Pumpkin spice latte cake: A rich and warmly spiced cake with a punch of espresso that’s not too sweet or overly saturated with pumpkin spice flavor.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Surely by now you’re sick of hearing about pumpkin spice everything, right? But wait! Don’t let that drive you from this page!

Because: CAKE. Pumpkin spice latte cake!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that this isn’t your typical pumpkin spice anything that you’ve tried before. And if you’re a latte lover like I am, I know you’ll easily fall for this cake.

This cake isn’t sickeningly sweet, but just sweet enough to remind you that you’re eating dessert. It’s not overly pumpkin-y either, but rather, it’s a rich and warmly spiced cake with just a hint of pumpkin spice flavor.

And then we’ve got the espresso! Because what would anything latte-flavored be without espresso? This pumpkin spice latte cake is heavy on the espresso flavor and at the same time, it doesn’t taste like coffee.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Do I need to remind you how much I love espresso in my sweets? I think not.

Basically, all of the flavors mesh SO incredibly well here and if you can believe it, the cake is even better on the day after you make it. Wrapped tightly, it stays soft, tender, and ummm…moist? Sorry. I had to go there!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

I’ve made other pumpkin cakes in the past, both with a cream cheese-based frosting but I decided that for a pumpkin spice latte cake, whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel was definitely the way to go.

It’s a bit more true to the feel of the coffee drink and SO much faster to make than frosting. Plus? I really like the idea of a pumpkin snack cake with just a simple dollop of whipped cream on top!

So this pumpkin spice cake got made twice in the past couple of weeks and it was basically devoured each time. I mean: not a crumb left on the cake platter. The Grinch may as well have been in my house!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

And that’s saying A LOT because by this time of year, Kyle is SO SO sick of eating pumpkin desserts. But this cake was big with him for one reason: the espresso.

He’s just as much of a coffee addict as I am – if not more – so he had a really difficult time resisting this cake. The espresso really does make the cake a little bit more of a “mature” pumpkin cake, if there is such a thing!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Yield: 12 to 24 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Pumpkin spice latte cake is a rich and warmly spiced snack cake with a punch of espresso that every coffee lover in your family will swoon over. It's not too sweet or overly saturated with pumpkin spice flavor and it makes for a quick, easy, and delicious fall treat.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 ½ tsp espresso powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, line it with a piece of parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
    2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, espresso powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
    3. Cream the butter and sugars together in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix in the pumpkin until incorporated. With the mixer on low, gradually stir in the dry ingredients just until the flour disappears. Scrape the bowl again to ensure no flour gets stuck on the bottom of the bowl. With a spatula, spread the batter evenly out in the pan.
    4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before lifting the parchment out of the pan and cutting the cake.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 179

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Leave a Comment

  • Melissa Griffiths
    October 9, 2017 at 9:09 PM

    This cake is gorgeous! I am definitely not sick of pumpkin everything!

    • Tara
      October 10, 2017 at 5:10 PM

      Thanks, Melissa! And truthfully, neither am I! Glad to see I’m not alone!!

  • Karly
    October 9, 2017 at 9:51 PM

    Wow. Just. Perfection. PSL, in a cake? It really doesn’t get any better than that!

    • Tara
      October 10, 2017 at 5:12 PM

      Oh no it doesn’t! I’ll admit to indulging in 1 or 2 PSLs a year but I feel like this cake may be somewhat “healthier.” LOL!