Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake is a spectacular Fall treat that is versatile enough to be served as a breakfast streusel and special enough to be served as a dessert! This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake is loaded with pumpkin puree, spices, and a latte, filled with a cinnamon, brown sugar, coffee blend and topped with a pecan, brown sugar, cinnamon crumble. Finished off with a brown butter and cinnamon glaze, this cake is so delicious t will make you weak in the knees!
115 ozCan of Pumpkin PureeNo sugar, no spices added
3/4cupVegetable Oil
1/2upHalf and Half or Whole Milk
1tspInstant CoffeeOptional to add more if you want a stronger coffee flavor
Ingredients for the Filling
1CupBrown SugarPacked
1-1/2TbspCinnamonYes, this is Tablespoons!
1tspInstant Coffee
Ingredients for the Pecan Topping
6TbspButterMelted
1/2cupFlour
1/2cupBrown SugarPacked
1TbspCinnamonTablespoon!
1/2cupPecansChopped
Ingredients for the Glaze
6TbspButter
1cupPowdered Sugar
1tspCinnamon
Instructions
Step 1: Make The Filling
In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and instant coffee. Set aside.
Step 2: Make The Topping
Melt the butter in the microwave in a glass mixing bowl. Don't let the butter get too hot, it just needs to barely melt. Stir in the sugar and mix until it is well combined. Add the flour, cinnamon and pecans and stir until the mixture is thick and clumping together.
Step 3: Make The Cake
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 10" tube pan. Place 4 heat core elements on the bottom of the pan, spacing them equal distance apart and centered. Give each core a quick squirt of nonstick cooking spray. Heat cores are optional, but I won't bake cakes without them.
In a medium mixing bowl stir together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and instant coffee. Set aside.
In a small, glass pyrex heat the half and half (or whole milk) in the microwave until it is very warm, but not bubbling. Add the 1 tsp of instant coffee and stir until combined. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl use an electric mixer to beat the brown sugar and eggs at medium-high speed until fully combined and frothy. Beat in the oil and then the pumpkin puree.
Retrieve your bowl of dry ingredients and your latte (milk and coffee). Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the latte into the large bowl with the brown sugar and eggs, blending well before adding more. Do this in 3 batches.
Gently pour half of the cake batter into your greased and floured tube pan, making sure you distribute the batter evenly over the heat cores.
With a spoon, carefully heap the filling on top of the cake batter, taking care to keep it away from the sides of the tube pan.
Pour the remaining half of the cake batter on top of the filling, making sure all of the filling is covered with batter.
Using your fingers, spread the pecan topping over the surface of the cake batter. You may have to break up some clumps and spread the pieces around to make sure the topping is placed evenly around the cake. Again, do your best to avoid the sides of the pan.
Step 4: Bake The Cake
Bake the cake in your preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a wooden toothpick or skewer poked into the middle of the cake comes out clean.NOTE: WHEN USING HEAT CORES REDUCE YOUR BAKING TIME AND CHECK THE CAKE EARLIER. My cake is usually done at 45-50 minutes. Heat cores make the inside of the cake bake evenly and more quickly. The benefit is the top and sides of the cake don't get overdone waiting for the raw interior to catch up. I don't bake cakes without them.
Step 5: Make The Glaze
While the cake is baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the butter in the pan, place it back on the heat, wait a few seconds and swirl it again. Repeat this until the butter turns a nutty brown. Be careful not to let it burn or get too dark...this happens very quickly once the butter starts to brown. Once the butter is brown, remove from the heat, but keep swirling or stirring until it cools a little bit.
Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon to the butter and stir it in until combined. The consistency should be such that when you hold up a spoonful of glaze it drizzles slowly back into the pan. You want to be able to drizzle the glaze over the cake, but not have it so runny it absorbs into the cake. If the glaze is too thin, add powdered sugar and if it is too thick add one drop of milk at a time until you get it where you want it.
Step 6: Remove The Cake
When the cake is done, take it from the oven and set it aside. About 5-10 minutes later run a thin, sharp knife between the cake and the sides of the pan and let it cool further. The cake will be ready to remove when the bottom of the cake pan is comfortable to handle...not hot but not completely cool.
Grab a large cutting board and the cake plate you plan to use. Place the cutting board on top of the cake pan. Now carefully tip the cake pan upside down, pecan topping side facing down onto the board. Carefully remove the cake pan from the cake and take the heat cores out of the bottom. Now take your cake plate and carefully put it face down onto the bottom of the cake. Quickly and carefully invert the whole thing (board, cake, plate), so the cake plate is on the bottom and the cutting board is on top. Remove the cutting board. The cake should be sitting pecan side up on the cake plate, pretty as can be!
Step 7: Glaze The Cake
Finally, drizzle the brown butter cinnamon glaze over the top and sides of the completely cooled cake. ENJOY!
Notes
When you cut into your cake it should be moist and dense, it shouldn't resemble those dry coffee cakes you sometimes get. The top should be golden brown, but nothing should be dark brown or black. The heating core elements help to make sure the inside of the cake cooks more quickly and evenly, so the outside doesn't get overdone.Serve chilled, room temperature, or warmed.Serve as a coffee cake at breakfast with a spoonful of yoghurt.Serve as dessert after dinner with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.To freeze, wrap in several layers of cling film and then aluminum foil. If you are making ahead, wait until you are ready to use the cake to make the glaze.