Okay, so here’s the thing. I’ve made this pumpkin spice latte cake about seven times now (yes, really), and I’m still not sick of it. The first two attempts were… let’s just say my family politely ate them and changed the subject. But version three? That’s when everything clicked.
Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. I wasn’t even planning to make this cake. It started because my sister texted me at like 10 PM asking if I had a “good pumpkin cake recipe that doesn’t taste like a candle.” Weirdly specific, right? But I knew exactly what she meant because I’d tried one of those overly-spiced disasters before.
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Why This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake Actually Works
Most pumpkin cakes are either too dense (basically pumpkin bread pretending to be cake) or so dry you need a gallon of milk to get through one slice. This one’s different. It’s genuinely moist—like, stays-fresh-for-days moist. And the coffee flavor? Not overwhelming, just enough to remind you why pumpkin spice lattes became a thing in the first place.
I think the secret is the combination of oil and butter. Some recipes use all oil, which makes it moist but kinda flavorless. All butter makes it taste amazing but can be dry. This combo gives you the best of both worlds.
What Makes It Taste Like an Actual Latte
The espresso soak. Trust me on this one. I know it sounds extra, but it’s literally what makes this a “latte cake” instead of just another pumpkin cake. You poke holes in the warm cake and pour this sweet, milky espresso mixture over it. Sounds weird, tastes incredible.
Ingredients for the Best Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
Shopping for this is pretty straightforward, except finding good pumpkin puree this time of year can be annoying. Make sure you grab pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. I learned that lesson the hard way when I grabbed the wrong can and ended up with weirdly sweet, pre-spiced cake batter. Disaster.
For the Cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spoon it in, don’t pack it)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (or make your own if you’re feeling fancy)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (that’s a weird amount, I know)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature (actually matters here)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
For the Espresso Soak:
- 1/4 cup strong coffee or espresso (I just use my Keurig on the smallest setting)
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (this is the magic ingredient)
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, COLD (not room temp, trust me)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
A note about the cream cheese: keep it cold. I know every other recipe tells you to soften your cream cheese, but not here. Cold cream cheese + soft butter = perfect, stable frosting. Soft cream cheese + soft butter = soupy mess. Ask me how I know.
How to Make This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan and line it with parchment paper. I always do both because I’m paranoid about cakes sticking. Last time I skipped the parchment, I spent 20 minutes digging cake out of the pan corners. Not fun.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Stuff
Whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside. That’s it. Don’t overthink this part.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl (or stand mixer if you have one), beat the softened butter and oil together for like 30 seconds, then add the sugar. Beat on medium-high for about 3-4 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. This is actually important—it adds air to your cake, making it lighter.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Then add the vanilla. The mixture might look a little weird and separated. That’s normal.
Step 4: Add the Pumpkin
Mix in the pumpkin puree until just combined. Now your batter will look kinda orange and lumpy. Still normal. Don’t panic.
Step 5: Alternate Wet and Dry
Here’s where people usually mess up. Add about a third of the flour mixture, mix until just barely combined, then add half the buttermilk. Mix. Add another third of flour, the rest of the buttermilk, then the last of the flour. Mix until JUST combined. Do NOT overmix or you’ll end up with tough, dense cake. The batter should still have some small lumps. That’s what you want.
Step 6: Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine). Set a timer for 35 minutes, then check it. My oven runs hot, so mine’s usually done at 37 minutes.
Step 7: The Latte Soak (Don’t Skip This!)
While the cake is baking, make your espresso soak. Whisk together the coffee, milk, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla in a bowl. That’s it.
When the cake comes out of the oven, let it cool for about 5 minutes, then use a fork or wooden skewer to poke holes all over the top. Like, a LOT of holes. Every inch or so. Then slowly pour the espresso soak all over the cake. It’ll look like too much liquid. It’s not. The cake will absorb it all. Wait, I almost forgot—make sure to pour it evenly! I dumped it all in one corner the first time and ended up with one soggy quadrant and three dry ones.
Let the cake cool completely. This takes forever. I usually make it the night before and frost it the next day.
Step 8: Make the Frosting
Beat the softened butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the COLD cream cheese in chunks and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar gradually (or it’ll poof everywhere—learned that one the hard way), then the vanilla, espresso powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until fluffy and spreadable.
Spread the frosting all over the cooled cake. I don’t do fancy swirls or anything. Just spread it on and call it good. If you want to be extra, you can dust some extra pumpkin pie spice or espresso powder on top.
Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned
Room temperature ingredients actually matter. Cold eggs and buttermilk don’t mix well with softened butter. You’ll end up with a lumpy batter that doesn’t rise properly. If you forget to take them out ahead of time (which I always do), put the eggs in warm water for 5 minutes and microwave the buttermilk for like 15 seconds.
Don’t skip the soak. I know it seems like an extra step, but it’s what makes this a pumpkin spice latte cake instead of just pumpkin cake with coffee frosting. The soak adds moisture and that subtle coffee-milk flavor that ties everything together.
This cake is better the next day. I know, I know, fresh-baked cake is usually best. But this one? It needs time for the flavors to meld. Make it tonight, frost it tomorrow, serve it the day after. You’ll thank me.
Storage: Cover it and keep it on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. It actually stays incredibly moist. My mom kept a piece in the fridge for like 10 days (don’t ask why) and it was still good.
What If You Don’t Like Coffee?
Look, I get it. Not everyone’s a coffee person. You can reduce the espresso powder in the frosting to 1 teaspoon, or leave it out completely. You’ll lose some of that “latte” vibe, but the cake will still be delicious. The soak has such a small amount of coffee that even my coffee-hating kid eats this without complaining.
Why Everyone Keeps Asking for This Recipe
I brought this to a potluck last month and had four people text me asking for the recipe before I even got home. Something about the combination of warm spices, moist cake, and that creamy coffee frosting just works. It’s cozy without being too sweet. Fancy enough for Thanksgiving but easy enough to make on a random Tuesday.
My neighbor Sarah (who bakes professionally, by the way) tried it and said, “This is what pumpkin spice lattes wish they tasted like.” I’m still riding that high.
Anyway, try this and let me know how it turns out! I’m genuinely curious if anyone else becomes as obsessed with this cake as I am. And if you have any tricks for making it even better, please share because I’m always down to experiment.
Happy baking! (And may your espresso soak actually soak in evenly, unlike my first attempt.)
