This pumpkin cake is perfect for your next fall gathering or Thanksgiving dinner. It's made with pumpkin spice cake and pumpkin spice coffee Swiss meringue buttercream. I recommend using pumpkin spice flavored coffee in the buttercream but you can always use plain coffee instead. I hope you enjoy this delicious fall treat!
Recipe:
Ingredients-
Pumpkin Cake:
3 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup milk
¼ cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
1 ¼ teaspoons nutmeg
1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
Coffee Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting:
4 egg whites
2 cups sugar
2 cups butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coffee powder (dissolved in 1½ tablespoons of boiling water)
Directions-
Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line with parchment paper three 6-inch pans. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix the milk, sour cream, and vinegar in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Beat the flour mixture into the oil mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly browned on top and the centers spring back when pressed, about 30 minutes. Let cakes cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and transfer to cooling racks and let cool 45 minutes to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper.
Frosting: Whisk the egg whites and sugar in a medium bowl over a pot of boiling water until the sugar dissolves. Beat the egg white and sugar mixture in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Slowly add in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat for a few more minutes until the frosting is smooth and fully combined. Add in the salt and coffee. And beat for 1 more minute.
Decorating:
Step 1: Place your first cake layer on a ten inch cardboard round.
Step 2: Spread the buttercream and continue with the rest of the layers without frosting the very top or the sides.
Step 3: Optional but helpful: place the filled cake in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to chill the frosting and the cake, which will make it easier to decorate.
Step 4: Dye the buttercream orange, brown, and green
Step 5: Lightly frost the outside and the top of your cake with some orange frosting; using a flat frosting spatula (offset spatula).
Step 6: Pipe the buttercream into pumpkins at the bottom of the cake. Add brown stems and green leaves with the rest of the buttercream.
Enjoy!