A wonderfully autumnal pumpkin bundt cake with chai glaze – rich, moist and delicious.
For the past few weeks I’ve been craving pumpkin recipes but couldn’t find canned pumpkin purée anywhere locally. The online options were overpriced, so I waited until I could source it in town. Yesterday my husband came home with four tins and some adorable mini gourds, and I was thrilled — it felt like a small celebration.
I love all things pumpkin: cakes, pies and autumnal bakes in warm orange tones. With Halloween approaching, I was determined to make something special. The result is this pumpkin bundt cake with a chai-infused glaze that balances warm spices and moist texture.
Today felt like the perfect day to bake this cake: it’s cozy, seasonal and comforting. I’ll be settling in under a big blanket with a cup of chai tea and a generous slice. The cake is slightly sweet, tender and large enough to feed a crowd — ideal for bake sales or sharing with friends and family.
I used a small soak—condensed milk mixed with strong chai—to increase sweetness and moisture in a poke-cake style. This step is optional: the cake is delicious on its own, but the soak makes it extra indulgent. If you can’t find canned pumpkin, roast or steam at least 1kg (2lbs) of butternut squash, mash it well and cool before using.
This post is commissioned by Twinings.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Chai Glaze
Ingredients
- 185 g unsalted butter softened
- 200 g caster sugar
- 85 g dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- zest of an orange
- 450 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 200 ml whole milk + 1 tsp lemon juice
- 50 ml strongly brewed chai tea using 3 teabags
- 350 g canned pumpkin purée
- To soak (optional): mix 100g condensed milk with 50ml strongly brewed chai tea
- 200 g icing sugar
- a few tablespoons strongly brewed chai tea (for glaze)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush a 22cm (9in) bundt tin with softened butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, caster sugar, dark brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
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Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined. Stir in the orange zest.
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Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt into a bowl. Combine the milk, lemon juice and 50ml chai in a jug.
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Gradually add the dry and wet ingredients to the batter in alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
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Fold in the pumpkin purée until the batter is smooth and even.
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Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface.
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Bake on the lowest oven shelf for 50–55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
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If using the soak, poke holes in the cake with a long skewer and spoon over the condensed milk–chai mixture, allowing it to absorb. Do not over-saturate; you may not need the entire mixture.
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Allow the cake to cool in the tin, then carefully invert onto a platter, loosening the edges with a knife if necessary.
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Whisk the icing sugar with enough hot chai tea to reach a pourable consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, dust with a little ground cinnamon and serve.
Notes
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