Pumpkin for fall. Groundbreaking. I know. But listen, this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Cake is fall on overdrive. It’s October on a hayride getting drunk on apple cider. Buckle up.

This pumpkin cake is what happens when a spiced loaf meets a cheesecake and decides to dress up in brown butter. Moist and almost custardy, warmly spiced (thank you, cinnamon and garam masala), and topped with a glossy swoop of brown butter cream cheese frosting that makes it impossible to eat just one slice — I know because I’ve fallen victim.

I like to think of it as the grown-up version of pumpkin cake: cozy, but not cloying; familiar, but not afraid to take risks (I’m looking at you, garam masala).

If fall had a signature scent, it would be brown butter meeting pumpkin spice. There’s something about the nutty hiss of butter in a pan, and the warm spices rising from a mixing bowl, that makes your kitchen feel like a season unto itself.

So all this to say: this pumpkin cream cheese swirl cake is a keeper. Moist and gently spiced with garam masala and cinnamon, frosted with tangy cream cheese and nutty brown butter that could convert even the most frosting-averse. It’s the kind of cake you make on a Sunday and dream about all week. The kind of cake that gets everyone asking for the recipe.

Why Garam Masala?

I know what you’re probably thinking: I want garam masala in my curry, not in my cake — which makes a lot of sense. But when you take a closer look, this spice mix is a lot more than its reputation precedes.

Everyone’s favorite fall spice mix — pumpkin — is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove. But garam masala is just as warm and a worthy fall spice contender. In addition to cinnamon and cloves, it also brings cardamom, black pepper, cumin, and coriander to the mix.

The result is a balanced blend of warm flavors with a touch of sweet and spicy. Even though it’s traditionally used in savory recipes, it deserves a place in your baking repertoire too.

Each component contributes different flavor compounds and functional effects in baking:

Cardamom & Cloves: Contain eugenol, which gives a fragrant, slightly smoky note and complements the natural sugars in pumpkin.
Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Provide cinnamaldehyde and myristicin, which enhance perceived sweetness and aroma, making the cake taste richer without adding more sugar.
Cumin & Pepper: Contain volatile oils that stimulate the palate and add depth, balancing the tang of cream cheese and the richness of brown butter.

From a functional perspective: the oils in these spices interact with the fat in the cake (oil, and pumpkin), dispersing flavor more evenly throughout the batter. They also slow flavor fatigue, so every bite tastes complex rather than flatly sweet.

In short: garam masala doesn’t just spice the cake—it builds layers of flavor.

How to Make It

1. Prep the cake batter

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In another bowl, whisk pumpkin, oil, both sugars, eggs, orange zest, ginger and vanilla until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined — no overmixing here.

2. Make the cream cheese swirl

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, salt, and vanilla until creamy.

3. Swirl and bake

Pour half the pumpkin batter into a greased 8-inch pan, dollop the cream cheese mixture, gently swirl with a knife, then top with remaining batter.
Bake at 350/175 °C °F for 40–50 minutes, or until the center springs back, or until a toothpick or paring knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Brown the butter

Melt butter over medium heat until golden and nutty. Let it cool, then beat with cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until fluffy.

5. Frost generously

Spread a thick, glossy layer on top.

FAQ

Can I skip the cream cheese swirl or frosting?
Technically yes, but you shouldn’t. The swirl adds a lovely tang that balances the sweetness, and the frosting truly completes it! Without them, it’s just a plain pumpkin cake – and there ain’t nothing wrong with that either.

Why is my cake dense?
Most likely too much flour or overmixing. Weigh your ingredients (seriously — get a scale!) and mix just until the flour disappears.

Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of garam masala?
You can, although you might lose some of the depth. Garam masala adds cardamom and black pepper, which make the cake more complex and less one-note!

How do I store it?
Because of the cream cheese, refrigerate it after a few hours at room temp. Let slices come to room temperature before serving again — the texture is much better that way.

Notes From The Kitchen

This is a standard pumpkin cake recipe where dry ingredients are mixed in one bowl, wet ingredients in another. There’s no need for extra appliances like a stand mixer or hand mixer — no creaming involved. A simple whisk or silicone spatula is all you need.

The cream cheese swirl might sound like overkill, considering there’s a whole cream cheese frosting on top, but trust me: they’re both delightful additions. I can’t imagine this cake without either.

A little note from my own baking experience: when I first made this cake, I had no intention of adding frosting. I just wanted a simple coffee cake, so I added the swirl on top. But in the time it takes to bake a cake, one’s mind starts to wander. You glance at that half-open package of cream cheese in your fridge and think, something’s not right here — let’s turn it into frosting. It was a great move. In hindsight, I might have swirled the cream cheese in the middle if I’d planned it sooner.

That said, the cake was wonderful as it was, but you might want to keep that in mind when making yours.

Tips for Success

Use room-temperature eggs: they emulsify better with the oil, producing a smoother batter.

Measure flour correctly: I always use a scale when baking, and here’s why: measuring by volume can give vastly different results each time you make a recipe, so it’s not really reliable. When you use a scale, every ingredient is measured precisely. On top of that, there are no extra dishes to wash — you can measure everything straight into the bowl. That’s why I’ll always recommend getting one, especially since they’re so affordable!

Don’t overmix: once the dry and wet ingredients are combined, stop. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough.

Cool completely before frosting: this should be a given, but trust me — my impatience has led to more than one cake with frosting melting down the sides. A warm cake and a butter/cream cheese frosting do not go well together… unless you want to serve a glossy, sad puddle instead of a proper cake.

FAQ

Why is my cake dense?
Most likely too much flour or overmixing. Weigh your ingredients (seriously — get a scale!) and mix just until the flour disappears.

How do I store it?
Because of the cream cheese, refrigerate it after a few hours at room temp. Let slices come to room temperature before serving again — the texture is much better that way.

If you make this pumpkin cream cheese swirl cake with brown butter frosting, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.

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A slice of pumpkin cream cheese swirl cake on a plate with a fork, showing the marbled swirl on top. — Pin
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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Servings

1 9-inch

cake

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Baking Time

minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:
215g (1 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp garam masala
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp salt
250g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) pumpkin purée
195g (scant 1 cup) olive oil
137 g (⅔ cup packed) brown sugar
91 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
zest of 1 orange
For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
115g (½ cup) cream cheese, at room temperature
20g egg (½ egg, beaten)
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
For Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
75g butter
150g cream cheese, at room temperature
150g powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F and position a rack in the center. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper (butter that as well).
Make the cream cheese filling: using a whisk or a handheld mixer, beat the cream until smooth and fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla, and salt, beating until fully combined and creamy, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Make the cake: in a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garam masala, cinnamon, and salt, together. Set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, olive oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, ginger, and orange zest together until combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk until fully combined.
Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture on top in dollops, then swirl gently with a knife. Add the remaining batter on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. This is a large cake, so don’t worry if it takes too long to bake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Make the frosting: in a small saucepan or skillet, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides frequently with a heatproof spatula, until the butter is foaming, and the solid bits turn brown, about 5 minutes. Scrape the butter and all the toasted bits into a bowl. Set aside and let it cool completely.
Using a whisk or handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium, until the mixture is completely smooth. Turn off the mixer, add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk or pulse on low to incorporate the sugar, then beat on medium until the frosting is smooth and thick, about 1 minute.
Assemble: frost the top of the cake when it is completely cool. Serve.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Why Garam Masala?