This fabulous pumpkin bundt cake combines pumpkin purée, fall spices and melted chocolate to make a scrumptious Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake worthy of special occasions.

If you're looking for a seasonal cake to wow your guests with at your next fall dinner party without having to spend hours on dessert, this Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake is it!
The layer of melted chocolate and crumbly pumpkin spice and brown sugar mixture in this pumpkin cake is sure to make this an unforgettable dessert.
This super moist, dense and tender pumpkin cake is spiced with just the right amount and combination of warm spices. The aroma coming out of your oven while this bundt cake bakes will make your mouth water with anticipation of your first bite.

How to make it
Making this pumpkin bundt cake from scratch requires a few steps but is easy and you won't need a mixer for this recipe. Adding the chocolate swirl is optional ( I'll go over some options below) but it really adds a special touch to this cake and makes it worthy of special occasions.
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed. You will find the amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredients Overview:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and salt
- Pure pumpkin purée
- Canola, vegetable oil or other light tasting oil
- Brown and granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg
- Large eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips, semisweet
Steps Overview:
- First, make sure to grease and flour your bundt pan so that your cake releases easily. Then measure and mix your dry ingredients. You'll need a small bowl for the spice mixture and a larger one for the flour mixture.
- Once you've mixed your spices, you'll measure out one teaspoon and add it to the flour bowl. Then add 1/4 cup of brown sugar to your spice bowl, mix it and set it aside. This spice mixture will give your cake a burst of flavour and a nice crumbly topping.
- In another bowl, mix your wet ingredients together. Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave oven making sure to do it in short 20 to 25-second increments and stirring in between so you don't burn the chocolate.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix well and pour approximately half of your batter into your bundt pan. Spread all of the melted chocolate over the batter and sprinkle half of the spice mix onto the chocolate.
- Pour the remaining batter in the pan and top it off with the rest of the spice and sugar mixture. Bake the bundt in a preheated oven for approximately 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake Variations
- You could add 1/2 a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to this cake. A great way to incorporate them would be to add them to the spice and brown sugar mixture, this way you'll have nuts in the middle and on top of the cake.
- If the idea of adding a chocolate swirl seems like too much trouble, you could just keep the chocolate in chocolate chip form and have a chocolate chip pumpkin bundt cake instead. Just add the chocolate chips to the batter once it's all combined and give it a good stir. If you choose this option, I would suggest you just add the spices to the flour mixture and forget about adding the spice and sugar mixture in the middle and on top of the cake. This way you also leave out the 1/4 cup of brown sugar that gets added to the spice mixture. Yay for fewer calories!
- If you prefer a plain pumpkin spice cake just leave the chocolate chips out. Add the spices to the flour mixture and omit the extra 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
- Make the cake healthier by adding in some whole grains. Try replacing up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour.

I hope you'll find this pumpkin bundt cake is a great way to celebrate and experience the flavours of the autumn season. If you love pumpkin desserts you may want to check this Maple Pumpkin Roll Cake out as well!
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Chocolate Swirled Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf
- Pumpkin Walnut Loaf
- Pumpkin Scones with Espresso Glaze
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 15 oz pure pumpkin purée approx. 445 ml
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil or other light tasting oil
- 1-¼ cups brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chocolate chips melted and cooled to room temperature
Spice mixture
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a large bundt pan.
- Into a large bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda and salt. Whisk and set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Measure out one teaspoon and add it to the flour bowl. Then add 1/4 cup of brown sugar to your spice bowl, mix it and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, brown and white sugars, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Combine until all ingredients are well blended.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 25 second increments, stirring after each increment until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until no trace of flour remains.
- Pour approximately half of your batter into your bundt pan. Spread all of the melted chocolate over the batter and sprinkle half of the spice mix. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and top it with the rest of the spice and sugar mixture.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs clinging on it.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes and then turn out to cool completely. Remember to flip this cake up again to have the brown sugar and spice mixture showing on the top part of the cake.
Notes
Pumpkin Bundt Cake Variations:
- Give this cake a bit of crunch by adding 1/2 a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to this cake. A great way to incorporate them would be to add them to the spice and brown sugar mixture, this way you'll have nuts in the middle and on top of the cake.
- Turn this cake into a chocolate chip pumpkin bundt cake. If the idea of adding a chocolate swirl seems like too much trouble, you could just add chocolate chips to the batter once its all combined and give it a good stir. If you choose this option, I would suggest you just add the spices to the flour mixture and leave out the spice and sugar mixture in the middle and on top of the cake.
- If you prefer a plain pumpkin spice cake just leave the chocolate chips out. Add the spices to the flour mixture and omit the extra 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
- Add in some whole grains by replacing up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour.
We Found a Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe for Every Energy Level | healthbz
Wednesday 28th of October 2020
[…] Get the recipe! […]
Alaa Araji
Thursday 15th of November 2018
This one was *so* good. I think I'll try to make it next week!
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits
Thursday 22nd of November 2018
So happy you liked it! This one has a bit more chocolate in it, I think it's even better :)
C.M.
Thursday 15th of November 2018
This looks so good, I will definitely try it soon. Thanks.
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits
Monday 19th of November 2018
Thank you! I hope you love it as much as my family did!