Pumpkin Swirl Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The pumpkin swirl cake is THE fall dessert. It brings all the comfy, warm flavors in one delicious slice: lovely, moist, and fluffy from the pumpkin puree, fabulously fudgy from the melted chocolate, and tangy with orange frosting.

Fall, Thanksgiving, and (dare I mention Christmas yet?) are about slowing down. I relax, breathe, drink a cup of tea, eat a cookie, and find my inner peace. And when I feel like it, make this pumpkin swirl cake. On repeat!

Why? Because it’s that time of year again – when recipes are meant to be peppered with warm spice and everything nice. And this easy pumpkin cake, with its swoops and swirls of dark chocolate running like a ribbon of indulgence between gloriously spiced crumbs, is just heaven in a slice.

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WHY TRY THIS PUMPKIN CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING?

Chocolate pumpkin cake is great for hosting.

Bakes like a stunning pound cake but with a lighter, fluffier crumb full of bold pumpkin flavor.

A simple pumpkin dessert recipe is delicious with the tangy cream cheese, warm spices, and earthy pumpkin.

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SWIRL CAKE?

Step 1: While the oven preheats, grease and flour your cake tin.

Step 2: Mix milk and vinegar and set it aside until it curdles into buttermilk.

Step 3: Sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

Step 4: Beat eggs with sugar, then slowly drizzle in the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Stir in the pumpkin puree.

Step 5: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Add orange zest to the batter.

Step 6: Divide the batter into two equal portions. In one portion, stir in melted chocolate and cocoa powder.

Step 7: Pour the two batters into the cake by alternating between the pumpkin and chocolate-mixed ones.

Step 8: Swirl the two batters with a knife or skewer, and your pumpkin marble cake is ready to be baked.

Step 9: Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Step 10: While waiting for the chocolate swirl cake to cool (15 to 20 minutes), make the cream cheese frosting by whisking the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Fold in the orange zest.

Final step: Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cooled cake. Top with more orange zest and walnuts, and serve!

MY PUMPKIN SWIRL CAKE RECIPE NOTES

• Swirl cakes can be made in any cake tin, square, round, or rectangular. I prefer bundt pans because they instantly make the cake prettier.
• Use your hands to butter the bundt pan liberally. I find a brush only reaches some nooks and crannies; there goes the entire cake!
• Dust the cake tin with flour after you grease it, and the pumpkin chocolate swirl cake will slide right out.
• The milk for the buttermilk has to be at room temperature. This is important for it to curdle properly.
• Don't overmix the two batters; the pumpkin swirl effect will disappear.
• Make sure the cream cheese is softened. When it’s at room temperature, the frosting comes together super-fast.
• To check if the pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing is done, insert a toothpick near the center. It should come out clean.
• Always taste the frosting and adjust for sweetness before you fold in the orange zest.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN SWIRL CAKE INGREDIENTS & SWAPS

Flour: I’ve made multiple pumpkin cakes and know that all sorts of flours suit the recipe. All-purpose, whole wheat, or even half and half of both. For a gluten-free chocolate pumpkin marble cake, switch to buckwheat flour.

Pumpkin pie spice: Homemade or store-bought; either works like a charm.

Oil: Coconut is my go-to choice. Any neutral-tasting vegetable oil will do.

Buttermilk: I used toned milk, but full-fat, regular milk is an equally fantastic option. Use either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Eggs give the chocolate swirl cake richness and a gorgeous structure to the cake crumb. But if you want a vegan recipe, flax egg (1 part flaxseed powder + 3 parts water) is possible. Switch to plant-based milk for the buttermilk and non-dairy cream for the frosting.

Pumpkin puree: If you’re not using canned puree, make it at home using any cooking or baking pumpkin you can find. I used butternut squash.

Chocolate: I would really suggest using 55% dark chocolate (the same as I did). If it’s too dark for you, 35% or even milk chocolate works. Or you can go darker.

Cocoa Powder: My home absolutely loves the intensity of dark chocolate mixed with cocoa powder. Feel free to omit it and stick to just chocolate.

Orange zest lends the pumpkin swirl cake a lovely citrus ribbon of flavor, brightening the taste, and it pairs so beautifully with cozy fall spices, so I would not skip it. You can also up the citrus flavor by adding good-quality orange oil/ extract, to the batter and frosting.

Frosting: The frosting is optional. But it is ridiculously easy to make and embellishes the cake like a dream. Pumpkin swirl cake is fantastic as-is, but the frosting elevates it to just another level.

WANT ANOTHER CAKE RECIPE FOR FALL?

Cinnamon Cheesecake 

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Coffee Banana Cake

Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

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