Pumpkin Spiced Latte Layered Cake in Coffee Buttercream

Welcome fall with this coffeehouse-inspired cake! Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake combines rich pumpkin cake with coffee buttercream and a decadent drizzle of caramel for the ultimate autumnal treat.

Yep, you read that right. I went there. I took every white girl’s all-time favorite fall drink and turned it into a cake! This Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake features dense spiced pumpkin cake, covered in coffee buttercream, and slathered in caramel. The caramel component is not quite true-to-Starbucks, but it was so pretty that I just couldn’t resist! Also, I’ve been wanting to make a drip cake forever, and this particular cake was just too perfect for the occasion. As a result…PSL! In cake form! Let’s make it!

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So, I have a confession to make. While I do love basically anything with pumpkin in it {from cookies to pie to soup to hot chocolate}, I do not love PSLs. I KNOW. I know. I’ve tried! I feel like I really used to like them. BUT, coffee and pumpkin are two of my favorite things, so this pumpkin spice latte layer cake was really just another of my evil genius ideas waiting to come to fruition.

click HERE for my homemade caramel recipe!

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• Author: Valeria Weaver
• Yield: 24 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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Cake

• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix
• 1¼ cups white sugar
• ¾ cups brown sugar
• ½ cup {1 stick} unsalted butter (softened)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp espresso powder
• ½ cups whole milk
• pinch of salt

Frosting

• 1 cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter (softened)
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp espresso powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt

Topping

• homemade caramel {find link to recipe above}
• sprinkles

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Instructions

1. First, make the cakes. Heat the oven to 350F, and grease & flour 3 8-inch cake pans {or 4 6-inch pans}.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the oil. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating until each addition, and finally stir in the vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree and milk until smooth.
4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, espresso powder, and pumpkin spice.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, and mix until combined. Add in the pumpkin mixture and mix again, then add in the remaining dry ingredients.
6. Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans, and bake for 30-35 minutes for 8-inch pans, or 40-45 minutes for 6-inch pans.
7. Let cakes cool slightly, then remove from pans and let cool completely before frosting.
8. While the cakes cool off, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
9. Add in the vanilla, salt, and espresso powder.
10. Add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until smooth and well-incorporated. Finally, add in the milk.
11. When ready to assemble, place a small dollop of frosting on a cake board or the cake stand you will be working on. Place one of the cakes on it, and top with some frosting. Place the second cake on top, put more frosting, and top with the final cake. For a smooth, pretty top, place the last cake upside down so that the part that sat on the bottom of the cake pan will be the top of the cake.
12. Finish frosting as desired, saving a little bit of frosting for decorating the top. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before decorating. The caramel will have to be a little warm to pour easily and you don’t want the frosting sliding off!
13. Finally, top the cake with the caramel, pipe some decorations with the frosting you set aside earlier, and top the whole thing with sprinkles and a dash of cinnamon. Enjoy!

• Category: Dessert