Pumpkin Spice Cake, one layer
This 6-inch Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake is soft and tender, with each bite giving you a taste of pumpkin and the warmth of fall spices. Balance these flavors with this creamy espresso buttercream frosting and have a truly good fall and holiday dessert!
I am adding yet another single layer cake to the method box—Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake!
It's adapted from the Single Layer Carrot Cake recipe and is genuinely wonderful for the fall and holiday season!
The stars of this pumpkin spice cake recipe, which give it that soft and tender texture, are the vegetable oil, the egg, and, naturally, the pumpkin puree! Added to the cake for flavor is a little pumpkin pie spice.
The cake is paired with one of my new favorite buttercreams—espresso buttercream! I don't even like coffee or espresso, but Enjoy it when it comes to baking with it—and now adding it to frosting! It pairs so well with the pumpkin spice flavors from the cake.
Of course, if you don't think you will like the espresso buttercream, I mention some easy small batch alternatives below!
What goes in
You will need the typical ingredients needed to make my single-layer cakes: baking powder, salt, sugar, an egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Below are the key ingredients to make it into the best pumpkin spice cake!
Cake Flour. If you don't have cake flour on hand, I have included an easy house-made substitute below!
Pumpkin Pie Spice. Of course, you can make your own pumpkin pie spice—it's easy. I just happened to have some pumpkin pie spice on hand, so I used that. I have included the house-made version below.
Pumpkin Puree. Do not confuse this with pumpkin pie filling. That's a totally different ingredient. Please only use canned pumpkin puree!
How it comes together
Below is a brief overview of how to make this house-made single layer pumpkin spice cake. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements, visit the method card below.
1. Skip the mixers. For this single layer pumpkin spice cake recipe, you don't need any mixers—just some mixing bowls, whisks, and a spatula will do the trick. To make the espresso buttercream frosting, however, I do recommend using a hand mixer.
2. Prep your 6-inch cake pan. A product I swear by for prepping all of my cakes—Baker's Joy! I've gotten it online and also at Walmart.
I also recommend using a parchment paper circle. And if you like, a cake strip (like the ones from Wilton). I have found though that simply tapping the cake pan with the batter a few times to release the air bubbles does the trick!
3. Don't over mix the pumpkin spice cake batter. Skipping the mixers does help reduce the chance of over mixing the pumpkin spice cake batter, but it can still happen. Mix the ingredients until they're just combined—meaning until you can no longer see the dry ingredients you have added.
How it comes together
If you don't keep cake flour on hand, fear not—you can make it at home! You only need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and a sifter!
To make your house-made cake flour:
- Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a ½ cup measuring cup.
- Fill the remaining measuring cup with all-purpose flour.
- Run the mixture through a sifter. Once is good, but twice is better.
If you want to have a little more on hand, Try doubling the above recipe.
house-made Pumpkin Pie Spice
Instead of store-bought pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own with the following ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons of Ground Cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons of Ground Ginger
- 4 teaspoons of Nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon of Allspice
- 1 tablespoon of Ground Cloves
Mix it all together and keep it stored in a small airtight container—or reuse a clean, empty spice jar!
Essential Baking Tools
Here are a few baking tools Try when making this tender pumpkin spice cake!
- 6 inch Cake Pan. I used a 6 inch by 3 inch tall cake pan from Fat Daddios for this method. It's been my go-to pan for my most recent single-layer cakes. If you only have a 6 inch by 2 inch tall pan, this will work fine, but know the cake may come up to the edge of the pan.
- Mixing Bowls. Works well for the dry ingredients and wet.
- Whisks and Spatulas. Always good to have a few of these on hand while you bake this pumpkin cake! I swear by GIR whisks and spatulas. They also make spoonulas which are a combination of a spatula and a spoon. Enjoy them when using cake batters!
Alternatives to Small Batch Espresso Buttercream
Here are 3 alternatives to making my small batch espresso buttercream frosting. These are all small batch as well.
- Small Batch Cream Cheese Frosting
- Small Batch Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Small Batch Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Questions on this bake
Do Use a 6″ x 2″ cake pan or a 6″ x 3″ cake pan?Because this is a thicker cake, my recommendation is to use the 6″ x 3″. If using a 6″ x 2″, note that the cake may come right up to the top of the cake pan.
Can you make this pumpkin spice cake without the egg or with an egg substitute?I only tested this method using 1 egg, so I cannot recommend any egg substitutes.
Will this espresso buttercream frosting be enough for the decorative piped pumpkins on top?No, the amount of frosting in the method makes just enough to cover the 6-inch single layer pumpkin spice cake. If you would like to add the decorative piped pumpkins, Try making an additional half batch of this espresso buttercream frosting recipe. This decorative piping will only work with this buttercream and not the cream cheese frosting alternatives.
What decorating tips did you use for the piped frosted pumpkins?For the pumpkins, I used a small piping bag, a coupler, and the Wilton 21. For the stems, I used a small piping bag, a coupler, and the Wilton 16. And for the curly stem part, I just used a small piping bag with the end snipped off.
- Yield 4 servings
- Prep 20 minutes
- Cook 35 minutes
- Total 55 minutes
- Calories 598
Ingredients
6-inch Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake
- 1 cup Cake Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
Small Batch Espresso Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Espresso Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Method
6-inch Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake
- Adjust your oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and preheat your oven to 350ºF. Generously spray a 6 inch cake pan with a flour based baking spray or grease and flour. If you choose, you can also add a 6 inch parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan, and to the outside, a cake baking strip. Set to the side.
- With a small mixing bowl and a whisk, blend together the cake flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set to the side.
- In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree.
- Add the whisked dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix the cake batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350ºF or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the cake pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, frost with the small-batch espresso buttercream frosting.
Small Batch Espresso Buttercream Frosting
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, gradually adding in your powdered sugar until it's well blended. Then add in the espresso buttercream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes more.
- Frost your pumpkin spice cake once it's completely cooled.
Baker notes
Pumpkin Spice Cake adapted from the Single Layer Carrot Cake recipe.
The method times shown only include the pumpkin spice cake.
To add the piped frosted pumpkins, Try making an additional half batch of this espresso buttercream frosting recipe.
Keep the frosted pumpkin spice cake stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap (1-2 overlapping layers is good) for up to 3 days.
