Pumpkin Spice Cake with a Cream Cheese Swirl

If you are looking for a cozy and warm treat for fall, look no further. This pumpkin spice cake with a cream cheese swirl is bound to warm you right up. This easy cake recipe comes together quickly and will impress your guests.

pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese filling and chocolate chips

Did you know that as I baker, I run out of sugar and flour often? I think I have extra bags stored, but I frequently forget that I already used them the previous time I ran out.

Well, I ran out last week on a very inconvenient day. We had the privilege of having the two missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for dinner. Their time is split between 10 different congregations, and it was our congregation’s week to host them for dinner. I always jump on the opportunity to feed these young men or young women.

The problem is, they had been warned that I would have something amazing for dessert, so they already had their hopes up. My problem, however, was that I was completely out of flour. Gasp!

pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese filling and chocolate chips in dish with piece missing

However, I had all of the ingredients on hand for this pumpkin spice cake and it.was.so.incredible. The two missionaries kept asking for more, as well as my kids and husband.

It has everything that you could ever want in a cake; cream cheese, pumpkin, and chocolate! I surprised myself with how delicious it was.

I made it again to photograph, and my oldest daughter came home from school and actually dug out a huge piece right from the center. She saw a huge chunk of cream cheese swirl and just went for it.

bite of pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese filling and chocolate chips on a fork

FAQs and Troubleshooting for Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Swirl

close up of pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese filling and chocolate chips
pumpkin cake with cream cheese filling and chocolate chips

Pumpkin Spice Cake with a Cream Cheese Swirl

If you are looking for a cozy and warm treat for fall, look no further. This pumpkin spice cake with a cream cheese swirl is bound to warm you right up. This easy cake recipe comes together quickly and will impress your guests.
4.38 from 8 votes
Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 box spice cake mix
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • ¾ cup water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz. cream cheese (1 block)
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 pan and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the spice cake mix, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Once the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, add in all of the wet ingredients (eggs, pumpkin, water, and oil). Mix well until all ingredients are combined and there are no dry ingredients visible. Pour cake batter into the greased 9×13 pan and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the cream cheese and butter. They should be mixed until creamy and completely combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. The cream cheese mixture will be thick.
  • Place spoonfuls of the cream cheese filling over the top of the cake batter. Use a knife to swirl in the cream cheese. It will mix slightly into the cake batter and that’s totally fine. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is not jiggly and the sides start to pull away from the pan.

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Comments

  • That cream cheese pumpkin cake looks very similar to another recipe I have but way easier. Going to try this one for sure!

  • I love trying new recipes but this one failed on me , it came out very holy not like cake .. what did I do wrong did it swirl the cream cheese to deep ? I baked it in a metal cake pan non stick ? Should I have used a glass cake pan ? I feel my dessert isn’t pretty enough to serve ..

    1. Some people actually call this an earthquake cake because it can create cracks in it. Even if it isn’t as pretty as you were hoping, I’m sure it will taste delicious! If you are worried about it. Scoop individual servings without showing it and no one will ever know!

  • It’s in the oven and I’m sad. I didn’t read the recipe carefully and added the whole can of pumpkin. I’m waiting to see what happens.

  • It’s in the oven and I’m sad. I didn’t read the recipe carefully and added the whole can of pumpkin. I’m waiting to see what happens. ***It came out wonderfully. I added cinnamon chips by the way.***