Instructions for the Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Grease and flour three 8 x 2 inch pans
• In a medium size bowl, add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk at least 30 seconds to blend. Set aside.
• In another bowl, add the milk, pumpkin, vegetable oil, vanilla and espresso dissolved in water. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the white and brown sugar and mix on medium speed 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
• Add the flour mixture and the milk mixture alternately. Begin and end with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry and 2 of wet)
• Mix until just combined, do not mix above medium speed or over mix.
• Pour into prepared pans, smoothing tops with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let cool 10 minutes, then turn out.

Instructions for the Coffee Syrup

• In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, remove from the heat and stir in the espresso/coffee granules. Allow to cool. You can refrigerate this until you are ready to use. Do not spread on the tops of the cakes until you are ready to decorate. Using a pastry brush, spread lightly on the top of the cake layers. Do not make them too wet. You will have some coffee syrup left over.

Instructions for the Cinnamon Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cut the butter into slices and add to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is softened.
• Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, beating at low to medium speed until blended. If using a hand mixer, you may need to soften the cream cheese a bit more.
• Add the cinnamon
• Add the espresso that has been mixed with the vanilla
• Gradually add the powdered sugar beating on low to medium speed until blended. Do not over mix or it will become too soft. If it does become too soft, just refrigerate for a few minutes, then continue.
• This frosting will pipe best if used while somewhat chilled. You can make this in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use, let soften to spreading consistency (do not microwave) and stir or remix with mixer.
• Will fill and frost a 3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake

Instructions for the Whipped Cream Topping

• Chill the mixing bowl and beaters or whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla into the chilled mixing bowl, begin beating on low speed gradually increasing to medium high speed. The cream begins to thicken (approx. 1 1/2 minutes) and soft peaks form….peaks that slightly bend over. Watch closely as this happens quickly. Do not over beat or it will turn into butter.

How to Assemble the Cake

• To assemble the cake, place the first cake layer onto the pedestal or cake base. Using a pastry brush, apply a light coating of the espresso syrup. Follow with a layer of Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting. Repeat this process for the other cake layers.
• Frost cake with Cinnamon Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting, and using a piping bag with a very large round tip (or with the tip of the piping bag snipped away), pipe cloud-like puffs of whipped cream over the top of the cake. Follow with a light dusting of cinnamon.