This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake is your favorite Fall beverage in cake form! Pumpkin spice cake with a coffee buttercream.
Carrying on with last week’s theme of pumpkin recipes, this week I bring you a Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake! It’s been a while since I’ve had a post for you that was riddled with failures, so this one surely won’t disappoint. Much to the dismay of the lazy baker in me, what you’re seeing here is actually version #2 of this cake…
I had been thinking about doing another pumpkin spice latte recipe for a while now, since it’s one of my favourite Fall beverages. I made a Pumpkin Spice Latte Bundt Cake last year, and I wanted to translate that into a layer cake for this year.
Let’s talk about these adorable little pumpkins, because they’re clearly the stars of the show here.
I wasn’t totally sure how I wanted to decorate this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake initially — specifically, I didn’t know what to do with the frosting — but what I did know was that I wanted pumpkins on it in some way. I can be lazy, so I was really hoping to find some candy pumpkins that I could use as decorations.
Sadly, the closest I found were these ones from Wilton, which would have been good except they’re flat on one side, and I wanted them to be perfectly round. Sticking two together wouldn’t be “clean” enough for the look I was going for, so I gave them a pass.
How to make fondant pumpkins
I was going to have to resort to making my own. The old me would have been totally gung-ho for this, but the new me wasn’t particularly keen on it. Cake decorating used to be my main focus and I loved doing it, but it has been a loooong time since I’d worked with fondant or gumpaste in this capacity.
I was hoping to find pre-colored orange and green fondant to make my life easier, but no luck, so I ended up buying some white fondant that I would have to color (SIGH).
In hindsight, this actually worked out for the better, because I feel like there is more variety in the colors, and they’re not as bright as they likely would have been if I had used pre-colored fondant.
Oh, and I actually should have used gumpaste instead of fondant as it dries harder, which would have been better for the vines.
Can we talk about how much better the Wilton fondant is these days?? I hadn’t used it in years and have vivid memories of it being dry, hard to work with, and not very tasty.
I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It’s virtually the same as the marshmallow fondant I made a few months ago. In texture anyhow, I didn’t actually taste it.
Anyhow, fondant in hand, I dug through my color gels and picked a few that I thought would work well. I ended up using combinations of the following:
- Pumpkins – Wilton Orange, Wilton Buttercup Yellow, Americolor Terracotta
- Vines – Wilton Kelly Green, Wilton Moss Green
- Stalks – Americolor Chocolate Brown
The pumpkins didn’t take all that long to make, and I totally enjoyed doing it. After the fondant was colored, I tore off small sections and rolled them into balls, then used a gumpaste tool (the teal one pictured here) to make the creases in the pumpkins.
I rolled a tiny amount of brown fondant between my fingers until it resembled a stalk, and did the same with the leaves except I flattened them out (I attached them with a bit of water using a small, damp paintbrush).
For the vines, I rolled a very thin strip and then coiled it around a chopstick. Here’s where the gumpaste would have been better — it would have dried quicker and been easier to work with, albeit more fragile. The fondant worked just fine overall, though. Note: if the fondant gets too sticky, just rub some shortening onto your hands and/or the fondant.
I am obsessed with how these pumpkins turned out!
Ok, so you’re probably wondering where the fail part of this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake comes in…
Well, I didn’t take enough time to think about what I wanted to do with the frosting. I wanted the pumpkins to stand out, so I opted to go for completely smooth sides and top. Except that it wasn’t completely smooth and looked boring as *&^%.
I didn’t realize this until after I spent well over an hour taking pictures and cutting into the cake. UGH. I hated this damn cake. So much. And just so you can see what I’m talking about, here’s a pic.
After some much needed ranting and cursing to my friend Chrisy, I decided to redo the entire thing. Thankfully, I was able so salvage the pumpkins. I pulled them off the cake and stored them in an airtight container until I was ready to tackle it again.
I know it’s not that bad, but it’s just not what I had in mind for this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake at all.
Version #2 went much better. I tried a naked cake style first, but thought it still looked too plain, so decided to go with swirls on the sides.
I wish I had kept the top flatter, but oh well! It is what it is, and it is better than the first. I added more espresso into the second version as well, which added more flavour and color.
OH except I just remembered that for some reason my frosting was totally grainy in the new cake. Like, completely grainy. I don’t know wtf happened there — I’d made swiss meringue buttercream dozens of times and it’s always perfect, but I guess I didn’t dissolve the sugar for long enough? When I tested it, it was hot and didn’t feel grainy. SIGH.
Oh, and I also over-baked the cake this time (lol). Whatever. This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake still tasted delicious, albeit a bit crunchy from the frosting. All in all though, I’m really glad I redid it!
Looking for More Fall Cake Recipes?
- Pumpkin Cake with Candied Pecans
- Maple Cake with Maple Streusel
- Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Frosting
- Maple Streusel Pumpkin Cake
- Pear & Walnut Cake with Honey Buttercream
Tips for this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake:
- Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
- The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
- The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
- Be sure to use instant espresso powder (not granules) in the buttercream. Otherwise, dissolve the granules in 1 Tbsp hot water and let cool before adding to the frosting.
- I used the following color gels for the fondant pumpkins:
- Pumpkins – Wilton Orange, Wilton Buttercup Yellow, Americolor Terracotta
- Vines – Wilton Kelly Green, Wilton Moss Green
- Stalks – Americolor Chocolate Brown
- Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted, cooled
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light-brown sugar packed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Coffee Buttercream:
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
- 1 1/2 Tbsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 1-2 tsp hot water, cooled
Instructions
Pumpkin Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease & flour two 6" cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, melted butter, oil, pumpkin, and eggs.
- Add dry to wet and mix until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (approx. 35-40 mins).
- Cool in pans on wire rack for 10mins, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Coffee Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
- Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Add espresso. Whip until smooth.**
Assembly:
- Cut each layer of cake in half horizontally.
- Place one layer of cake onto a serving plate or cake stand. Top with 1/2 to 2/3 cup buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers.
- Crumb coat the entire cake (thin coat of frosting all over the cake). Chill for 30mins.
- Use the remaining frosting to cover the outside of the cake. Decorate the top and sides with a swirl if desired (I used a large offset spatula to do this). Decorate with fondant pumpkins.
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Notes
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth. If it looks soupy, place it in the fridge for 20mins and rewhip.
Originally published on Oct 9, 2016
Sonya Thompson says
Hey there. I am planning to use this recipe for cupcakes and noticed there is no milk. Is that because of the pumpkin? Just curious.
Olivia says
Hi Sonya! Yes, the pumpkin adds the moisture to the cake.
Stephanie Mumbower says
I made this in 2, 8” pans and it didn’t rise at all… They look like pancakes… I know I should have doubled the batter but is it normal for them to be so dense and not rise?
Olivia says
Hi Stephanie! The recipe calls for two 6″ pans. They would be quite flat in 8″ ones! The cakes are definitely more on the dense side (vs light & fluffy) and don’t rise a ton but they should rise. If there was no rise at all I would double check that your baking powder is still active.
Lyssa says
Hi there! If I wanted to infuse the cake with a flavored simple syrup (for an extra moist sponge), would you recommend a pumpkin pie spice or an espresso infused syrup? Or just a regular simple syrup? Thanks!!
Jacki says
I was thinking a pumpkin spice simple syrup for mine BUT I changed my mine because im swapping out the buttercream for an American buttercream so I can make the pumpkins out of it and they’ll hold up better. Im also doing a layer of spice apple pie filling and a salted caramel drip.
Basically, it’s going to be fall asf.
Olivia says
LOVE that flavour combo Jacki! Sounds crazy delicious.
Olivia says
Hi Lyssa! It really just depends on if you’d like to add more flavour anywhere. If it were me I’d do an espresso one 🙂
Lyssa says
Both of your ideas sound great! I’ll try an espresso simple syrup and let you know how it turns out 🙂
Mollie Simpson says
This cake was so moist and delicious! It was a huge hit! Thank you so much for the recipe! I needed a larger cake so I doubled the recipe and divided the batter into (6) 8-inch pans. I baked them for about 35 minutes. I ended up only using 5 of the layers for the cake and did not need to cut them in half. It definitely made a statement! Thanks again .
Olivia says
Hi Mollie! I’m so happy you loved this one. Thanks so much for your tips!
Tresa says
Liv, thank you so much for your website and recipes. I made this cake for a ladies’ luncheon and it turned out wonderful! This was the first time I ever did anything with fondant and the swirl icing worked great. The only thing I added was sprinkling a little cinnamon on the top.
Your blog and recipes have given me the courage to try to bake things I would have never even imagined.
Thank you so much.
Olivia says
Hi Tresa! Thank you so much for the sweet comment! I’m so happy you’re venturing into baking cakes and that my blog is helping you with that 🙂 Happy you loved this one! Can’t wait to hear what you try next 😀
Raj Vullakula says
Your cake looks super tall. How many 8 inch cakes did you bake? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Raj! The recipe is for 6″ cake pans. I talk about the specifics in my post.
Simone says
This cake barely survived the weekend. It was delicious!
I made a german buttercream instead since I didnt have a mixer.
Super moist cake and not too sweet either. Thanks for the recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Simone! Thanks for the amazing feedback! So glad you loved it 🙂
Susanne says
A perfect combination of flavors. I made this for guests this past weekend. The only thing I changed was making the pumpkins out marzipan instead of fondant. Thanks for another fantastic recipe!!
Olivia says
Hi Susanne! So happy you loved it. Thanks for the feedback!
Margaret Rolph says
Oh, another fabulous cake! So moist and the spices are jus t right, With the coffee buttercream, the pumpkin latte flavor is a delight. I love your recipes. Your tips and directions are so helpful. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Margaret! Thank you so much, I’m so glad you loved it! <3
Yasmine says
Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe, but was wondering can I use espresso from a Nespresso machine instead of powdered espresso!!?
Olivia says
Hi Yasmine! You could try it but I’m not sure it would be strong enough. You shouldn’t add more than 1 or 2 Tbsp as it can affect the texture of the frosting. I’m just not sure if that would be enough for the flavour to come through. You can give it a try though and see? Be sure it’s completely cooled before adding it to the buttercream.
Violet C says
I love all your recipes but just wondering if I changed the serving size to 6 would that make a small 3 layer 4” cake?!
Olivia says
Hi Violet! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts
I haven’t tried myself, but I have heard that halving a 6″ cake will make a 4″ cake.
Kat says
Hi! I am going to make these as cupcakes in two days but I cannot find instant espresso powder – only instant coffee powder.
Will this make a big difference?
Olivia says
Hi Kat! It’s not as strong as espresso powder so you may want to use more of it. Be sure to dissolve it in a bit of hot water before using in the buttercream.
Kat says
Thank you I’ll give that a try!
Donna Brown says
Your basic Swiss buttercream frosting has only 1 cup of butter for the 3 egg whites and 1 cup of sugar. Why did you increase this recipe to 1 1/2 cups of butter? It is a delicious recipe and I’ll be making it again!
Olivia says
Hi Donna! I tend to experiment with my SMBC recipes and add more or less ingredients as needed. the 3:1:1.5 ratio is one I use most often but some people find that too buttery so I reduced it to 3:1:1 for my standard recipe.
Suzanne Perry says
The recipe calls for 2 6” cake pans. Is that a typo? Should it be 9”?
Olivia says
Hi Suzanne! No, I used two 6″ pans and cut each layer in half.
Sarah says
This cake is incredible – tastes just like a pumpkin spice latte!
Thank you for another wonderful recipe. This was so easy to make and the combination of the cake and buttercream is wonderful.
I think I added a bit more coffee to the buttercream than the recipe specified, but I had no issues with it, and it tastes amazing. Your swiss meringue is the only one I’ve made and I’ve had success each and every time I’ve made it (which is only 3 times, but it’s so scary!).
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! thank you for the amazing feedback. I’m so glad you loved it!
Jessica says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Question about the buttercream though. I don’t have a paddle attachment for my mixer, can I just use regular beaters to add the butter? Or do you have any other suggestions? Thanks in advance 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Jessica! You can just use the regular beaters. Is it a hand mixer? If so it could be a bit more of a challenge. See this post for more details https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Michelle says
Was planning on converting to 2, 9” round pans. What size can of pumpkin purée?
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html Based on that I would double the recipe.
Trista says
Would I have to double the recipe for two 8 in cake pans
Olivia says
Hi Trista! I would 1.5x the recipe. Or you can 2x and make cupcakes with any extra batter.
Trista says
Can i use cake flour
Olivia says
Hi Trista! Yes, cake flour should work fine.
Marten says
Thanks for your recipe! Although it was only the third cake I ever made, it tasted really well. I added a thin layer of caramel fudge on top before adding the buttercream. This gave a nice sweetness in addition to the spiciness of the (homemade) pumpkin spice.
I also stuffed the pumpkins with some cupcake and fudge filling.
Check out the result here: https://imgur.com/J8zYS3e
Thanks for this nice recipe!!
Olivia says
Hi Marten! I’m so happy you liked this cake. Your version is perfect!! I love your pumpkins and how you decorated it <3 Thanks for including your photo and for the tip about the caramel fudge -- yum!!
Cortnie says
This looks amazing! Do you have any recommendations if I were to turn this into a 13×9 sheet cake?
Olivia says
Hi Cortnie! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I might recommend you 1.5x the recipe and try that. You can change the Servings to 18 to get the amounts.
Whipped says
Beautiful cake and one of my favorite fall flavors!! The pumpkins are amazing! Please Share more Recipes like that
Olivia says
Thank you! So glad you like it 🙂
Jen says
Do you have a video on how you did the swirls with the offset spatula with the icing. It looks so pretty!!
Olivia says
Hi Jen! I don’t have a video myself but here’s the general idea: https://youtu.be/nEKFCtXlOBU?t=163 I just hold my spatula on the side of the cake and move it up slightly while constantly turning the turntable.
Jade says
Hey there! Beautiful cake. I just wanted to provide some polite feedback. I wanted to go through the article and read about the recipe and enjoy the photos, but I was afraid of running into the decor with the little holes in them. I have trypophobia, as do many others. I don’t mean to sound like a burden or as someone that wants to nag, but I was wondering if in the future you’d consider maybe not putting one of those items in your photos. It’s very triggering. I hope I’m not being rude. I hope you have a wonderful day and continue to do amazing work. Sending positive vibes your way!
Olivia says
Hi Jade! Thanks so much for your feedback, I will refrain from using those in future photos!
Sarah says
The decor is beautiful and appropriate for fall. Can’t wait to try this!
Olivia says
Thank you! I hope you love it 🙂
Bailey says
This recipe looks amazing! Do you think this frosting would be firm enough to make a striped buttercream cake out of this?
Olivia says
Hi Bailey! For sure, it should work great for that!
Jennifer says
I made only the Pumpkin Cake portion of this recipe.
Changes I made:
– Made 1.5x the recipe and pour into one 8-inch round tin. Torted it into 2 layers.
– Took 70 minutes to bake.
I liked that this cake was mixed by hand and I didn’t need to use my stand mixer or hand mixer! Great, moist crumb while still being sturdy to stacking! Mine had a bit of a floral undertone in taste… not sure why and nothing bad at all! I used the Pumpkin Pie Spice from King Arthur Flour. I think next time I would add some extra Cinnamon!
Olivia says
Hi Jennifer! Thanks so much for the feedback and tips. I’m so glad you liked it!
Trish says
Fun recipe thank you! My daughter and I just made a pinata cake from this recipe with espresso m&ms in the center! Great Thanksgiving day dessert! I personally found the frosting a bit too buttery. I suppose if I make again I will simply use less butter and see how it turns out. Thanks again, for a great recipe
Olivia says
Hi Trish! So glad you liked it. You can definitely use less butter in the frosting! 🙂
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
Olivia says
Hi Vanessa! It will last in the fridge for a couple days, but you can make each component in advance and freeze instead until ready to assemble.
Charlotte says
Hello, I really love the sound of this and I have chosen to bake this cake for my Food Technology project. The problem is that I only have 100 minutes to mix, bake, cool it and ice it. I will make all the decorations the night before, but is there any way I could cut down the time? Is it possible that if I just do two layers by baking one pan, that the cooling and baking time are cut down? If so, could you please tell me the new baking heat and time?
xx
Olivia says
Hi Charlotte! If you bake in one pan it will actually take much longer. I suggest spreading the batter amongst 4 pans to bake up thinner layers. The baking temperature should stay the same but the time will vary depending on how thick the layers are. You can also cut the recipe in half.
Nikita Hill says
I’m thinking about making this cake for a trip this weekend and I need it to survive a 3-4 hr drive. My plan is to make everything ahead of time and then assemble/frost once I arrive. I have never made meringue buttercream, so I’m not sure how it would hold up. Would it be okay to make the buttercream ahead, store (chilled), then sit out at room temp a little bit before frosting?
Also, I love everyone’s ideas for adding a little crunch layer. Any suggestions for a recipe for that part?
Thanks!!
Olivia says
Hi Nikita! Sorry for the delayed reply. You can totally make the buttercream in advance and refrigerate. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using. For the crunch, any kind of streusel-like topping would work! You can leave out the spices if you prefer:
https://livforcake.com/maple-cake/
https://livforcake.com/apple-crisp-cake/
Mary says
I usually can’t wade through all the text to get to the recipes, but your was so entertaining that it went too fast. Can’t wait to make this. I love meringue buttercream. I think it would be amazing frosting with mint added on a chocolate cake(leave the pumpkin, sans spice, in for that dense moistness).
Olivia says
Thanks so much Mary! I hope you love this one as much as I do.
Maria says
Your cake looks way taller and the layers look no where near as thin as they would be just using the two cakes cut in half to make the 4 layers, Did you double the recipe and make 4 6” cakes for this photo?
Olivia says
I used the recipe as is. It made two 6″ cakes that were about 2″ tall so each layer is about 1″ tall.
Kaia says
Can I ask why you use 6 inch cake pans instead of 8? I’m always disappointed that my cakes look much shorter than in photos like yours. Is it for the height? I though 8 was the typical sized for cakes.
Olivia says
Hi Kaia! I prefer the look of smaller and taller cakes, but most of my 6″ cake recipes should work in 8″ pans.
Joan says
Going to use this design for my nieces baby shower in October. So, going to do a test run in the next few days. First time for Swiss meringue and my niece doesn’t like pumpkin so I’m going to do a vanilla bean cake with vanilla bean frosting. Her shower is Lil pumpkin themed, so she loves this design. Oh and I’m going to try to do the pumpkins with gum paste, I’ve never used it before, so lots of new stuff to try out!! Thanks for the inspiration!! Wish me luck!!
Olivia says
Hi Joan! I’m so glad you’re going to try this design! Please send me a picture, I’d love to see it!
Joan says
Hi Olivia! I tried making the terra cotta colored pumpkins today, but they came out pink, do I need to mix with the orange or yellow to get the shade that you did?
Joan says
And when I tested the frosting recipe, it went without a hitch and people loved it. Thanks!
Olivia says
So happy to hear that!!
Olivia says
Hi Joan! I would keep mixing the colors until they looked right 🙂
Sara says
Didn’t take time to read through the entirety of the comments-but I did make cupcakes and it made 18! The frosting is oh-so-delicious!
Olivia says
Awesome, thanks for the tip Sara!
Erin says
I can’t wait to try out your recipes!
I’ve seen meringue buttercream recipes that say to heat up the eggs to at least 140 F. Is that not necessary?
Olivia says
Hi Erin! It’s actually 160F. It’s ideal to do if you’re concerned about contamination from the whites. I’m too lazy to whip out a thermometer so just do it until it’s no longer grainy and hot to the touch.
Lianne says
What is the size of the cake tin your using?
Olivia says
Hi Lianne! I used two 6×2″ cake pans, but 6×3″ would work too.
Carol says
I have been searching my area for 6″cake pans and would you believe that I cannot find any? I did not check Walmart because usually the type they have there are not the best quality and that is what I am after when I buy pans or any sort of kitchenware now. I hate buying anything and having to buy it again because it is so cheap.Anyway I found just beautiful ones on Amazon and am waiting rather impatiently for them to arrive. I cannot wait to try those beautiful cakes I see on your posts!This is one that I will be making ASAP when I get my hands on those pans!
Olivia says
Hi Carol! Bummer about the 6″ pans! But to be honest, I think I ordered mine all online — they’re not common in the stores here either. I totally agree about buying high quality pans too! I hope you love this one. Let me know how it turns out!!
Heather says
Hi Olivia what make of pans do you buy.? Im going to try this for Thanksgiving thanks
Olivia says
Hi Heather! My favourite are Fat Daddios.
brooke says
would the coffee buttercream be the icing? or could i️ add expresso powder to pumpkin spice cream cheese icing? would it possibly taste the same?
Olivia says
Hi Brooke! It would taste quite different with a cream cheese frosting, but I imagine it would be equally delicious!
Joe says
I made this last week to test the flavor combo and recipe…OMG, YUMMMMMM!
Having said that, the batter was quite thick and the cake came out dense. More like pumpkin bread than cake. Reread the recipe to make sure I followed it exactly, and I did. Unless, of course, the cake is SUPPOSED to be on the dense side in which case it came out perfectly! 🙂
Any thoughts?
Olivia says
Hi Joe! The cake is definitely more on the dense side due to the pumpkin in the batter. It sounds like it came out perfectly for you, I’m so glad you liked it!! 🙂
Joe says
Thanks, Olivia.
I added the streusel from the maple/pumpkin cake to this one, but substituted pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon. It added a nice textural element and a little more spice flavor. It was a hit on Thanksgiving!
Olivia says
I love adding a crunchy layer to cakes to, the texture contrasts are so good! Glad it was a hit 🙂
Natalie says
I plan to make this recipe, but might use it for cupcakes. How many regular sized cupcakes do you think this would make?
Olivia says
Hi Natalie! I’m not totally sure as I’ve never used it for cupcakes. Maybe 15 or so? Just a guess.
Clara says
I made this cake a couple of weeks ago and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing this!!
Olivia says
Hi Clara! I happy to hear that you made it and liked it!!
Lauren says
You are my cake go-to site! I’ve been asked to make cupcakes and I needed a pumpkin version… low and behold you have a nice inventory 🙂 this one, however, sounds too good not too make! You’re so creative. I rely on you to keep making me look like a baker 😉
Thanks for sharing your recipes and tips!!
Olivia says
Hi Lauren! You are the sweetest, thank you!! This is one of my favourites. I hope you like it, email me a pic!! 😀
Hakima says
I want to try making these cute pumpkins, but I’ve never worked with fondant before, so I’m a bit scared. I also don’t have anything. I guess I’d have to start with getting the fondant and the coloring. I found a good deal on Amazon for a color kit. It’s not wilton, but it’s for icing, fondant, etc. As for the fondant, how many lbs should I get? And should I use as little color as possible?
Also, how small/large are these? They look big, but since the cake is only 6in, I’m assuming they’re quite small.
But I’m totally excited to take on this challenge!! 😀 Also, your cake is absolutely wow! I don’t even care so much for pumpkin and I plan to make this cake. lol
I’ve made at least 3 of your cakes in the last couple weeks and they have all been AMAZING. Thank you so much for posting delicious recipes.
Hakima says
I ended up doing the cute little fondant pumpkins and they came out great. Cake was amazing! I decided to go with a cream cheese frosting instead of the swiss meringue because I knew most people I know liked the pumpkin/cream cheese combo. But I accidentally dumped the entire can of pumpkin puree into the cake. BUT, it came out SO moist and not overpowering at all! So. Good!
Olivia says
Yay! So glad to hear you liked it 🙂 And yay for the fondant pumpkins!!
JK says
Hi Liv! This cake was FANTASTIC! I made two last Halloween and both were a hit. Not too sweet, perfect combo of flavors, and so suitable for fall. This year I was wondering what I would need to do with the measurements if I wanted to turn this cake into cupcakes, or into an 8″ cake. Do you have any suggestions?
Olivia says
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it. I LOVE this cake. If you 1.5x the recipe, it should work for two 8″ cake rounds. Is that enough or do you want 3 layers? For cupcakes you can just use it as is, but reduce the baking time — start checking them at 15mins.
JK says
Perfect, thank you! I’d like 3 layers for the 8″ so I guess I’ll double the recipe and just have a little extra for a small batch of cupcakes or something!
Olivia says
Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Sarah says
Hi Olivia – what size is the can of pumpkin you are using?
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! I think it’s a 15oz can, but I only use 1 cup of it.
Sarah says
lol sorry apparently I’m just learning how to read. Thank you for replying.
Olivia says
Lol!! No problem 🙂
Sarah says
I made this for my “5th Annual-ish Pumpkin Dessert Off” vs. my brother-in-law and it was a hit! My mom only has two 9-in cake pans, so I doubled the cake recipe and it was the right amount. I did NOt cut them in half horizontally, and had just enough frosting as stated for each layer and the sides.
I had a little “happy oops” when I added the instant espresso powder to the buttercream without dissolving it in water first (lol… it was early) but I ended up adding 1 tsp of brewed coffee, in addition to the 1.5 tbsp of powder. The espresso powder actually gave the frosting a “rustic” look and it didn’t make it too grainy. My family thought it was intentional and loved it. As I said, a very happy oops! 😊
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! Yay! I’m so glad everyone liked it 🙂 I actually never used to dissolve my espresso powder either, but mine is very fine and would incorporate fully. I love the idea of the rustic look!
Myra says
I just made this…my cake didn’t rise?? What did I do wrong…I’m remixing and decided to look at reviews?? Any guesses?
Olivia says
Hi Myra! Is your baking powder old? It’s possible that it could be expired. You can test it by adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to warm water. The mixture should fizz.
Sarah Marie says
Made this for thanksgiving. Looks way less cute than yours but absolutely delicious! Thanks for a great recipe and inspiration.
Olivia says
Aww yay! I’m sure it looks amazing. I’m so glad you like it!!
Ashley says
Did you double get recipe to make the four layers?
Olivia says
Hi Ashley! No, I cut each cake layer in half before assembling.
Susana carpenter says
Hi Olivia,
I baked 5 cakes of this recipe for some friends. LL OF THEM LOVED THE CAKE!! I added Coarsely crushed rice crispies coated on caramelizad sugar between the layers to give the cake an extra texture. This feature was absolutely a success. Everyone asked me what were “the crunchy bites”, and when I told them these were just rice crispier, they could not believe it!
I would like to bake this cake for Xgiving dinner using three 9″ cake pans. How can I convert the measurements accordingly?
Thank you very much, Olivia. I have baked all the recipes you post and I cannot thank you enough for all the wealth of baking skills you have added to my repertoire.
Best regards, susana
Olivia says
Hi Susana! You are so sweet, thank you!! I’m so glad everyone liked the cake and great tip about adding some crunchy texture! Love that. I think if you want to use three 9″ cake pans you should 3x the recipe. Let me know how it turns out!
Cindy Boor says
would you happen to have the direction for that crunchy rice krispies you put in the center?
Cameron says
Gorgeous work! I love the swirls on the sides and top of the cake. Can you share how you did those, or do you have a tutorial up elsewhere? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Cameron! Thanks!! I don’t have a tutorial, but I’m sure there are some online. Basically, I smooth the sides and then press an offset spatula into the side of the cake and spin it as I move the spatula up. If that makes sense :).
SpecialAgentDaleBaker says
Omg I have all the ingredients to make this cake right now except for instant espresso! But I have coffee and a french press. Can I MacGyver an alternative?
Olivia says
Haha yes, that should work! Just make it as strong as possible and try not to use more than 1 Tbsp of the coffee in the frosting (more might be ok but I haven’t tried). Oh and make sure it’s completely cooled before adding to the frosting!
Samantha | My Kitchen Love says
You outdid yourself with these adorable little pumpkins! And your espresso buttercream sounds and looks like perfection! I love the swirls on top! I can’t wait to see your next cake!!
Olivia says
Thank you!! <3 those little pumpkins 🙂 xoxox
Yvonne says
Grainy frosting can happen if you use ANY other brand of powdered sugar than C&H. Even a little bit of another brand can make it turn. This is due to some companies cutting their cane sugar with beet sugar!!! It took me a long time to figure out why sometimes my frosting was perfect and other times was grainy. Beautiful cake and sounds yum!
Olivia says
Good to know, thanks Yvonne!!
Margaret says
But the recipe calls for granulated. Are we supposed to use powdered?
Olivia says
Hi Margaret! No, be sure to use granulated for the cake and buttercream 🙂 I think Yvonne was referring to American buttercreams that use powdered sugar.
Dani says
This looks gorgeous. I’d love to make it but I have a question. Butter weighs 113 grams per half cup. You list 1/4 cup but 170 g which I believe would be a cup and a half. Which is correct?
Olivia says
Ack! Good catch. The first recipe I tested used 3/4 cup butter (170g) and I missed updating that part. I’ve updated the recipe now. Please let me know how you like it! 🙂
Justine | JustineCelina.com says
Olivia, you constantly blow me away with your creativity and innovation! Your cakes are truly works of art. Bravo!
Olivia says
You are so sweet Justine, thank you!! <3
Jenny says
Those pumpkins are the cutest ever! The cake looks amazing. Totally digging the coffee buttercream!
Olivia says
I love the pumpkins!! So happy with them. And that coffee buttercream is to die for!
Mrs Major Hoff says
Absolutely Stunning! I bet it’s delicious to boot!
Olivia says
Thank you!! It was pretty delicious 🙂
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says
Oh my gosh! I thought I was the only insane person who completely remakes recipes because I hate the way the photos turn out. SERIOUSLY. I have done it probably a dozen times. And it’s the worst when it’s a cake like this, with multiple components! It’s aggravating to be so picky, but at the same time, once that thought gets into my head, I loathe the pictures and HAVE to redo them before I feel comfortable sharing them. So, uh, I guess I’m glad we’re both crazy?
Also I love that we’re mini pumpkin soul sisters this week. Great minds, etc!
Olivia says
I am so glad I am not alone in the re-doing! See we are clearly soul sisters in more than just mini pumpkins! <3
Heather Kinnaird says
seriously, this is one of the prettiest fall cakes I have ever seen!! I thought the first one look great oo, but the swirls definitely add a lot to the overall look. it is just stunning
Olivia says
Thanks so much Heather! I’m happy with how it turned out 😀
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
I adore the simple elegance of this cake (both versions) and the flavours, of course!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Jacquee!! <3 xo
Marisa says
The second cake definitely has more character, however both cakes are simply gorgeous! I could dig into either cakes just about anytime!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Marisa! 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Well the final version looks absolutely stunning Olivia! You are so persistent and have such patience! I greatly admire you and your talent! Those pumpkins on top are totally adorable and your photos are fabulous!
Olivia says
That is maybe the nicest comment ever. Thanks so much Mary Ann! I don’t know if it’s patience or insanity — one or the other ;).
April Woods says
i love this so hard
Olivia says
What’s not to love, right?? xoxoxo
Nancy says
Beautiful cake and one of my favorite fall flavors!! The pumpkins are amazing! I will agree that the second cake has more character but I wouldn’t say no to a slice of either cake!!
Olivia says
Thanks Nancy! It’s one of my fave flavours too 🙂 And I loooove the pumpkins 😀
Kelly | Maverick Baking says
We’ve all been there. I’ve seen myself throw a whole cake away in rage just because a bit broke off or something, oops! I love the look you’ve gotten with #2, so simple but so pretty, and the cake sounds yummyyyyyy 🙂
Olivia says
Thanks so much Kelly! I’m glad I’m not alone :). The cake was super yummy!
Mel @ The Refreshanista says
Omg coffee buttercream on a pumpkin spice cake sounds heavenly!!! I love the way you frosted it, and of course those cute little pumpkins- stunning!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Mel!! It’s a great tasting combo :). And I LOVE those pumpkins. Totally saving them :D.