Now that it’s crisp and cool outside, whip up something warmly delicious like our Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake! This layer cake is not just any cake; it’s a heavenly blend of rich Fall flavors with a latte twist (pumpkin spice latte).

Made with moist, tender cake layers, creamy espresso whipped cream frosting, and drizzled with a rich homemade caramel sauce – this recipe will quickly become one of your favorite seasonal treats.

layer cake with creamy filling and a caramel topping.

A Pumpkin Spice Latte is all the rage at Starbucks in the fall and winter. Espresso, steamed milk, pumpkin spice flavors, and a gooey drizzle of caramel on top make the drink a must-have for the season.

We have captured all those flavors in our Pumpkin Spice Latte cake, and friends, this is one delicious dessert. The pumpkin layer cake is tender and moist, with rich pumpkin flavor, spices, and a hint of espresso. The salted caramel drizzle takes this pumpkin layer cake to the next level.

The filling for this cake is light, airy, and incredibly fluffy (just like the whipped topping on a Starbucks latte). We added cream cheese to a basic whipped cream recipe to make it sturdier so it will hold up all the cake layers. You could use the same filling in our pumpkin whoopie pies.

Here Is Why This Recipe Works

Adding cream cheese to the espresso whipped cream makes the topping thicker and stabilizes the whipped filling, ensuring the cake stays together.
Espresso powder makes the filling taste like a latte.
You can use store bought or homemade caramel sauce.
The cake stays moist for several days.

If you like this cake, you will like our pumpkin cake with caramel frosting, or our einkorn pumpkin cake roll, and our pumpkin pecan cheesecake.

layers of cake and whip cream with a caramel drizzle.

What You Need To Make This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this pumpkin layer cake recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake Ingredients

Flour: All purpose flour works fine in this cake.
Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda
Salt
Spices: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves. You could also substitute these spices with pumpkin pie spice blend.
Sugar: Granulated sugar and brown sugar
Vegetable Oil
Eggs – Room temperature.
Pumpkin puree. The brand of pumpkin puree makes a difference. Some brands have higher water content. We use Libby’s brand for baking, including our pumpkin pies.
Vanilla extract

Latte-Flavored Whipped Cream Filling

Cream cheese. Bring to room temperature. Make sure you purchase block-style cream cheese and not the kind that comes in tubs.
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract
Instant coffee granules or espresso powder
Heavy cream – It will whip with much more volume when it’s cold.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

You can make your own caramel sauce or purchase a jar of the store-bought sweet treat. Here are the ingredients to make a homemade caramel sauce.

Heavy Cream
Butter
Vanilla extract
Salt
Sugar: Granulated sugar and Corn syrup – (helps prevent crystallization).

pedestal cake stand with layer half a layer cake.

How To Make This Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake Recipe

Here is a brief overview so you can get an idea of what to expect when making this pumpkin caramel latte cake. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for expanded details.

Bake the cakes.
Make the latte whipped filling.
Make the caramel sauce.
Assemble the cake.

We baked two 9-inch cakes then we cut them in half to make this 4 layer pumpkin cake. If you don’t want to cut the cakes in half, you can bake four thin cakes instead of two thicker cakes.

Tip: If you divide the batter into four cake pans, they will only need to bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness.

Tips for Success

Here are our pro tips when making this spiced pumpkin caramel layer cake and latte whipped cream frosting.

Divide the batter as evenly as possible when you pour it into the cake pans for a more balanced cake. We use a kitchen scale.
Let the cream cheese come to room temperature. You will end up with a lumpy, clumpy mess if the cream cheese is cold and hard.
Make sure the heavy cream is cold when you make the latte whipped cream. Warm or room temperature cream will not whip well.

A slice of a four layer pumpkin latte cake.

Storage Options

This pumpkin caramel latte cake can be stored in the fridge, keeping the cake fresh for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.

More Pumpkin Spice Flavor Recipes

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Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love

Our chocolate amaretto mousse cake has three layers of flavors. The combination of chocolate, coffee, and amaretto makes a divine dessert.

Sticky cinnamon rolls are everyone’s favorite and they are perfect for weekend mornings with a cup of hot coffee.

If you like ooey, gooey, rich desserts, our chocolate caramel tart will send you over the moon. It tastes like a chocolate truffle with caramel sauce.

Caramel sauce dripping off a slice of pumpkin layer cake.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

A moist pumpkin spice cake with a fluffy latte flavored cream frosting and a delicious homemade caramel sauce drizzle.

4.91 from 21 votes

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Prep Time: 50

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 859kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-½ teaspoons salt
2-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups sugar (400 grams)
½ cup packed brown sugar (100 grams)
¾ cup canola oil
4 large eggs
15 ounces pumpkin puree
2-½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Latte Whipped Cream

12 ounces cream cheese softenend
2-¼ cups powdered sugar
1-½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2-½ teaspoons instant coffee granules
3 cups heavy cream

Caramel Sauce

½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup light corn syrup helps prevent crystallization
1 cup sugar

Instructions

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Place the first 10 ingredients (from flour to brown sugar) into a mixing bowl and blend the ingredients on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes to get the ingredients sifted and combined.
Add the oil, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix on low until the dry ingredients are moistened then increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes until well combined, be sure to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides halfway into the mixing.
Divide the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface. Bake about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out just barely clean.
Set the pans on cooling racks to cool completely then run a knife around the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes then invert them onto racks and remove the parchment paper.

Latte Whipped Cream

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and coffee granules. Using a whisk attachment, beat on low speed until combined then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth.
Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour in the heavy cream (go slowly to prevent splatter). Once the cream is combined, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 1 minute then stop and scrape the sides down and whip again until you see medium-stiff peaks.

Caramel Sauce

Place the cream, butter, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, if it begins to boil, reduce the heat and keep warm while you cook the syrup.
In a medium saucepan (about 3 quarts), fitted with a candy thermometer, heat the syrup with the sugar over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring gently until the sugar is completely melted then leave it undisturbed without stirring anymore.
Cook until the syrup reaches 340°
Remove the saucepan from the heat and very CAREFULLY stir in the warm cream mixture (the mixture will bubble up toward the top of the pan then subside)
Return the pan back to the heat and cook until the candy thermometer reads 235° to 237°.
Allow to sit at room temperature and cool down before assembling the cake.

Assembling the Cake

Cut through each of the cakes horizontally so you have 4 cake layers (use a turntable and a serrated knife. Holding the knife steady, spin the turntable to cut through the cakes.)
Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate then pipe or spread ¼ of the latte cream on top of the cake. Drizzle ¼ of the caramel sauce over the latte cream. Repeat the pattern 3 more times.

Notes

Use extra caution when making the caramel sauce because the hot sugar can burn you if you get any on you.
When making the caramel sauce, be sure to use at least a 3-quart saucepan to cook the sugar mixture because the mixture boils and foams up to the top when you add the cream.
You can replace the spices with pumpkin pie spice.

Nutrition

4.91 from 21 votes (19 ratings without comment)

Kori Benfiel

Monday 14th of November 2016

If I made this with all purpose Einkorn flour, would the amount change?

Dahn

Hi Kori, you can interchange cup for cup with all purpose einkorn flour but add an extra egg white when you add in the eggs. It tastes great with einkorn flour, I hope you enjoy it.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake

Here Is Why This Recipe Works