Pumpkin Spiced Latte Cake

Pumpkin, spice and coffee come together tastefully in this flavourful Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake with a very soft and moist pumpkin cake soaked in espresso syrup and topped with a creamy espresso buttercream frosting. This is a simple one layer cake that packs a big punch of flavour! It shows off all the cosy flavours that we love about Autumn.

Ingredients:

• 100ml vegetable oil, plus some for greasing
• 425g pumpkin puree, either in tin or freshly steamed pumpkin & blended finely
• 2 large eggs
• 100ml strong brewed coffee
• 125rg caster sugar
• 125g light brown soft sugar
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger

For the coffee syrup:

• 50ml strong brewed coffee
• 50g caster sugar

For the icing:

• 50g icing sugar
• 100g full fat soft cheese
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 200ml double cream
• ground cinnamon for dusting

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the oil, pumpkin puree, eggs, coffee and sugars.

Using another bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones, then mix until smooth batter forms, with no large lump of flour remaining. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin while you make the syrup.

To make the coffee syrup: Stir the coffee and sugar for the syrup together in a small saucepan and warm over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. When you can no longer see any crystals, turn the heat up and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick and syrupy. As the cake cools, brush the top with some warm syrup, then allow the remaining syrup to cool completely.

To make the icing: Whisk together the icing sugar, soft cheese and vanilla using a whisk until smooth. Add the cream in a steady stream, whisking continuously until the icing is thick and billowy. Pile  up onto the top of the cooled cake and dust with cinnamon. Drizzle with the remaining coffee syrup, then serve, preferably with steaming a mugs of coffee.