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This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake is a celebration of everything I love about Fall – vibrant pumpkin, warm spices, espresso, chopped pecans and maple cream cheese frosting. It’s my homage to the infamous Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, but in gluten free cake form!
Notes On My Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake Recipe
🎃 This gluten free pumpkin spice latte cake is actually very simple to make, using basic storecupboard ingredients, seasonal pumpkin puree and homemade pumpkin spice. It looks super impressive, but with minimal effort!
🎃 I first developed this recipe as a celebration of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte but lots of you don’t like coffee – so you can swap it for milk instead!
🎃 Since publishing this recipe in 2019 I’ve now given it a refresh for October 2026 – the same gorgeous cake, but with new photos, step-by-step images and ingredient substitutions, to make the recipe even easier to follow!
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card below for this gluten free pumpkin spice latte cake with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.
- Butter: You swap this for a vegan margarine if you need dairy free.
- Sugar: The cake uses light brown sugar for a more caramel-like taste, while you’ll need icing sugar (or confectioner’s sugar) for the frosting.
- Self-Raising Gluten Free Flour: I always use the FREEE flour. If you only have plain flour, add 1 tsp baking powder to 100g gluten free flour to make your own self-raising.
- Xanthan Gum: You can omit this if your flour blend contains it, but it helps with texture.
- Baking Powder: Not all baking powder is gluten free, so ensure you use on that is.
- Pumpkin Puree: You can either use canned pumpkin puree or make your own pumpkin puree – both work just as well depending what you can access!
- Espresso: Or dissolve 2 heaped tsp of instant coffee in 40ml water instead. If you don’t like coffee, swap this for 2 tbsp milk instead, to retain the moisture in the cake.
- Pumpkin Spice Mix: You can either buy pre-made pumpkin spice or make your own. I’ve popped the instructions below and in the recipe card.
- Cream Cheese: To make this dairy free you’d need a vegan cream cheese instead.
To Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice Mix
The recipe for the perfect pumpkin spice mix is so simple – simply mix together:
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground allspice
Keep it in a sealed jar and then you can add it to your favourite bakes, coffees and desserts.
How to Make My Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free pumpkin cake is to make.
Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing
TO MAKE AHEAD: The pumpkin spice latte sponges can be made ahead of time – cool and then wrap in clingfilm. They will keep for up to 48 hours before being constructed or you can freeze them. Defrost in the fridge before making the cake.
TO STORE: This cake can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. No need to refrigerate, this will make it go stale quicker!
TO FREEZE: Any leftover slices of cake can be frozen – I recommend doing this between sheets of baking paper so you can defrost what you need at-a-time.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter, (softened)
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 200 g self raising gluten free flour
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 200 g pumpkin puree
- 40 ml cold espresso coffee, (or 2 heaped tsp instant coffee in 40ml water)
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix, (see recipe notes)
For the frosting:
- 200 g unsalted butter, (room temperature)
- 400 g icing sugar
- 100 g full fat cream cheese
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
To decorate:
- 1 large handful roughly chopped pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan / 356F / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm round baking tins. Set aside.
- To make the cake, first add the butter, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. Next add the eggs, coffee and pumpkin puree, and beat again for another minute – don’t worry if it starts to curdle, this will be fixed once you add the flour.
- Sift the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and spices into the mixture and fold in using a spatula. Beat for another minute until you have a thick, smooth batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two tins and smooth down.
- Bake the cakes for approximately 20-25 minutes, until a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before turning out of the tins and decorating.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and maple syrup with an electric whisk until smooth. Remove the cakes from the tins and using a palette knife, smooth half of the frosting over the top of one cake.
- Place the second cake on top and decorate the top and sides with the rest of the frosting, smoothing it on with a palette knife. Top with the crushed pecans and serve.
Video
Notes
- This cake will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days. You can also make the cakes ahead of time, and freeze them tightly wrapped in clingfilm. Remove from the freezer and defrost completely before frosting.
- If you don’t like coffee, swap for 2 tbsp milk of choice.
To Make Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix:
Simply mix together the following:- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground allspice
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some FAQs about this easy pumpkin spice latte cake recipe – if you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!
Yes, this recipe work well in cupcake or muffin form! Spoon the batter between the muffin cases and bake at 180C / 160C Fan /356F / Gas Mark 4 for 18-20 minutes until risen. Allow to cool completely before decorating with the frosting and pecans.
In UK supermarkets I usually find pumpkin puree with the American imported food, but I usually buy mine from Amazon for ease as it’s not stocked everywhere. Alternatively, pumpkins are plentiful and you can make homemade pumpkin puree – it’s very easy and a lot cheaper too. Check out my pumpkin recipes below to use up any leftovers!
More Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes
If you like this Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake then make sure you check out these other gluten free pumpkin recipes too. They’re a great way to use up any leftover pumpkin puree or pumpkin spice mix!
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Gluten free pumpkin cookies
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LOVE this recipe, cant wait to try it out on the weekend. 🙂
Yay! I hope you love it!!
Yay! I hope you love it!
How much baking powder is needed if you don’t have self raising gluten free flour?
1 tsp baking powder per 100g of plain GF flour
Hi Sarah, this sounds delicious! How could the recipe be adapted to make muffins/cupcakes instead? Thanks