Pumpkin Chai Spice Cakes are a fun and unique way to bring pumpkin spice to the party. Perfect for fall gatherings, these mini cakes are individually portioned and ready to enjoy. Spiced pumpkin meets rich chocolate in marbled batter, baked in cute little bundt shapes, then drizzled with a dark, salted ganache. Warm fall spices. A little bit of salt. All the chocolate.
Recipe highlights
- Pumpkin spice love. All the classic chai spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, black pepper) plus pumpkin purée give these cakes that “sweater weather” feeling.
- Mini bundt charm. These cute handheld mini cakes are perfect for sharing or for when you want something indulgent but individually portioned.
- Salted chocolate finish. The salted dark chocolate ganache adds a layer of richness that balances the sweet pumpkin and warm spices.
- Dessert in under an hour. In less than an hour, you’ll have a platter full of elegant-looking mini pumpkin spice cakes.
Recipe overview
⏱️ Prep: ~20 min • Bake: ~18 min • Total: less than an hour!
🍴 Yield: Makes about 18 mini bundt cakes
💪 Skill level: Beginner. Just be sure to follow the recipe tips below if you’ve never made ganache before!
How to make pumpkin chai spice cakes
Here’s a quick step-by-step overview to make this recipe. For full recipe details and ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Prepare mini bundt pan. Heat your oven to 350° F. Butter or spray mini bundt pans well.
- Mix separate components. In bowl 1: sugar, cocoa powder + water → for chocolate swirl. In bowl 2: dry mix (flour, baking powder, salt). In bowl 3: pumpkin puree + chai spice blend (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, pepper).
- Make batter. Whisk sugar, oil, vanilla. Add eggs and whip until thick and pale (~5 minutes). Then alternate adding dry mix + half-and-half until everything is just combined.
- Marble & bake. Whisk some of the batter into the chocolate mix; add the rest to the pumpkin mixture. Spoon pumpkin cake batter into pans, then swirl in the chocolate batter. Bake until golden, and cakes spring back when touched. Let cool fully.
- Make and apply ganache. Warm heavy cream (just to shimmering, not boiling), pour over chopped dark chocolate and salt. Let sit, then whisk to a smooth ganache. Drizzle over cooled cakes; let set. Finish with coarse sea salt.
Top tips
Whip the eggs well. Whisking the eggs thoroughly with the oil is what gives the cakes rise and creates a light texture. You want the batter pale, fluffy, and voluminous.
Make your own pumpkin puree. For super fresh flavor, use your own homemade pumpkin puree instead of the canned stuff. Learn how to make pumpkin puree here.
Add pumpkin batter to the tin first. The chocolate batter is more likely to stick to the pan.
Be gentle when swirling. You want visible marbled chocolate, not fully mixed in. It’s prettier and gives a flavor contrast.
Cool completely before drizzling ganache. Warm cakes can melt the chocolate too much and cause it to run off.
Use good-quality chocolate. Because ganache is simple (just cream + chocolate), the quality of chocolate shows. Choose something you like eating on its own.
Don’t overheat the cream. When making ganache, heat cream slowly and remove from heat just when a few bubbles start to form around the edges. Don’t boil it – overheating can cause the ganache to separate and/or feel grainy.
Variations & substitutions
Oil: Use any neutral oil for the cake batter. I like avocado oil best. A light olive oil is also good here.
Adjust spice levels to taste. If you prefer less heat, reduce the black pepper or ginger; want more warmth, add a bit more cinnamon or cloves. Or, simply sub in 1-2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for a more traditional pumpkin spice cake.
Glaze with toffee sauce. For a less chocolatey version, swap the ganache for toffee glaze.
👉 Make a full-size bundt cake. To turn this recipe into one large bundt cake, double the recipe (with the exception of eggs – use 5). Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes, using a digital thermometer to test for doneness. The internal temperature should be about 200° – 210° F.
Serving & storing pumpkin chai spice cakes
Store at room temperature. Store cooled cakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Ganache holds up best if the cakes are kept cool (but not cold).
Make-ahead option. Cakes can be baked a day ahead; drizzling ganache just before serving helps keep that glossy chocolate finish. If sprinkling with sea salt, wait until just before serving – the salt will eventually melt into the chocolate if left to sit for a while.
If you make these Pumpkin Chai Spice Cakes with Salted Ganache, please let me know what you think! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you!!
Pumpkin Chai Spice Cakes with Salted Ganache
Equipment
- Mini bundt pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Chai Spice Cakes
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon each cloves, cardamom, black pepper
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil, (I like avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup half & half
Dark Chocolate Salted Ganache
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate, chopped
- pinch sea salt
- coarse sea salt, such as fleur de sel, Maldon's, or Jacobsen's Pure Flake Sea Salt
Instructions
For pumpkin spice cakes:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray or butter mini bundt pans thoroughly.
- Prepare three small bowls. In one, whisk together sugar, cocoa, and 3 T of water. In another, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a third, combine the pumpkin puree and ground spices.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add eggs and whisk on high for about 5 minutes, until pale and very thick and fluffy.
- Add 1/3 of the flour mixture; mix gently. Pour in half of the half & half and stir. Finish alternating half & half with dry ingredients, ending with flour mix.
- Pour about 1/2 cup of batter into the cocoa-sugar mixture, stirring to combine. Add remaining batter to pumpkin spice bowl; whisk until combined.
- Layer both batters into prepared mini bundt pans, starting with pumpkin batter (the chocolate batter is more likely to stick to the pan). Swirl as desired.
- Bake until golden brown and cake springs back when touched, 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing cakes from pan.
For salted ganache:
- Heat cream until just shimmering, with small bubbles around the edges (NOT boiling). Pour hot cream over chocolate and pinch of salt; let stand 30 seconds. Whisk gently to combine.
- Allow to cool until slightly thickened and room temperature. Drizzle ganache over cakes.
- Allow ganache to set up at room temperature for an hour or so before sprinkling with coarse sea salt. Or, sprinkle with sea salt just before serving (if you sprinkle salt on while ganache is still warm and liquid, the salt will absorb into it).
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
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