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Home » Fall Favorites » Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Published: Sep 10, 2019 · Modified: Sep 22, 2021 by Allison · 9 Comments

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This self-saucing Pumpkin Pudding Cake is a tasty fall dessert. A light and moist pumpkin spice cake that magically bakes up with a brown sugar caramel sauce right underneath it.

Pumpkin cake on a white plate topped with caramel and vanilla ice cream.

If you’re not quite ready for pumpkin recipes, look the other way. Or better yet, bookmark this recipe for when the weather cools down and you need a warm and cozy dessert, because you do not want to miss this one!

This recipe is two treats in one: cake on the top, pudding-like sauce on the bottom. You will be blown away by the concept of this recipe. It’s super simple and produces a unique and delicious dessert.

Jump to:
  • Pumpkin Pudding Cake
  • How to Serve Pumpkin Pudding Cake
  • More pumpkin recipes
  • Recipe
Pumpkin cake on a white plate topped with caramel and vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

This cake is flavored with pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin flavor is subtle, with the flavor profile falling closer to a spice cake than a pumpkin cake. The cake itself is fluffy and moist, but it’s what is underneath this cake that makes this recipe unique. As the cake bakes, a sauce forms underneath. The sauce has a consistency close to caramel sauce with the flavors of brown sugar and cinnamon. Wondering how and why this sauce forms? Here’s the technique for this recipe:

  1. Prepare the cake batter (an easy one-bowl recipe, no mixer required).
  2. Spread the cake batter into a 9-inch square pan.
  3. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the batter.
  4. Pour boiling water over the top of the sugar-topped cake batter (don’t stir).
  5. Transfer to the oven and bake.

While baking, the cake rises up to the top and bakes up light and fluffy. Underneath the cake a thick, sweet sauce forms from the brown sugar, cinnamon and hot water.

How to make a pumpkin pudding cake, ingredients in a bowl.

How to Serve Pumpkin Pudding Cake

This cake should be served warm, ideally the day it is made. When it is warm the cake is moist and fluffy and the sauce is thick and gooey. I allow it to cool slightly after baking and then serve it. Leftovers can be refrigerated and are best consumed within 1 day, reheating individual portions in the microwave as needed.

Pumpkin cake on a white plate topped with caramel

I highly recommend serving this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. The cool topping contrasts with with the warm cake and takes this over the top!

Tip: If you’d like a bit of crunch, you can serve this cake with chopped pecans, walnuts or toffee bits.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE or STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING. 

Pumpkin pudding cake with caramel sauce underneath.

More pumpkin recipes

  • PUMPKIN MUFFINS 
  • PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE
  • CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN PIE 
  • PUMPKIN COFFEE CREAMER 
  • PUMPKIN BLONDIES 
  • PUMPKIN PIE BARS
  • PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

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Recipe

Pumpkin cake on a white plate topped with caramel and vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

This self-saucing Pumpkin Pudding Cake is a tasty fall dessert. A light and moist pumpkin spice cake that magically bakes up with a brown sugar caramel sauce right underneath it.

5 from 3 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 9
Calories: 239kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

  • 1-¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1-¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans, optional

Topping:

  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1-½ cups boiling water
  • Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 square baking pan. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, pie spice, and salt. Add milk, pumpkin, butter, and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Fold in pecans, if using.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. For the topping, sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the batter. Pour boiling water on the top (do not stir).
  • Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean, and there should be a wet, pudding-like layer under the cake. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

This cake is best served warm, the day it is made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and are best consumed within 1 day, reheating individual portions in the microwave as needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 2310IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

This recipe was adapted from the Taste of Home Pumpkin Cookbook.

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Comments

  1. Beth

    September 10, 2019 at 10:39 am

    5 stars
    Oh!! This recipe stole my heart right away!! It’s never too early to enjoy a recipe like this one! I love that it comes together in 10 minutes – perfect for the busy holidays!

    Reply
  2. Suzy

    September 10, 2019 at 10:41 am

    Oh my goodness! This pumpkin pudding cake is exactly what I’ve been looking for! Love it.

    Reply
  3. sheenam @ thetwincookingproject

    September 12, 2019 at 4:53 am

    Just in time for pumpkin season!! This looks perfect

    Reply
    • January Harper

      November 20, 2021 at 9:17 am

      Can this be made in a bunt Pan and still work?

      Reply
      • Allison

        November 21, 2021 at 9:28 am

        No, I don’t think so. If you try it let me know how it goes.

  4. Cody

    July 18, 2022 at 1:30 am

    …Baking soda? Not baking powder?

    Reply
    • Allison

      July 26, 2022 at 10:32 am

      Correct.

      Reply
  5. Lori Callegari

    October 19, 2022 at 12:20 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this for the 2nd time in 2 weeks!! This is wonderful! The 1st time I made it in the slow cooker and the 2nd time I made it in the oven 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Both worked out perfectly. The slow cooker was great because I had to make the airport run and I wanted this to be ready and hot when we returned.

    Reply
    • Allison

      October 26, 2022 at 9:32 am

      Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experience. 🙂

      Reply

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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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