This 6-inch Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake is soft and moist, and every bite tastes of pumpkin and warm fall spices. Pair it with this creamy espresso buttercream and you have a really good fall and holiday dessert!

Cut slice of pumpkin spice cake on a black and white dessert plate | © Luyiz®

I'm adding yet another single layer cake to the collection: Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake!

It's adapted from my Single Layer Carrot Cake recipe and is absolutely wonderful for fall and the holidays!

The vegetable oil, the egg, and of course the pumpkin puree are what keep this cake soft and moist. A little pumpkin pie spice adds the flavor.

It's paired with one of my new favorite buttercreams: espresso buttercream! I'm not a coffee or espresso drinker, but I love baking with it, and now I add it to frosting too. It complements the pumpkin spice flavors in the cake.

If you don't think you'll like the espresso buttercream, I've listed some easy small batch alternatives below!

Slice of pumpkin spice cake on a small black dessert plate | © Luyiz®

What You'll Need

You'll need the usual ingredients for my single-layer cakes: baking powder, salt, sugar, an egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. The key ingredients for making this the best pumpkin spice cake are below.

Cake Flour. If you don't have cake flour on hand, I've included an easy homemade substitute below!

Pumpkin Pie Spice. You can make your own pumpkin pie spice, and it's easy. I happened to have some on hand, so I used that. The homemade version is included below.

Pumpkin Puree. Don't mix this up with pumpkin pie filling, which is a completely different ingredient. Please use only canned pumpkin puree!

How to Make the Recipe

Here's a short overview of how to make this homemade single layer pumpkin spice cake. For the full printable recipe, which works with US customary or metric measurements, see the recipe card below.

1. Skip the mixers. This single layer pumpkin spice cake doesn't need any mixer. Mixing bowls, whisks, and a spatula will do the job. For the espresso buttercream frosting, though, I do recommend a hand mixer.

2. Prep your 6-inch cake pan. I swear by Baker's Joy for prepping all of my cakes. I've bought it online and at Walmart.

I also recommend a parchment paper circle and, if you like, a cake strip (like the ones from Wilton). I've found that simply tapping the pan with the batter a few times to release air bubbles does the trick!

3. Don't overmix the batter. Skipping the mixer lowers the risk of overmixing, but it can still happen. Mix until the ingredients are just combined, meaning until you can no longer see the dry ingredients you added.

Slice of pumpkin spice cake on a black and white dessert plate | © Luyiz®

How to Make Homemade Cake Flour

If you don't keep cake flour on hand, don't worry, you can make it at home! You only need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and a sifter.

To make your homemade cake flour:

Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a ½ cup measuring cup.
Fill the rest of the measuring cup with all-purpose flour.
Run the mixture through a sifter. Once is good, but twice is better.

If you want to keep more on hand, I recommend doubling the recipe above.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Instead of store-bought pumpkin pie spice, you can mix your own with these ingredients:

6 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons of ground ginger
4 teaspoons of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of allspice
1 tablespoon of ground cloves

Mix it all together and store it in a small airtight container, or reuse a clean, empty spice jar!

Single layer pumpkin spice cake on a black abd white dessert plate | © Luyiz®

Essential Baking Tools

Here are a few baking tools I recommend for this moist pumpkin spice cake!

6 inch Cake Pan. I used a 6 inch by 3 inch tall pan from Fat Daddios. It's been my go-to for my recent single-layer cakes. A 6 inch by 2 inch tall pan will also work, but the cake may come right up to the edge.
Mixing Bowls. These work well for both the dry and wet ingredients.
Whisks and Spatulas. It's always good to have a few on hand while you bake this pumpkin cake! I swear by GIR whisks and spatulas. They also make spoonulas, a mix of spatula and spoon, which I love for cake batters!

Alternatives to Small Batch Espresso Buttercream

Here are 3 alternatives to my small batch espresso buttercream frosting. These are all small batch as well.

Single layer pumpkin spice cake on a black and white dessert plate | © Luyiz®

Common Questions

Do I use a 6″ x 2″ cake pan or a 6″ x 3″ cake pan?

Since this is a thicker cake, I recommend the 6″ x 3″ pan. If you use a 6″ x 2″ pan, the cake may come right up to the top.

Can you make this pumpkin spice cake without the egg or with an egg substitute?

I only tested this recipe with 1 egg, so I can't recommend any egg substitutes.

Will this espresso buttercream frosting be enough for the decorative piped pumpkins on top?

No. The amount of frosting in the recipe makes just enough to cover the 6-inch single layer pumpkin spice cake. If you'd like to add the decorative piped pumpkins, I recommend making an extra half batch of this espresso buttercream. That decorative piping only works with this buttercream, not the cream cheese alternatives.

What decorating tips did you use for the piped frosted pumpkins?

For the pumpkins, I used a small piping bag, a coupler, and a Wilton 21 tip. For the stems, I used a small piping bag, a coupler, and a Wilton 16 tip. For the curly stem part, I just used a small piping bag with the end snipped off.

More Fall Treats to Enjoy!

If you tried this Single Layer Pumpkin Spice Cake or any other recipe on my site, please leave a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!