This 6-inch Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake is soft and moist 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 you have yourself a really good fall dessert!
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.
1 cup Cake Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 1 ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree.
¼ cup Granulated Sugar, ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar, 1 Large Egg, ¼ cup Vegetable Oil, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ½ cup 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.
½ cup Unsalted Butter
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.
Video
Notes
Pumpkin Spice Cake adapted from my Single Layer Carrot Cake recipe.The recipe times shown only include the pumpkin spice cake.To add the piped frosted pumpkins, I recommend 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.