Bready or Not: Pumpkin Spice Bars
There’s no denying it’s pumpkin spice season, so let’s make it official with these Pumpkin Spice Bars.
They do not use pumpkin puree, but instead use pumpkin butter or pumpkin spread, the kind of thing that is found near jams or in special seasonal areas of grocery stores. For these pictures, I used Pumpkin Maple Spread from Aldi.
This is a fast recipe to put together. The confectioners’ sugar in the dough results in a powdery, soft texture. A lot of bars that look like this tend to be dense, but this reminded me more of a light coffee cake.
Bready or Not: Pumpkin Spice Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats also called old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) room temperature
- 12 ounces pumpkin butter or spread, about 1 1/2 cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and add nonstick spray.
- In a big bowl, combine flour, oats, confectioners’ sugar, pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Use fingers or a knife with fork to mash in the butter until the mixture starts to turn clumpy.
- Press about 3/4 of the dough into the pan. Press down with hands, or use a piece of waxed paper and a heavy glass. Spread the pumpkin butter/spread on top using an uneven spatula. Crumble the reserved dough over the top.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Top should just be tuning golden and pass the toothpick test in the middle. Cool to room temperature, speeding process in fridge, if desired. Use foil sling to lift onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
- Store sealed at room temperature or in fridge. Best eaten within 2 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake
That’s right, it’s time to start featuring pumpkin! I’m kicking off the season with a simple yet pretty bundt cake. This Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake balances chocolate with pumpkin spice.
First of all: yes, this is a cool bundt pan. I’m blessed to be within a long drive of the NordicWare Factory Store, and I try to get there at least once a year to check out the heavily discounted pans and accessories!
This is such a good cake. It’s not heavily sweet but has loads of good flavor. It’s the kind of cake that is great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Bready or Not Original: Chocolate Pumpkin Marble Bundt Cake
Equipment
- large bundt pan (10-12 cups)
- nonstick spray with flour
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree can
- 2 1/4 cups white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- confectioners’ sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Generously coat interior of pan with nonstick spray with flour.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together eggs, pumpkin puree, sugar, and butter. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet. Batter may be lumpy.
- Use the now-empty bowl from the dry ingredients to hold 3 cups of the batter. Stir in the sifted cocoa powder and vanilla, mixing until this portion of batter is one color.
- To the other portion of batter, add the cinnamon and stir to spread throughout.
- Add spoonfuls of each batter to the pan in an alternating pattern. Smooth out the top, but don’t swirl a knife through.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan 20 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rack to cool completely.
- Before serving, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top. Store covered at room temperature. Pieces can also be individually wrapped and frozen.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Almond Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze
I’m not going to lie: this cake has so many of my favorite things all in cake form, and it made me very happy. I hope you love this Chocolate-Almond Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze, too.
First of all, you can do your own from-scratch almond paste for this recipe. I did not. I used a tube from Trader Joe’s. You can also find it at Walmart and many other places.
Almond flavor carries through every bite of this recipe, in different forms, with different textures. There is sweetness here, but not hardcore. Really, it’s about how the almond and chocolate complement each other.
Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Almond Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze
Equipment
- 10-cup bundt pan
- baking spray with flour
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
- 7 ounces almond paste
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups half & half (or milk) warmed to 70 degrees
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 + Tablespoons half & half or heavy cream
- sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat the interior of a 10-cup bundt cake with baking spray with flour.
- Beat butter and almond paste together until smooth and creamy. Add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time followed by the extracts. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to mix in everything.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet alternatively with the half & half/milk. Scrape the bottom of the bowl again, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, leveling out the top.
- Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. A thermometer plunged into the cake should read over 205 degrees.
- Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a cooling rack. Cool completely, speeding in fridge, if desired.
- For the glaze, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and half & half, adding more sugar or liquid as needed to reach a good thick, oozy consistency. Dollop onto the cake so that it dribbles down the sides. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge or at room temperature. Cake can also be individually sliced and frozen for later.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Caramel-Apple-Pecan Bundt Cake
This Caramel-Apple-Pecan Bundt Cake is an absolute showstopper, a cake that looks incredible no matter the pan and tastes amazing, too.
Of course, to get those results, it takes work. This is a recipe that dirties a lot of dishes. Worth it, though? Oh yes.
I modified this recipe from the September/October 2025 issue of Bake from Scratch.
Bready or Not: Caramel-Apple-Pecan Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10-cup bundt cake pan
- nonstick spray with flour
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large firm sweet apples (such as Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp) peeled and cored
- 5 tablespoons caramel sauce
Glaze
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- chopped pecans for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Thoroughly coat the interior of a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray with flour.
- In a large bowl, mix together melted butter and sugars. Add the eggs, cider, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- Dice up the apple into small pieces. This can also be done with a box grater.
- Mix half of dry mixture into the butter mixture. until just combined. Fold in apples along with any juice. Mix in remaining flour mixture. Scrape the bottom of the bowl, and make sure there are no white streaks.
- Scoop 2 cups of the batter into another bowl. Stir in the caramel sauce until the batter is fully incorporated and darker.
- Use two spring-loaded scoops or large serving spoons to dollop alternating lumps of the two batters into the prepared pan. Once all of the batter is inside lay out a folded kitchen towel and firmly tap the pan on it several times to help the dough settle and release air bubbles.
- Bake cake for an 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes; the middle needs to pass the toothpick test. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
- For glaze, if the caramel sauce is cold or stiff, measure it into a microwave-safe bowl and briefly and carefully zap in microwave to loosen. Mix in the vanilla.
- Place cake on a serving platter or plate. Drizzle caramel over top. If desired, sprinkle pecan pieces on top.
- Serve at room temperature; store for up to three days, covered. Leftover cake can be individually wrapped and frozen for later.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Almond Croissant Bars
These Almond Croissant Bars can’t match the texture of the real-deal, but the flavors? Oh yeah. Honestly, I think of the pastry base here as a buttery conveyance for the glories of frangipane.
Frangipane is one of my favorite things on the planet. Oh, you ask, what is frangipane? To quote Wikipedia, which has scarily become one of the better media platforms in this doomed timeline: “…A sweet almond-flavored custard, typical in French pastry, used in a variety of ways, including cakes and such pastries.”
Frangipane can be part of some very fancy, complicated desserts. This bar recipe is incredibly straightforward. You don’t even need to wash the bowl between making the crust and frangipane. This is the kind of treat that works well as a dessert but is also a fantastic breakfast or brunch item.
Bready or Not: Almond Croissant Bars
Equipment
- 9×9 or 8×8 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Crust:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Frangipane:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick) room temperature
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour or almond meal, sifted
Topping:
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- confectioners’ sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Melt the butter, either in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven at 350. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan foil to extends up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray to base and sides.
- Mix together the unsalted butter, brown sugar, egg, both extracts, and kosher salt. It will become smooth and glossy.
- Beat in the flour and baking powder to form a thick batter. Spread into an even layer.
Make the frangipane:
- Beat together the butter, white sugar, and kosher salt the mixture is pale and fluffy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the two extracts followed by the eggs one at a time. The mixture may look curdled. Scrape down the bottom of the bowl again. Fold in the almond flour, mixing until everything is smooth.
- Dollop the frangipane over the base layer and smooth out using an uneven spatula. Evenly sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top and gently press in.
Bake and finish:
- Bake until golden brown and passes the toothpick test in the middle, 38 to 42 minutes. Let cool completely. Speed process in the fridge.
- Use foil to lift the contents onto cutting board. Sprinkle on confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Cut into pieces. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Sock-It-To-Me Bundt Cake
I love a good bundt cake, and this Sock-It-To-Me Bundt Cake is especially good. To me, it seems like a coffee cake with the spiced crumble on the inside!
I’ve had this recipe for years and years, clipped from a pretty old issue of Cook’s Country magazine. Their goal was to make a from-scratch version of the Duncan Hines cake mix recipe that dates to the 1970s–hence the very 1970s name.
They used a food processor, and so I did as well. It does make the cake-making extremely easy, and the crumb was light and soft, as they promised. However, the cake can be mixed by hand or with a mixer. If you do, however, be sure to chop the pecans.
Bready or Not: Sock-It-To-Me Bundt Cake
Equipment
- food processor
- large bundt cake or tube pan (12 cups)
- baking spray with flour
Ingredients
Streusel
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled a smidgen
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup pecans
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream or vanilla or plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled
Glaze
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk or half & half
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Instructions
- The base recipe is written for the food processor, but the ingredients can be mixed by machine or hand as well, though the crumb will not be as fine.
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Use a baking spray with flour to fully coat every nook and cranny on the interior of the bundt or tube pan.
- Start by making the streusel. In the food processor, combine the flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Pulse until everything is ground down. Transfer to another bowl. Wipe out food processor (no need to do a thorough wash).
- Now it's time for the cake batter. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of the food processor, blend together sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually pour in the melted butter. Add the dry ingredient mix, pulsing until just combined.
- Pour about half the batter into the bundt pan. Sprinkle the streusel to cover. Pour on the other half of the batter. Smooth out the top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick plunged into the center comes out clean. Cool for about 20 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rack to cool.
- After the cake is fully cool, mix up the glaze. The result should be thick and smooth. Place cake on cutting board or serving dish. Drizzle glaze over cake so it oozes down the sides. Let set about 2 hours, speeding the process in fridge, if desired.
- Slice and serve. Keeps well at room temperature for at least 4 days. Cake pieces can also be individually wrapped and frozen.




















