Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake! This cake is a true celebration of fall, featuring a super moist and soft pumpkin base that’s infused with a perfect blend of warm pumpkin spices. Each bite offers a comforting taste of autumn, bringing back cozy memories of chilly evenings and seasonal festivities.
What truly sets this cake apart is its rich espresso buttercream frosting, which adds a luxurious touch and balances the sweetness beautifully. It’s like indulging in your favorite pumpkin spice latte, but in a decadent cake form that you can savor slice by slice!!
Whether you’re throwing a get-together or just treating yourself, this cake is sure to become your new fall obsession. Who could possibly resist such a delish treat? Such a scrumptious bite—it’s the perfect way to celebrate the season!
Why you’ll love this Recipe:
- Flavor: This cake features an incredible blend of warm pumpkin spice and rich coffee, creating a unique taste experience that perfectly captures the essence of fall. Each bite is a cozy celebration of seasonal flavors that will have you coming back for more!
- Texture: With its super moist and soft crumb, this cake is a true treat. Topped with a silky espresso buttercream, it offers a velvety mouthfeel that balances richness with lightness, making it irresistibly satisfying.
- Ease: Crafted as a simple one-layer 8-inch cake, this recipe is perfect for bakers of all skill levels. It’s easy to make and frost, so you can spend less time making the perfect cake for fall!
Equipment:
When preparing this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake, I strongly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. Accurate measurements are key—too much flour can lead to a dense cake, while excess pumpkin can result in a spongy, overly moist texture. A kitchen scale is an invaluable tool for baking, ensuring precision and consistency, and it makes cleanup a breeze!
Spiced Pumpkin Cake Ingredients:
What you’ll need for this pumpkin spice latte cake:
- Oil and Sour Cream: These ingredients work together to create an incredibly moist and tender cake. The oil adds moisture without making the cake heavy, while the sour cream contributes to the tender crumb.
- 100% Pure Pumpkin: Using pure pumpkin puree is essential for achieving that authentic pumpkin flavor. It ensures the cake is packed with the natural sweetness and richness of pumpkin. Make sure you are using 100% pumpkin, nothing added.
- Spices: A carefully chosen blend of spices elevates the pumpkin spice cake’s flavor profile, infusing it with warmth and depth. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger come together to create that comforting, spiced taste we all love in fall cake recipes!
- Instant Espresso Powder: This ingredient is a game changer for the buttercream. It not only deepens the flavor profile but also dissolves easily, ensuring a smooth and creamy frosting that complements the pumpkin cake beautifully. The espresso adds a fabulous kick!
*See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Pumpkin Spice Cake:
Let’s make pumpkin spice latte cake!
Hint: Use the back of a spoon to create swoops in the frosting, it doesn’t take any special skill and looks extra pretty!
Substitutions:
- Caramel Drizzle: Elevate your cake with a luscious caramel drizzle on top, adding a sweet and gooey finish that perfectly complements the pumpkin and coffee flavors.
- Chocolate Chip Sprinkle: Enhance the cake for the chocolate lover by sprinkling mini chocolate chips on top for a burst of chocolate in every bite.
- Pecan Crunch: Add a generous sprinkle of toasted pecans for a crunchy texture and nutty flavor that beautifully contrasts with the moist cake and creamy frosting.
This pumpkin spice latte cake recipe has not been tested with other substitutions. These are just suggestions.
Pro Tips:
- Avoid Over mixing: Be careful not to over mix the cake batter, as this can result in a dense and rubbery texture. Mix just until the ingredients are combined for a light, tender crumb.
- Choose Instant Espresso Powder: Use instant espresso powder for the buttercream, as it dissolves easily without the need for water. This ensures a smooth, rich flavor that enhances the cake.
- Incorporate Heavy Cream: Adding heavy cream to the buttercream creates a fluffier, creamier texture that elevates the overall richness and mouthfeel of the frosting.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: When ingredients are room temperature they incorporate much easier resulting in the best cake texture you can achieve.
- Use Parchment Paper: Line your cake pan with parchment paper for easy removal. This simple step prevents sticking. Place a long rectangle strip underneath the circle bottom that goes up and over the sides if you are not comfortable flipping the cake out.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake FAQs:
Can I make it in advance?
Yes! You can make the cake layer, wrap it and freeze it until you want to frost it and enjoy it. The buttercream can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, take it out to get soft before using.
Can I get the measurements by weight/grams?
The gram measurements are in parenthesis next to the cup measurements in the recipe card.
How do I store this pumpkin latte cake?
Store the cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Take the cake out an hour before enjoying for best texture results. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
Storage:
Refrigerator
Store the cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Take the cake out an hour before enjoying for best texture results.
Freezer
Store the cake in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I like to wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place in a container for extra protection against freezer burn. Defrost the cake in the refrigerator before eating for best results.
My List of Kitchen Must Haves (click)
Looking to have a well-equipped kitchen that will set you up for success. I have curated a list of my go to items that I think are a must have for any chef or budding chef. There are a lot of gadgets out there, but I feel that this list represents the true basics needed to make just about any recipe in your kitchen. Bon Appetite! Curated List of Kitchen Must Haves
More Recipe Suggestions:
Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
Quick Pumpkin Rigatoni with Candied Prosciutto and Walnuts
Pumpkin Beer Cheese Skillet with Soft Pretzels
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake:
- 1 cup 127 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup plus 6 tablespoons 204 grams dark brown sugar packed, I like dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup 173 grams pumpkin puree 100% pumpkin
- ¼ cup 53 grams vegetable oil
- ¼ cup 45 grams sour cream full fat, room temperature (you can also use plain yogurt)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Espresso Buttercream:
- 8 tablespoons 113 grams salted butter room temperature, add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt if you don’t have salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream cold
- 1 ½ cups 183 grams powdered sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. I like to cut out a circle the size of the pan, so it fits snuggly on the bottom.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs until well combined. Add the sour cream, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Be careful not to over mix!
- Pour the batter into the cake pan, spreading it out evenly. Bake for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool before frosting it.
Espresso Buttercream:
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and Instant Espresso Powder to the butter. Continue to beat until well combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, slowly, beating on low speed until each addition is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the cold heavy cream. Once added, increase the speed to high and beat until the buttercream is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- If the buttercream is too thick, you can add a little more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Frost the cooled down cake, spreading it out evenly.
Notes:
- Storage Refrigerator:
- Store the cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Take the cake out an hour before enjoying for best texture results.
- Storage Freezer:
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I like to wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place in a container for extra protection against freezer burn. Defrost the cake in the refrigerator before eating for best results.
- Avoid Over mixing: Be careful not to over mix the cake batter, as this can result in a dense and rubbery texture. Mix just until the ingredients are combined for a light, tender crumb.
- Choose Instant Espresso Powder: Use instant espresso powder for the buttercream, as it dissolves easily without the need for water. This ensures a smooth, rich flavor that enhances the cake.
- Incorporate Heavy Cream: Adding heavy cream to the buttercream creates a fluffier, creamier texture that elevates the overall richness and mouthfeel of the frosting.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: When ingredients are room temperature they incorporate much easier resulting in the best cake texture you can achieve.
- Use Parchment Paper: Line your cake pan with parchment paper for easy removal. This simple step prevents sticking. Place a long rectangle strip underneath the circle bottom that goes up and over the sides if you are not comfortable flipping the cake out.
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