This Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirled Coffee Cake is gorgeous yet very simple. It is a perfect breakfast or even dessert for the holiday season.

Cream cheese coffee cake swirled with chocolate and pumpkin is a must-make for the fall and holiday season. It’s a tender, soft coffee cake with three decadent upgrades – chocolate, pumpkin, and cream cheese – swirled together to make the best coffee cake ever.

a slice of coffee cake being lifted from the pan.

I love making coffee cake as it is one of our family favorites. While I don’t think that you can really ever top the Best Ever Coffee Cake recipe, I do feel that this Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirled Coffee Cake is a close second.

Chocolate and pumpkin with a cinnamon-brown sugar topping is an indulgent combination for fall. Then you add in the gorgeous cream cheese swirl and have perfection.

You Will Love This Recipe

What I love about this recipe is that it’s unexpected. The flavor combination of chocolate and pumpkin is so delicious and when you add in the cream cheese, well, it’s divine.

There are a couple of key ingredients that make this coffee cake incredibly moist: instant pudding and pumpkin. Both of them add to the cake’s moisture and density. This cake is not even close to dry.

The secret ingredient is cake mix. It’s my favorite shortcut for making coffee cake, but you can’t even tell. It tastes like it was made completely from scratch.

It’s an obvious choice to serve for breakfast or brunch, but it can also stand in as a dessert after a special meal.

It’s as stunning to look at as it is to eat. The swirls of cream cheese and chocolate make it look like a fancy bakery treat. It’s sure to impress!

a slice of cake on a gray plate with a fork.

Ingredients

  • Eggs
  • Canola or vegetable oil
  • Water
  • Vanilla
  • Canned pumpkin
  • Yellow cake mix – I use Duncan Hines.
  • Instant vanilla pudding
  • Cocoa powder
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Softened cream cheese
  • Granulated sugar
close-up shot of a slice of chocolate cake on a plate.

How do you make Swirled Coffee Cake?

Mix the eggs, oil, water, vanilla, pumpkin, cake mix, pudding mix, and cocoa powder in a mixer for seven minutes (this is key to make the pudding set). I love to use my Kitchen Aid mixer for this! Once mixed, pour the batter into the prepared pan.

the cake batter spread in the pan.

Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

For the cream cheese swirl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl until well combined.

Sprinkle the brown sugar mix over the cake batter in the pan.

the brown sugar mixture spread over the batter.

Drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture, a heaping tablespoon, on top of the batter and brown sugar mixture. Swirl them together.

the batter and cream cheese swirled together.

Bake the cake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350°F until the cake is set and is pulling away from the edges of the pan.

Let it completely cool so it does not crumble when you cut and serve it.

overhead photo of the baked coffee cake in the pan.

What to eat or drink with coffee cake?

I love having a slice of coffee cake as a delicious treat for breakfast.

  • It goes perfect with any hot drink, coffee, tea, etc…
  • A personal favorite is a hot cup of tea and a slice of this yummy cake on a cold morning.
a slice of the cake on a plate.

Recipe Tips

For this recipe, you will use the dry cake mix – you don’t need to prepare the cake first, so disregard the instructions on the box.

It is the same for the pudding mix, too. The dry mix is added with the rest of the ingredients – you don’t need to prepare it following the box directions.

This cream cheese coffee cake will keep well for two to three days at room temperature. Or you can store it in the refrigerator for a few days longer.

two pieces of coffee cake stacked on a plate.

There is so much to love about this chocolate-swirled coffee cake. I can’t decide if it’s the creamy cream cheese, pumpkin, or chocolate I love best! Luckily I still have a few slices left before I need to decide. Treat yourself to a slice, too. I know you will love it! XOXO San

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirled Coffee Cake

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 376 kcal
This Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirled Coffee Cake is gorgeous yet very simple. It is a perfect breakfast or even dessert for the holiday season.
a slice of coffee cake.

Ingredients
 

Coffee Cake

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 yellow cake mix I use Duncan Hines. Do not follow instructions on box.
  • 3.4 ounces instant pudding vanilla or butterscotch
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder

Cinnamon Swirl & Toppings

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream Cheese Swirl

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 egg

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350; grease 9×13 metal pan.
  • Mix all the ingredients for the coffee cake in a mixer on medium speed for 7 minutes (this is key to make the pudding set). I love to use my Kitchen Aid mixer for this!
  • Meanwhile, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Prepare cream cheese swirl. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla in a small mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside.
  • Pour the batter in the greased 9×13 metal pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar mix over the cake in the pan.
  • Drop dollops of the cream cheese, a heaping tablespoon, on top of the cake and brown sugar mixture. Swirl together.
  • Place in oven and bake 40-45, until the cake is set and is pulling away from the edges.
  • Let it completely cool so it does not crumble when you cut and serve it. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Best Ever Coffee Cake
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 376kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 433mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 1790IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 147mgIron: 2mg
a slice of coffee cake.
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!

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15 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      This recipe’s unexpectedness is what I like most about it. The taste combination of pumpkin and chocolate is incredible, and when cream cheese is added, it becomes heavenly.

  1. 5 stars
    This cake looks absolutely delicious and very addicting! My chocolate lovers are going to be all over this cake. I can’t wait to make this for this weekend!

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