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Pumpkin praline pound cake with caramel praline glaze and toasted pecans on a ceramic cake stand with a sliced piece showing the moist pumpkin crumb.
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Pumpkin Praline Pound Cake

This pumpkin praline pound cake is rich, buttery, and filled with warm fall spices, toasted pecans, and pumpkin puree. Finished with a silky brown sugar praline glaze, this moist Southern-style bundt cake is perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday gatherings, and cozy fall baking.
Course Cake, Dessert, Holiday Dessert, Thanksgiving Dessert
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword cream cheese pumpkin cake, fall bundt cake, holiday pumpkin dessert, moist pumpkin pound cake, pecan praline cake, praline bundt cake, praline glaze cake, pumpkin bundt cake recipe, pumpkin pecan cake, pumpkin pound cake, pumpkin praline pound cake, pumpkin spice pound cake, southern pound cake, southern pumpkin dessert, thanksgiving pound cake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 14 slices
Calories 640kcal
Cost $19 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • 10 to 12-cup bundt pan
  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Rubber spatula
  • Whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cooling rack
  • Medium saucepan
  • Toothpick or cake tester
  • wire rack

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pound Cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs room temperature
  • 7/8 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger

Pecans

  • 1 cup toasted chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Praline Glaze

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Pound Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10 to 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and oil together until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Gradually add granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Beat for 4 to 5 minutes until pale and airy.
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  • Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until fully combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
  • Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed. Mix only until combined.
  • Toss toasted pecans with 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold into the batter.
  • Spread batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan.
  • Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely.

Make the Praline Glaze

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, dark brown sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, and salt.
  • Stir constantly until smooth and gently bubbling.
  • Simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and toasted pecans.
  • Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour over cooled cake.

Notes

  • Use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream for the richest pound cake texture and best flavor.
  • Make sure all refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature before mixing to create a smooth, velvety batter.
  • Toasting the pecans before adding them to the cake and glaze gives the pumpkin praline pound cake a deeper buttery flavor.
  • Tossing the pecans with flour helps suspend them evenly throughout the batter so they do not sink during baking.
  • Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added or the pound cake can become dense and tough.
  • Bake until the internal temperature reaches 203°F to 205°F for the perfect moist pound cake crumb.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the praline glaze so the topping sets beautifully instead of sliding off.
  • This pumpkin praline pound cake tastes even better the next day after the pumpkin spice and praline flavors fully develop overnight.
  • Store the cake tightly covered to keep the crumb soft and moist for several days.
  • For an extra bakery-style finish, sprinkle additional toasted pecans over the glaze before serving.