This Caramel Pumpkin Layer Cake has three layers of warm and flavorful pumpkin cake and is filled and topped with caramel and cinnamon buttercream frosting. It’s the perfect fall cake!
Quick Tips
- This multi-purpose scraper and offset spatulas are my favorite tools for frosting a cake! Use the scraper to frost around the edges to achieve the ‘naked cake’ frosting technique
- Allow the caramel to cool for 10 minutes or so before adding it to the cake layers and top – it should be warm (but not hot or too cool), so that you can spread it easily but without melting the buttercream
- Freeze the cake layers for at least two hours prior to assembling your cake
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
- 3 9-inch round cake pans (these are my favorite cake pans to use!)
- Large mixing bowl(s)
- Parchment paper (for lining the cake pans) – I love these pre-cut ones
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking or cooking spray
- Silicone spatula
- Multi-purpose scraper (recommended for frosting the cake)
- Offset spatula (recommended for frosting the cake)
Ingredient Notes
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
- Butter– softened, for the frosting
- Powdered sugar– for the frosting
- Vanilla– for the frosting
- Cinnamon– for the frosting
- Caramel bits– for the caramel filling
- Heavy cream– for the caramel filling
Love this Caramel Pumpkin Layer Cake? Try these other pumpkin desserts!
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bundt Cake
- Biscoff Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Pie Truffles
How to make Caramel Pumpkin Layer Cake
This Caramel Pumpkin Layer Cake can be made in three simple steps!
- Make the pumpkin cake layers
- Make the cinnamon buttercream and caramel filling
- Assemble the pumpkin layer cake
How to make the pumpkin cake layers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Use cooking or baking spray to thoroughly grease 3 9-inch round cake pans, then add a layer of parchment paper on the bottom.
In a large mixing bowl using a hand or a stand mixer, combine wet ingredients with granulated sugar (sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin puree).
In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda).
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3-4 portions, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
Use a food scale to evenly distribute the batter throughout the 3 prepared cake pans. Eyeball it if you don’t have a food scale.
Bake for 18-24 minutes or until the edges are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. Then cover and freeze them for 1-2 hours.
How to make the cinnamon buttercream and caramel filling
Using a hand or a stand mixer, cream the softened butter until smooth.
Add the vanilla, heavy cream and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
Add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Add more powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until it has reached desired sweetness. Set aside once complete.
To make the caramel filling, place the caramel bits and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Return to heat for 30 second intervals if needed until the mixture is smooth. Set aside and let the caramel cool for 10-15 minutes before assembling the cake.
How to assemble the pumpkin layer cake
Place one layer of the frozen pumpkin cake on a plate and add a thin layer of cinnamon buttercream. Add a border of thicker frosting around the cake layer, then add a little less then half of the caramel filling into the center of the first layer (within the frosting border).
Place the second layer on top of the caramel. Repeat the step with a layer of buttercream and a layer of caramel.
Place the final layer on the cake and top with cinnamon buttercream. Add buttercream around the side of the cake and evenly spread it using the flat multi-purpose tool (or the flat end of a butter knife).
Spread the remaining caramel over the top of the cake for decoration.
Try these other delicious fall dessert recipes!
Caramel Pumpkin Layer Cake
Equipment
- 3 9-inch cake round pans
- Measuring cups and spoons
- baking or cooking spray
- tools to frost the cake (multi-purpose scraper, offset spatula)
- silicone spatula
Ingredients
For the pumpkin cake
- 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 can 100% pumpkin puree 15 ounces (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the cinnamon buttercream
- 1½ cups butter (softened, 3 sticks)
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the caramel filling
- 1 bag caramel baking bits (Kraft caramel bits, 11 ounces) 11 ounces of any soft caramel candy works too!
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
To make the pumpkin cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Use cooking or baking spray to thoroughly grease 3 9-inch round cake pans, then add a layer of parchment paper on the bottom.
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand or a stand mixer, combine wet ingredients with granulated sugar (sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin puree).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3-4 portions, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
- Use a food scale to evenly distribute the batter throughout the 3 prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 18-24 minutes or until the edges are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. Then cover and freeze them for 1-2 hours.
To make the cinnamon buttercream and caramel filling
- Using a hand or a stand mixer, cream the softened butter until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, heavy cream and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
- Add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Add more powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until it has reached desired sweetness. Set aside once complete.
- To make the caramel filling, place the caramel bits and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Return to heat for 30 second intervals if needed until the mixture is smooth. Set aside and let the caramel cool for 10-15 minutes before assembling the cake.
To assemble the pumpkin cake
- Place one layer of the frozen pumpkin cake on a plate and add a thin layer of cinnamon buttercream. Add a border of thicker frosting around the cake layer, then add a little less then half of the caramel filling into the center of the first layer (within the frosting border).
- Place the second layer on top of the caramel. Repeat the step with a layer of buttercream and a layer of caramel.
- Place the final layer on the cake and top with cinnamon buttercream. Add buttercream around the side of the cake and evenly spread it using the flat multi-purpose tool (or the flat end of a butter knife).
- Spread the remaining caramel over the top of the cake for decoration.
