This dessert combines the taste of pumpkin cheesecake with the texture of a moist and delicious cake. My new bundt pan gives an elegant touch that will have your friends saying WOW! This is my Pumpkin Cheesecake Bundt Cake With A Cream Cheese Maple Drizzle.

Today I’m using a box cake mix. There are a variety of perfect ones available today, and with a few special ingredients, you can make it your own. The French vanilla brand is my “go-to” and base flavor for all my cakes. I can take this cake mix in any direction I want.

Prep Time: 35 to 40 minutes (prep time includes prepping the cake batters)
Inactive Prep Time: 3 hours
Bake Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Yields: 12 slices
Equipment: Bundt pan, rimmed sheet pan, 2 large mixing bowls, rubber spatula, whisk, cake tester

Ingredients for the Cake Batter:
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of butter, unsalted and at room temperature
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (16.5-ounce) boxes of Duncan Hines French Vanilla cake mix, divided
2 pinches of kosher salt, divided
6 large eggs, room temperature and divided
2 cups water, divided
2/3 cup vegetable oil, divided
1 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature and divided
1cup pumpkin purée, divided
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract, divided
2 tablespoons cream cheese emulsion, divided
2 tablespoons of my homemade pumpkin spice blend, divided (substitute store-bought brand)

Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Maple Drizzle
1 (8-ounce) bar cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup real maple syrup (amount may vary slightly)

Ingredients for the Pumpkin Spice Blend:
1/3 cup ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

Instructions for the Pumpkin Spice Blend:
In a small mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix to combine. Transfer to an airtight container. Store in a dry, cool place.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prep the bundt pan with butter and flour. Shake off any excess flour, and set aside.

Instructions for the Wet Ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together pure pumpkin purée, ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, and cream cheese emulsion (available at any baking store). In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and vegetable oil. Combine the egg mixture with the pumpkin ricotta mixture.  Using a spatula, mix the wet ingredients until combined.  Below is what the wet ingredients will look like once both mixtures have been combined.

Instructions for the Dry Ingredients:
Add the dry cake mix, a pinch of kosher salt, and pumpkin spice blend in a large mixing bowl, and whisk together. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time into the wet ingredients, giving the dry ingredients time to incorporate. Do this until all the dry has been incorporated into the wet. Do not overmix.

For the second box cake mix, DO NOT add the pumpkin pureé or the pumpkin spice blend until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. At this point, reserve 1/3 of the cake batter and set aside. Next, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice blend to the remaining cake batter, and stir until just combined. Again, DO NOT overmix.

This bundt cake will have a cheesecake flavor running through the center.

Don’t fill the pan to the top, allowing the batter to rise.

Fill the bottom 1/3 of the prepared bundt pan with the pumpkin batter. Next, pour the reserved cheesecake-flavored batter (the batter without the pumpkin flavoring) evenly around and over the top of the pumpkin batter. Finally, pour the remaining pumpkin batter evenly around, filling the bundt pan 2 inches from the top. Place the bundt pan on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

The baking time is 30-35 minutes according to the box instructions. Baking times will vary depending on the amount of batter (you may end up with extra cake batter) used to fill the bundt pan. Keep checking the cake regularly after the box says it’s done. Use a cake tester or a long wooden skewer. When the cake tester comes out clean, it’s done. This may take an extra 10-12 minutes. Total bake time may reach 45-50 minutes.

Carefully remove the cake from the oven. Place a large round plate over the top and invert the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely in this position for at least 3 hours. This will make it release more easily from the Bundt pan. Next, the cream cheese maple drizzle.

Instructions for the Cream Cheese Maple Drizzle:
In a mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir together until combined. Slowly drizzle real maple syrup into the cream cheese mixture until it reaches a glaze consistency (a little more than 1/4 cup if needed). The glaze should fall off the spoon easily when you tilt it.

After the cake has completely cooled, carefully lift the bundt pan. Using a spoon, drizzle as little or as much maple glaze as you like, letting it drip down the sides of the cake.

There you have it, my Pumpkin Cheesecake Bundt Cake with a Cream Cheese Maple Drizzle.

Note:
1) Mix each box of cake mix separately before combining the batter.

2) Keep checking the cake regularly after the box says it should be done. Use a cake tester or a long wooden skewer. When the cake tester comes out clean, it’s done.

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.