Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake

If you're looking to really get into the spirit of fall and have your kitchen smell like it too, then this cake is the perfect thing to whip up. This Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake is soft and tender with a delicious pumpkin spice flavor and tangy, yet sweet cream cheese frosting.

The pumpkin spice flavor is brought to you with the help of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, and pumpkin puree adds the classic pumpkin flavor. It's super easy to make, but looks beautiful and is a definite crowd pleaser.

I like to make this cake as a naked cake with just enough frosting to fill the layers and coat a thin layer on the outside. I find that it makes a good ratio of cake to frosting. If you want to fully cover the cake, you'll need to double the cream cheese frosting.

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Butter: It’s important that the butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
  • Cream Cheese: The cream cheese needs to be softened as well. I recommend pulling this out to sit at room temperature at the very beginning.
  • Eggs: You also want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
• Measuring Your Ingredients: I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
• Oven Temperature: Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
  • I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the sugar and oil until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Gently add pumpkin puree on low, scraping down the bowl as needed to ensure it is fully incorporated.

Coat three 7-inch cake pans with cooking spray or butter and flour and line the bottom of each with parchment. Evenly divide the batter into the pans. Bake for 38-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edge of each pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack and turning each cake out. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of powdered sugar followed by the cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy.

Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully cut the tops off with a serrated knife so that each layer is level.

Place one layer, top side down, on a cake stand or board and spread with frosting. Repeat this step with the next layer.

Apply a crumb coat, or a thin layer of frosting, around the cake and chill for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

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