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Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Maple Buttercream
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Cinnamon Maple Pumpkin Cake

Four layers of moist pumpkin cake frosted with cinnamon maple Swiss buttercream
Yield: 6-inch cake
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ cup coconut oil (170 g)
  • 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree (227 g)
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250 g)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup whole milk (75 g)

Cinnamon Maple Buttercream:

  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
  • 2 cups unsalted butter (452 g), cut into tablespoons, room temp
  • pinch of fine sea salt
  • 3 Tablespoon dark maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pumpkin Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 6-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together coconut oil and pumpkin puree. Add sugar, salt, and eggs. Mix until smooth.
  • Add half of dry flour mixture. Mix on low speed until almost combined. Add milk. Mix on slow speed and then add remaining dry flour mixture. Mix until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
  • Divide cake batter between the two prepared cake pans. Level batter using a mini offset spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before unmolding. Allow cake to cool to room temperature on wire rack.

Cinnamon Maple Buttercream:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together egg whites and sugar. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water to create a double boiler. Make sure water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk sugar egg mixture until it reaches a temperature of 160° F. 
    Alternatively, if you don't have a thermometer, heat until all the sugar has melted. You can test this by dipping your pointer finger into the warm mixture and rubbing it against your thumb. The mixture should be smooth. You should not be able to feel the granules of sugar.
  • Return bowl to the stand mixer. With a whisk attachment, beat mixture at medium speed until it cools to room temperature. Reduce speed to low and add butter one tablespoon at a time. Once all the butter has been incorporated, add maple syrup and ground cinnamon. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until buttercream is light and fluffy.
    All images and text ©The Little Epicurean

Notes

  • Use your choice of coconut oil. Or, sub in your choice of neutral flavored oil.
    • Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor. It has been processed to remove any coconut taste and aroma.
    • Unrefined coconut oil, also known as virgin coconut oil, is less processed. As such it still remains some coconut notes.
  • Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie mix.