good stuff in there, I would think it would be quite moist, but it looks so sliceable and tender.
Shirley says
Hey Alisa–Thanks, dear! The funny thing is that what you saw of the cake fresh out of the oven—the bottom—looked way too moist, but it was actually perfect. 🙂
Shirley
Jill R says
Shirley, I’ve decided to avoid soy and eggs for a time and I’ve been craving spice cake. Do you think I can do this with ground flax or should I invest in the egg substitute? Thanks! 🙂
Shirley says
Hi Jill–I *think* flax eggs would work, but I’m not completely sure. The original recipe called for 2 to 3 eggs, but I think you could try 2 or 2 1/2 flax gel eggs. Hope it works! 🙂
Shirley
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says
Oh Shirley, this looks so good! Can you believe that I haven’t made a bundt cake in 9 years? Since going gluten free? Back in the gluteny days I pretty much only made tollhouse cookies and brownies for dessert though! My how times have changed! This looks so good. I’m thinking I might need to bring it to our hostess for Thanksgiving. 🙂
Shirley says
Thanks, Heather. 🙂 Times do change, don’t they? I haven’t made Bundt Cakes too much since going gluten free, but I’ glad I made this one. 😉 Hope it’s well received if you decide to give it a go!
Shirley
Jeanette says
What a beautiful Fall bundt cake Shirley, with all the warm flavors I love. Great “magical” photo of your cake!
Shirley says
Thanks, Jeanette! Glad to know that these flavors speak to you, too. 🙂
Shirley
Jill R says
Hey Shirley, I just got an email from my Bulletproof website with info on a gluten summit. Thought you might be interested. Please pass it on. Free! http://www.theglutensummit.com Jill 🙂
Shirley says
Hey Jill–Yes, I know about The Gluten Summit. Tom O’Bryan, the founder, is an acquaintance of mine and he emailed me. I’ve shared on my gfe FB page and will share again there this weekend. Hope you get a lot out of it! Thanks for thinking of me! 🙂
Shirley
Angela says
I just made this one, and it is everything you say it is, and then some! It was pretty much gone within 15 minutes! I didn’t frost it simply because there was no time to frost it, it was all gone before it even cooled off. And that’s the truth!
It was sooo good! Comfort food at its best. Thanks for this outstanding recipe – it’s delicious and I will make this one again and again!
Shirley says
Angela–As I said on Facebook, your comment made my day! And I so agree on no time to frost. One would almost have to hide the cake to ensure that there was time to frost before it started disappearing! I’m so, so glad you enjoyed it and it will make a regular appearance at your house. 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review here and on FB, dear!
Shirley
Linda says
Can I used just pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin butter and if so, how much???
Shirley says
Hi Linda–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 You can *try* subbing pumpkin puree, but I haven’t done that yet so I don’t know if it will work. I do know it won’t be as flavorful and that you’ll have to add pumpkin pie spice (or individual spices that make up pumpkin pie spice like I used in my pumpkin butter) because the pumpkin butter already has the richer, deeper flavor with the spices in it. You can try subbing the same amount of pumpkin puree, but I don’t think much pumpkin flavor will come through. If you give it a try, let us know how it works out though. 😉
Shirley
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma) says
DROOLING! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂
Hope your week is great!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Shirley says
Hi Cindy–LOL, but you should be; it’s good! 😉 Always my pleasure to link up to Gluten-Free Fridays! 🙂 Thanks so much for all the sharing. Have a good weekend yourself!
Shirley
Kate {Eat, Recycle, Repeat} says
I like a little indulgence with my tea too 🙂
Shirley says
Kate–Is there anyone who doesn’t? 😉
Shirley
Meredith says
If you GF flour already has the xanthan gum, do you need to add it?
Shirley says
Hi Meredith–Welcome to gfe! 🙂 No, you don’t have to add additional xanthan gum if your flour mix already contains it. Enjoy!
Shirley
Meredith says
thank you so much, this cake will great tomorrow with my cup of coffee!! Enjoy your Friday and the weekend.
Shirley says
You’re welcome, Meredith! Hope you love it. 🙂 Thanks for all the good wishes! Wishing you the same!
Shirley
Vivian says
Will be trying this with the jar of Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter that I have in the pantry!
Shirley says
Hi Viv–It’s always good to see you here at gfe! 🙂 I hope you enjoy this cake as much as you enjoyed my pound cake the other day. 😉 Thanks so much for your lovely words on that post and all the support in general! Hope you holidays have been wonderful. Have a great 2014!
Shirley
Sharon says
I just made this and it was so good! I used your pumpkin butter (I had made a triple batch for Christmas gifts…also a huge hit!). I don’t have a bundt pan so I made it in a 9 x13″ pan and cooked it about 35 minutes. I also used Jules gf flour. The frosting was great but it was good plain as well. So good. Thank you!
Shirley says
Yay, Sharon! Now that’s the kind of stuff I’m talking about! 😉 So glad your pumpkin butter AND this cake was such a success. I also really appreciate you letting others know that you used a different pan and what the baking time turned out to be. A 9 x 13 pan is really great for taking cakes to functions. 🙂 I agree with you on the frosting factor, too. It’s great frosting, but the cake really doesn’t need it.
Happy New Year, dear!
Shirley
Vivian says
you did it again! I made the pumpkin spice bundt cake with the icing last night….divine!!!!! It’s a keeper! thank you!
Shirley says
Hi Vivian–I’m so glad you had such success with this recipe. I need to make it again myself … this time with the icing. 😉 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this lovely review, dear! 🙂
Shirley
Jill says
I made this last week for a friend’s birthday and we all LOVED it. Next time I’ll make more of the Penuche topping though 😉
Shirley says
Hi Jill–That’s fantastic news! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your group’s wonderful review with us all! And, oh yes, that Penuche topping is something, isn’t it? The cake is really great without it as well, but once you taste the penuche frosting, you want more … lots more. 😉
Shirley
April J Harris says
Love Pumpkin Spike Cake, Shirley and your recipe looks delicious! Scheduled to share on our Hearth and Soul Facebook page later today. Thank you for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party – hope to ‘see’ you again this week!
Shirley Braden says
Thank you, April! This is one of my very favorite cakes for sure. 🙂
Shirley
Sharon says
He’s Shirley! Just wanted to add here that I made this with energy egg replacer (2 eggs worth) and coconut oil and it came out great! Thanks!!
Shirley Braden says
Yay!! I love hearing this news! This is one of my favorite recipes. So great with tea! I’m curious though, Sharon. The recipe calls for 3 large eggs but you say you used the equivalent of 2 eggs with the Ener-G egg replacer. Is that what they recommend? Or have you learned by trial and error to make this 2-for-3 substitution, so to speak?
Shirley
Sharon says
Shirley, I had read all the comments and somewhere in them you said the original recipe called for 2-3 eggs or something like that so I just went with the 2. Maybe just luck but it turned out great!