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4.59 from 60 ratings

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Yield: 16 slices
Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook: 38 minutes
Total: 2 hours 8 minutes
This perfect pumpkin spice latte cake is an extra soft and moist pumpkin spice cake soaked with sweet, spiced, milky espresso and frosted with delectable espresso cream cheese frosting. It's so incredibly soft, packed full of warm autumn flavor, with the most irresistible texture from the latte soak, almost like a tres leches, but not quite as wet. The perfect pumpkin cake to bake this autumn!
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Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cake

  • 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (244 g) canned pumpkin puree, at room temperature

For the Latte Soak

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) espresso or strong coffee
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions
 

For the Pumpkin Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
    2 1/4 cups (281 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
  • Add the softened butter and granulated white sugar to a large bowl. Cream together for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on high speed. (You can also use a stand mixer.)
    10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
  • Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
    2 eggs, at room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Add in the buttermilk and canned pumpkin puree and mix on medium-low speed until combined.
    (It will look curdled at this point but don't worry. Everything will combine together nicely once the dry ingredients are added!)
    1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature, 1 cup (244 g) canned pumpkin puree, at room temperature
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until the cake batter is combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the cake for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then pull up on the parchment paper to release it from the pan. Let the cake continue cooling on the cooling rack until completely cooled.

For the Latte Soak

  • While the cake cools, make the latte milk soak by mixing together the espresso, milk, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup or something easily poured from.
    1/4 cup (60 ml) espresso or strong coffee, 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole milk, 1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

  • While the cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting by adding the butter to a large bowl. Whip the butter on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.
    1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • Then add in the cold cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined and fluffy.
    8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix on low speed until all is combined, then on high speed for about 1 minute until fluffy.
    2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
  • Dissolve the instant espresso powder into the vanilla extract in a small ramekin. Then add it to the frosting along with the pumpkin pie spice and mix on medium-low speed until combined, then on high speed until light and fluffy again.
    1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp instant espresso powder, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Assembling the Cake

  • When the cake is completely cooled, cut a very thin layer off the top of the cake using a sharp knife. This will make it easier for the latte mixture to absorb into the cake. Transfer it to a serving plate. Poke holes on the top of the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.
    (I used the handle of a honey dipper for smaller holes.)
  • Slowly pour the latte mixture on top of the cake. It is thin so it should absorb into the cake and the poked holes easily, but do be patient as it does.
  • Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of espresso cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula. Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top of the frosting, then cut into 16 slices and serve!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream cheese frosting, psl, pumpkin, pumpkin cake, pumpkin dessert, pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice latte cake
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