These mini pumpkin layer cakes with cream cheese frosting are full of pumpkin spice flavor and made with soft, fluffy pumpkin sponge cake! A perfect holiday dessert for small gatherings during Thanksgiving or Christmas!
These mini pumpkin layer cakes are made with soft, fluffy pumpkin sponge cake and filled with creamy, luscious cream cheese frosting!
Make individual servings of this cake to serve as the perfect dessert during small holiday gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas! Or leave it whole for easy serving and decorating.
I used pastry rings or cake rings to cut out small circles but you can skip that step if you don't have any pastry rings and just use your knife to cut them into small rectangles.
Why this recipe works
- The base of this mini pumpkin layer cake is my classic Swiss Roll Cake that's been adapted to include pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice mix. You'll end up with a soft, fluffy pumpkin sponge cake that has a light, pillowy texture.
- Make ahead recipe - You can make the pumpkin cake ahead of time and keep it in the freezer until you're ready to apply the frosting. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap first and freeze it in an airtight container. Thaw it on the counter top and apply the frosting once it's completely at room temperature.
- Pumpkin spice mix - the addition of pumpkin spice mix gives this cake tons of fall flavors like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice!
- Perfect for small servings - these small holiday cakes are great when entertaining a few people or for when you want to serve an elegant fall dessert!
Ingredients you'll need
- Pumpkin puree - I used canned pumpkin puree. Make sure it's 100% pure pumpkin puree without any sweeteners.
- Cake flour - cake flour gives this pumpkin sponge cake a light, fluffy texture.
- Eggs - I used large eggs. The egg whites will be used to make a meringue to leaven the cake.
- Pumpkin spice mix - Use store bought or make the mix yourself. The main ingredients are cinnamon, clove, ginger, and allspice.
Step by step instructions
- First preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Add the egg yolks in a medium size bowl and break them up. Next, add in the sugar, salt, oil, and pumpkin puree. Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Next, sift in the cake flour, baking powder, and pumpkin spice mix. Mix together until just combined and you don't see any dry bits of flour.
- Whip the egg whites until you get firm peaks. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Firm peaks mean the meringue holds a peak but the tip falls over. In other words, the meringue should be 90% of the way to stiff peaks.
- Combine the meringue into the egg yolk mixture in two batches. Carefully fold them together so that the meringue doesn't deflate.
- Add the batter to a baking pan or divide it into two pans if you want thinner layers. Otherwise, you can cut the cake in half to create more layers. Smooth over the top and bake.
- Let the cake cool completely. Next, either cut out molds, cut in half to create thinner layers, or leave it whole.
- Make the cream cheese frosting or use any frosting of your choice. Apply the frosting when the cake is completely cool otherwise the frosting can melt.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days until ready to serve.
Expert tips and tricks
- For a soft, fluffy pumpkin sponge cake, be sure not to over bake the cake. Insert a toothpick in the center and when it comes out clean, it's done.
- Be sure to gently fold in the egg whites with the pumpkin cake batter. Avoid over mixing as it can deflate the egg whites and cause the cake to be tough and dense.
- Wait for the cake to completely cool before slicing into it. This will get you cleaner, smoother slices.
- For mini pumpkin layer cakes, you can leave the cake sheet as is or you can slice the layers in half to make thinner layers. Wait to cut out the rounds until after you're happy with the thickness of the layers.
- Use a sharp cake knife and use slow, broad strokes to create even layers. Placing the cake sheet in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes can help with cutting layers as it will slightly harden.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this in advance?
Yes you can make and frost the pumpkin cake up to 3 days in advance. You can also make the cake sheet in advance and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Apply frosting once the cake is completely thawed and at room temperature to avoid condensation forming.
How long can I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
What do I use to cut out rounds in the cake?
Use a pastry ring, cake ring, biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or even a clean tin can.
More recipes to try:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Cream Cheese & Streusel
- Simple Baked Cinnamon Apples
- Bakery Swiss Roll Cake Recipe
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread with Cream Cheese Swirls
- Butter Cookies – Easy 6 Ingredient Recipe!
- Chocolate Roll Cake – Swiss Roll
- Rich & Creamy Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies – Perfect for Decorating
- Korean Candied Sweet Potatoes (Goguma Mattang)
Recipe
Mini Pumpkin Layer Cakes
These mini pumpkin layer cakes are filled with cream cheese frosting and are full of pumpkin spice flavor! Enjoy these individual mini cakes made with soft, fluffy pumpkin sponge cake. A perfect holiday dessert for small gatherings.
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Equipment
☑ Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks - - (100g)
- 6 large egg whites - - (200g)
- ⅓ cup avocado oil - - substitute any cooking oil
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
Dry Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar - - (130g) for egg whites
- ⅔ cup sugar - - (130g) for egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon salt - - (3g)
- 1 ⅔ cup cake flour - - (200g)
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon baking powder - - (5g)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar - - (2g)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix - - (8g)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz block of cream cheese - - softened
- ½ cup butter - - softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar - - sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons milk - - (optional) to thin out the frosting
- small pinch of salt
Instructions
Egg Yolk Mixture
- First preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Add the egg yolks in a medium size bowl and break them up. Next, add in the sugar, salt, oil, and pumpkin puree. Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Next, sift in the cake flour, baking powder, and pumpkin spice mix. Mix together until just combined and you don't see any dry bits of flour.
Egg White Meringue
- Add the cream of tarter and egg whites into a large mixing bowl. Whip the egg whites until it becomes frothy then slowly add in the sugar in three parts. Whip on high until you get firm peaks - the meringue holds a peak but the tip falls over. In other words, the meringue should be 90% of the way to stiff peaks.
Make the Batter & Bake
- Combine the meringue into the egg yolk mixture in two batches. Carefully fold them together so that the meringue doesn't deflate.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper and add the batter into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you'd like thinner layers, divide the batter into two baking sheets and cut the baking time in half. Or you can slice the layer in half once it's baked and cooled.
- Once completely cooled, use pastry rings to cut small circles from the cake sheet.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until it’s completely combined. There should be no lumps or distinguishable parts of butter or cream cheese. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment. Or you can use a hand mixer.
- Next, add in the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat together until it's smooth and creamy. If you find it's too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time.
- Wait until the cake has completely cooled before piping the cream cheese frosting otherwise, it may melt. Use a piping bag fitted with a pastry tip or use a ziplock bag with a small hole cut into a corner. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
✎ Recipe Notes
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Leftover cream cheese frosting can be store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Baking time is based on baking in a single jelly roll cake pan that measures 15 x 10 x 1 inches.
- For a soft, fluffy cake, be sure not to over bake the cake. Insert a toothpick in the center and when it comes out clean, it's done.
- Be sure to gently fold in the egg whites with the pumpkin cake batter. Avoid over mixing as it can deflate the egg whites and cause the cake to be tough and dense.
- Wait for the cake to completely cool before slicing into it. This will get you cleaner, smoother slices.
- For a layered pumpkin cake, you can leave the cake sheet as is or you can slice the layers in half to make thinner layers.
- Use a sharp cake knife and use slow, broad strokes to create even layers. Placing the cake sheet in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes can help with cutting layers as it will slightly harden.
- Cut the cake rounds after the layers are made.
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 2759IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was and give it a 5 star rating! Tag @drivemehungry to show off your creations! I love seeing your photos!
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
Kate
My family loved this pumpkin cake! It was so fluffy and moist!
Eliza
We really enjoyed this recipe. We didn't have anything to cut the cake, so we just used a knife and kept a square shape. It may not have looked as beautiful as yours, but it tasted absolutely amazing. I think we will be making this for Thanksgiving too!
Debra
How cute. I love this idea of personal cakes....going to do this for our one new Thanksgiving dessert this year.
Shadi
This is such a delicious recipe! The pumpkin flavor was so lovely and the the cake was soft and delicate!
Amy
We were after a fun festive sweet treat, and I came across your recipe. Having previously tried some of your sweet treats, I knew I could trust your recipe. The cakes have a wonderful texture - so light! The frosting is a sweet treat for sure - I could eat it by the spoonful! Thank you again!
Amanda Marie Boyle
These are so fluffy! Even my picky toddler liked them!
Sandhya H
This pumpkin layer cake looks so soft and fluffy. I can't wait to try the recipe.
Jeannette
So cute! Love the way it holds together. Pumpkin and cheese is such a wonderful combination for the cooler seasons. Thanks for sharing!
Julia
These mini pumpkin cakes looks so cute and that yellow color is so beautifully popping out! Saving this recipes for this weekend!
Jamie
Thanks Julia! Hope you enjoy it!
Cindy
My kiddos and I made these adorable mini pumpkin cakes together! We have been spending a lot more time in the kitchen this fall and it's so fun. They really enjoyed making this recipe but they enjoyed eating it even more! Thanks for this delish creation, we are adding it to our “make again” list!!
Jamie
So happy to hear you and your family enjoyed these! Thanks for trying it out Cindy!