Pumpkin Spice Cake – moist pumpkin cake with subtle hints of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg paired with pumpkin spice buttercream frosting. A fall cake recipe, sponsored by Promised Land Dairy for their #FarFromOrdinaryMilk campaign.
Believe it or not, I’m writing today’s post old school style — like before laptops and tablets, old school style. Perched outside, I’m soaking up the evening twilight and savoring the crisp autumn breeze. Off in the distance, the sounds of happy children on a playground and the metal pings of bats and balls at a nearby baseball field echo through the air. With pen and paper in hand, I’m breaking out of my ordinary routine to enjoy every moment of this season, because well, it’s simply my favorite. What is it about autumn that’s so enchanting? Besides the drop in temperature and golden hillsides of color, I think the anticipation of fall baking ranks high on my list.
It only seemed fitting to break out of my normal routine for today’s post — as this recipe is far from ordinary. A classic fall pumpkin cake gets a premium upgrade with an exceptional seasonal milk. Promised Land Dairy Pumpkin Spice Milk is the richest, creamiest milk you can possibly imagine. Think delicious ice cream with buttery notes of pumpkin and a hint of spice, in liquid form. Because that’s seriously what it tastes like! While drinking it alone would easily satisfy all of your pumpkin cravings, my morning espresso has thoroughly enjoyed its new seasonal partner. Coming from a pampered herd of “Jersey Cows” who are known for producing a smaller quantity but higher quality milk with more calcium and protein (we’re big believers in quality over quantity), this pumpkin spice milk is a wholesome addition to pancakes, cookies, scones and even your morning cup of joe. And of course, I had to bake a cake with it!!
What makes this pumpkin spice cake so good?
That’s where today’s recipe comes in. A tender and moist butter cake gets a hefty dose of pure pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Only to have the flavors amped up another notch with this premium pumpkin spice milk. It’s everything you love about fall, in cake form. Topped with the dreamiest swiss meringue buttercream that’s silky and smooth with a splash of pumpkin spice milk added for good measure. I challenge you not to eat all the frosting by itself, it’s that good. The struggle is real people. The struggle is real.
Decorating the Pumpkin Spice Cake
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the buttercream flowers on today’s cake. While I’m no expert at piping flowers, I wanted to spice things up a little, so the decoration equally matched the bold flavors of the cake inside. A viney wreath of buttercream creates a backdrop for chrysanthemums, white daisies, an abundance of greenery and a handful of buttercream pumpkins. The colors say farmhouse fall and the aroma says EAT ME NOW! Okay, okay, if you insist! 😉
Pumpkin Spice Cake
Moist pumpkin cake with subtle hints of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg paired with pumpkin spice buttercream frosting.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 40 mins
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Yield: One 8" Round Cake (3 layers)
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Cake
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Spice Cake:
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup Promised Land Dairy Pumpkin Spice Milk
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
For the Pumpkin Spice Buttercream:
- 6 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, cubed, slightly softened
- ½ cup salted butter, cubed, slightly softened
- 3 tablespoons Promised Land Dairy Pumpkin Spice Milk
Instructions
Make the Pumpkin Spice Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350. Butter and lightly flour three 8″ round pans. Line with parchment paper circles.
- In large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high using the paddle attachment. Beat until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not over mix. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
- Mix in pumpkin puree.
- Divide batter evenly between the three 8″ round pans.
- Bake for 30-32 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
- Let cool in pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Make the Pumpkin Spice Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.
- Place bowl over a pan of simmering water to create a double-boiler. Whisking constantly, heat the egg mixture until it registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. Carefully transfer the bowl onto the stand mixer.
- Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes until the bowl is no longer warm to the touch and the meringue is fluffy, glossy and holds a stiff peak.
- Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, slowly add cubed butter and mix until incorporated.
- Add Pumpkin Spice Milk. Continue mixing on low to med-low until silky and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Notes
- If at any point the buttercream appears curdled, just keep mixing. If the buttercream appears soupy, try placing it in the refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes then mixing again.
- I made two batches of frosting for the cake, as pictured. One batch is plenty to fill and frost the cake itself. The second batch was made, minus the pumpkin spice milk, to pipe the buttercream flowers.
- I used pastry tip #81 to pipe the buttercream chrysanthemums and daisies, tip #233 for the vines and pumpkins, tip #104 for the large greenery and tip #366 for the fill in leaves. Find a tutorial for the leaves and wreath HERE.
- Store in refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.
Keywords: pumpkin spice cake
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Promised Land Dairy.
Thank you for supporting the sponsors who keep us going!
MORE PUMPKIN RECIPES TO TRY:
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Baileys Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Pumpkin Tiramisu Cake
Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Pumpkin Spice Free Printable
Love, love, love the piping. Would you please do a tutorial?!?!?
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Thank you Sonia! I will try to work on a tutorial for the piping! 🙂
Promised Land milk appears to be a localized product. Can you give us Amy adjustments to the recipe for those of us that cannot find it?
You can check if it’s available in your area HERE, or request it HERE. Otherwise, the best substitute would be whole milk.
Could u just use a different brand pumpkin spice creamer? How did you get your buttercream so smooth..almost looks like fondant..I think that’s the name…very beautiful cake..would love a tutorial on making the flowers (I’m left handed) so I tend to do everything backwards..lol
I can’t say for sure because I haven’t tested this recipe with a creamer. The fat content of a creamer would be different than the milk. The buttercream is a Swiss meringue buttercream which really smooths nicely. Hope you enjoy!
I was unable to find the flavored milk and ended up using an almond milk pumpkin spice creamer. It turned out great and I did a straight substitution as far as quantity.
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Beautiful cake and I have no doubt that it is delicious! What a lovely piping design. If you could please post a tutorial for the rest of us home cooks it would be so very appreciated. Always eager to learn!
Thank you Jan! I will try to work on a tutorial for the piping!
oh my goodness what beautiful flowers. A tutorial would be amazing!! Also, what brand of piping tips? Wilton or Ateco. I’ve found that not all their tips are the same numbers 🙁
And I agree, what can we use to replace the pumpkin spice milk? w don’t have it here in Canada.
Thanks!!
Thank you Jenny! The piping tips are all Wilton. For the pumpkin spice milk, you can check if it’s available in your area HERE, or request it HERE. Otherwise, the best substitute would be whole milk.
Thank you for the recipe. Could you steer us to a piping tutorial and how to get these fall colors? Thank you so much.
Thank you Kay! And yes, it seems like there is enough interest to warrant a piping tutorial! So I’ll try to work on that soon – to include the color tinting as well. 🙂
The cake is beautiful. I would love to see a tutorial as well. Lisa
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Yes, please do a tutorial for the flowers, vine and pumpkins! Beautiful cake!
Would love a tutorial!!
Those pumpkins are killing me
Love these flowers! Can you please post a tutorial on how to pipe these?
thanks!
I so badly want to make and eat this. Like others have said, I cannot get this milk locally, which is too bad because it sounds delicious. What can I use to substitute this milk and still make this gorgeous cake? I suppose I could google this, but does another company make pumpkin milk? I wonder if pumpkin coffee creamer would work.
You can check if it’s available in your area HERE, or request it HERE. Otherwise, the best substitute would be whole milk.
What about using pumpkin spice coffee creamer?
I can’t say for sure because I haven’t tested this recipe with a creamer. The fat content of a creamer would be different than the milk.
Hiland has a pumpkin spice milk out right now, just found it last night at a Cash Saver!
What are the names of the colors you used on your decorations?
I mixed the colors using Americolor Soft Gel Pastes. I will work on a tutorial for the flowers, to include ratios for the color tinting. 🙂
This is just so beautiful! The contrast of the cake against the frosting is killing me; and your piping is really the icing on the cake. I want to bake this NOW! We sadly can’t get anything pumpkin spice related here, not even the spice itself, and I’m so desperate to use it in my baking! I can smell it through the screen, I’m sure!
A piping tutorial would be much appreciated x
Thank you Katrina!
Tutorial please!!! 🙏🏼 These flowers looks amazing 💕💕
I have to do this recipe !
What can I use instead of pumpkin milk ? We don’t have it in Switzerland 🙁
Lauriane
Whole milk will be your best substitute Lauriane. 🙂
Beautiful cake! Would love a tutorial!
The cake looks fantastic! I would love to learn how to make such beautiful flowers! <3
Carrie, this cake truly captures autumn. Your piped flowers are perfection and I love the good ole pen and paper writing of this blog post. Have a wonderful autumn! Joan-MyCookieClinic
Wow, thank you Joan! Happy Autumn to you as well!
Your cake is so beautiful and sounds absolutely delicious! I LOVE just about anything pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavored! Being lactose-intolerant, I have to use substitutes for milk so I am always checking those out, especially this time of year. In the past I have seen a pumpkin spice flavored milk substitute (I think it was soy) that those who can’t find the Promised Land milk might be able to use.
I hope you will do the tutorial on piping the flowers. They look amazing!
Carry, this is totally up my alley. I’m not so familiar with beautifully decorated cakes but with this recipe, I think I will master it.
Beautifully done!! Would absolutely LOVE a tutorial! How would we know when you do one? Do you email the one’s who requested one and let them know?
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The best way to know once a tutorial is published would be our newsletter. It goes out every time we publish new content. There is a link at the very top of this page where you can “Sign Up For Our Newsletter”.
I would love a “how-to” tutorial for the flowers… and the thin wreath of vines which looks really neat! It is a beautiful cake! And like Ashley said above, I would love to know when you have a tutorial ready for us to watch and learn from. Thanks for showing us HOW to make it…
The best way to know once a tutorial is published would be our newsletter. It goes out every time we publish new content. There is a link at the very top of this page where you can “Sign Up For Our Newsletter”.
hey
the cake looks really amazing, and I am so sure that it will be as delicious as it looks.
thank you for sharing
If you have made a tutorial for your flowers and leaves, I would love to see!! Making this cake for my birthday this weekend. :]
This is one of the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen! The colors are gorgeous, the flowers are stunning. Just magnificent!!
Love the piping! Please do a tutorial!! So beautiful.
Oh my word! I would be most grateful if you would do a tutorial on the gorgeous piping! This is absolute perfection 😀
Oh wow, the design above the cake is really very beautiful. The Pumpkin Spice Cake with the little taste of ginger in it, I would love to taste this. I wish, I could buy this type of cake online from near by my area.
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Is the piping tutorial available yet? It so gorgeous and want to do this for a cake I’m making tomorrow.
No, unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to create a tutorial for the piping yet. But the piping tip numbers are listed in the recipe notes. Hopefully that gives you a good starting point!
Thanks. Got the tips amd making an attempt at something similar. Here’s hoping!!
Good luck Sherri! Share a pic on Instagram once you’re finished and tag @thecakeblog so we can see how it turned out!
Sherri,
Were you able to figure out the piping? I am specifically looking for help on the leaves using the 104 tip. Any hints would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Tom – you can learn how to make the leaves with my tutorial HERE.
What is the name of the leaf you do with the 104 tip? I am having trouble finding a video on how to use that tip to get that leaf shape. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Tom – you can learn how to make the leaves with my tutorial HERE.
Carrie,
(For whatever reason I can’t reply to your reply, so I am re-replying to my reply)
Thanks so much! Perfect timing as I am doing the cake tonight!!
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Hi Carrie
Love this blog!
No way I can find this Pumpkin Spice Milk here in Portugal. Can I replace it with buttermilk?
Thanks 🙂
IM
The best substitute would be plain whole milk. Hope you give it a try!
I do follow some forum and other bloggers who are passionate about cooking or baking, many do share the whole recipe as you do, but I am completely amazed or impress with cleanliness of the cake, decorated outcome was sooo clean, keep up doing great work.
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Hi,
Today, I learned about the use of pumpkin spice milk for baking the cake. We tried the recipe that you shared, it is really amazing. Good Job
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I just love the color scheme!! So beautiful. Would you mind sharing the colors you used for these beautiful flowers? Thank you for the recipe. I plan to make this cake real soon! 🙂
Grrr. My local grocer has Promised Land products. They had Promised Land Eggnog but no Pumpkin Spice Milk. I did find Pumpkin Spice extract. I might put that into my whole milk.
I used Eagle Brand Pumpkin Spice sweetened condensed milk and just mixed it with some 2% milk. After I used a cup of that in the cake, I added some espresso powder to the remaining milk with a bit more of the condensed milk mixture to turn the frosting into a Pumpkin Spice Latte flavor. It turned out really well. Great recipe.
Looks great ! Going to make this recipe SOON.