Pumpkin Snacking Cake with Cheesecake Swirl

Pumpkin cake is already cozy enough to eat straight out of the pan, but add a swirl of tangy cheesecake and it edges into indulgence. It’s the mashup of a coffee cake and a dessert tray, the kind of thing you bake once and suddenly people start asking when you’ll do it again.

This version stays moist and spiced, but the ribbon of cheesecake bakes right in therefore it's creamy, slightly tangy, and a perfect foil to pumpkin’s sweetness. The swirl looks dramatic when sliced, but it’s easy to pull off, making it as practical as it is beautiful.

Pumpkin Snacking Cake with Cheesecake Swirl

Cake Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or light olive oil)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Swirl

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8x8-inch square baking pan.
• Make the cake batter: whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin, sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Fold dry into wet until just combined.
• Make the cheesecake swirl: beat cream cheese with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth, add sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla mix until combined.
• Pour half the cake batter into the pan. Dollop half the cheesecake mixture on top. Repeat with remaining batter and cheesecake.
• Use a butter knife or chopstick to gently swirl the two layers together (don’t overmix).
• Bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean (a little cheesecake cling is fine).
• Cool completely before slicing for clean swirls.

Chef Notes / Hacks

• Add a tablespoon of sour cream to the cheesecake swirl for extra tang.
• Chill the cake before cutting for sharper swirl lines.
• Dust with powdered sugar for a simple finish — no glaze needed.
• Serve slightly warm with coffee or spiced chai for peak fall comfort.
• For best texture, line the pan with parchment so you can lift the cake out and wrap the whole slab tightly in foil for storage.
• To avoid soggy tops, let the cake cool completely before wrapping.
• For serving later, pop slices into a 300°F oven for 5–7 minutes to revive the crumb and reawaken the spices.

Table Itinerary – Cozy Autumn Gathering

• Starter: French Tomato Soup
• Main: Braised Short Ribs with Polenta
• Side: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
• Dessert: Pumpkin Snacking Cake with Cheesecake Swirl (this recipe)
• Beverage Pairing: Espresso, Chai Latte, or Tawny Port

Storage

• Fridge Required: Because of the cream cheese, it should be stored covered in the refrigerator. Keeps for 4–5 days.
• Freezer: Works well too. Wrap individual squares tightly, freeze up to 2 months. Defrost in fridge overnight.

Pumpkin Snacking Cake with Cheesecake Swirl

Sam

Easy and cozy everyday pumpkin snacking cake with cheesecake swirl

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Equipment

• 1 8x8 square cake pan

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

Cake Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves optional
• 1 cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
• ½ cup brown sugar packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup neutral oil vegetable, canola, or light olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Swirl Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8x8-inch square baking pan.
• Make the cake batter: whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin, sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Fold dry into wet until just combined.
• Make the cheesecake swirl: beat cream cheese with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth, add sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla mix until combined.
• Pour half the cake batter into the pan. Dollop half the cheesecake mixture on top. Repeat with remaining batter and cheesecake.
• Use a butter knife or chopstick to gently swirl the two layers together (don’t overmix).
• Bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean (a little cheesecake cling is fine).
• Cool completely before slicing for clean swirls.

Notes

Chef Notes / Hacks

Add a tablespoon of sour cream to the cheesecake swirl for extra tang.

Chill the cake before cutting for sharper swirl lines.

Dust with powdered sugar for a simple finish — no glaze needed.

Serve slightly warm with coffee or spiced chai for peak fall comfort.

For best texture, line the pan with parchment so you can lift the cake out and wrap the whole slab tightly in foil for storage.

To avoid soggy tops, let the cake cool completely before wrapping.

For serving later, pop slices into a 300°F oven for 5–7 minutes to revive the crumb and reawaken the spices.

Keyword pumpkin cake

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