A Slice of California Fall: Rose Wilde’s Pumpkin Sonora Cake

From a special evening at Cherry Bombe’s Farmers & Makers in Paso Robles to the holiday menu at Red Bread Bakery, California Prunes stun in this Pumpkin Sonora Cake celebrating the flavors of California.

Pumpkin spice may get all the attention this time of year, but baker and cookbook author Rose Wilde is giving fall baking a delicious California twist. Her Pumpkin Sonora Cake with Bay Leaf Prune Caramel, Pumpkin Seed Mascarpone Mousse & Malted Brown Sugar Buttercream is an unforgettable combination of seasonal ingredients, unexpected flavors, and thoughtful craftsmanship.

The cake made a memorable appearance in Paso Robles at Cherry Bombe’s Farmers & Makers event. Wilde served it during She’s My Cherry Pie: After Dark, a special dinner hosted by California Prunes. The celebration brought together talented women in food, farming, and hospitality for a weekend honoring California’s agricultural bounty and the people behind it.

And for those who didn’t get to experience the cake in Paso Robles, there’s good news! Wilde is featuring it on the menu at her Red Bread Bakery throughout the holiday season. And if you keep scrolling you’ll see that she shared her recipe so you can make it at home too.

A California-Inspired Cake Worth Celebrating

Wilde’s creation celebrates California-grown ingredients in every layer. This tender pumpkin cake made with olive oil, warm spices, and heritage Sonora flour. Then it’s layered with airy pumpkin seed mascarpone mousse and finished with malted brown sugar Swiss buttercream.

The standout? Bay Leaf California Prune Caramel. Wilde combines California Prunes with caramelized sugar, cream, butter, and aromatic bay leaves. This creates a rich, jammy filling that balances sweetness with subtle savory and herbal notes.

The Secret Ingredient: California Prunes

Naturally sweet and rich in flavor, California Prunes bring depth and a luscious texture to Wilde’s caramel. Prunes are just as delicious in decadent desserts as they are for everyday snacking.

And the possibilities extend beyond cake. Wilde recommends spreading leftover Prune caramel on toast, swirling it into yogurt, or using it as a filling for other desserts.

Bring the Flavors of Fall Home

Whether you’re inspired to bake Wilde’s Pumpkin Sonora Cake yourself or plan to enjoy a slice from Red Bread Bakery this holiday season, this dessert is a beautiful celebration of California’s harvest.

With its fragrant spices, delicate mousse, rich buttercream, and distinctive California Prune caramel, every bite offers a little something unexpected.

Pumpkin Sonora Cake with Bay Leaf Prune Caramel, Pumpkin Seed Mascarpone Mousse & Malted Brown Sugar Buttercream

Rose Wilde

I served this cake in Paso, where it was met with the kind of love that makes you want to bake it again immediately. I wanted fall flavors with a little room to wander: California prunes folded into caramel with bay leaf, jammy, salty, and herbaceous. Pumpkin in the crumb, its seed oil in the mousse—two expressions of the same fruit, familiar enough for children and with enough going on to keep the adults leaning in for another bite.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Cooling, Chilling and Assembly 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10 servings

Calories 1018 kcal

Equipment

• Stand Mixer with whisk and paddle attachments
• 8-inch cake pans
• Heavy bottomed saucepan
• Heat proof bowl
• Candy thermometer

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Pumpkin Sonora Cake:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour 180 g
• ¼ cup plus 2 tsp Sonora flour 35 g
• 1 cup plus 3 TBSP cane sugar 235 g
• 1¾ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt 5 g, or 1 tsp Morton salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¾ cup plus 2 TBSP olive oil 200 g
• ¾ cup plus 1 TBSP whole milk 210 g
• 2 TBSP plus 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 40 g
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup pumpkin purée 180 g

Bay Leaf Prune Caramel:

• 1½ cups pitted California Prunes 300 g
• ⅔ cup very hot water 160 g
• 2-3 small fresh bay leaves 2 g powdered bay leaf
• ½ cup plus 1 TBSP plus 2 tsp granulated sugar 120 g
• 2 tbsp water, for caramel 30 g
• ⅓ cup heavy cream, warmed 80 g
• 1½ tbsp unsalted butter 20 g
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt 3 g, or ⅝ tsp Morton

Pumpkin Seed Mascarpone Mousse:

• ¼ cup plus 3 TBSP cold mascarpone 100 g
• 1¼ cups cold heavy cream 300 g
• ¼ cup plus 2 TBSP cane sugar 75 g
• 1 TBSP plus 2 tsp pumpkin seed oil
• ¼ tsp fine salt 1.4 g

Malted Brown Sugar Buttercream:

• ⅓ cup egg whites 80 g
• ⅓ cup + 2 tsp cane sugar
• ⅓ cup plus 1 TBSP packed dark brown sugar
• 1¾ cups plus 2½ TBSP unsalted butter 433 g softened and cubed
• ⅓ tsp kosher salt
• ⅓ cup malted milk powder, sifted 48 g

Instructions

 

• Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake (20 cm) pans. Sift flours, sugar, salt, leavening agents, and spices together twice. Separately, blend olive oil, milk, lemon juice, eggs, and pumpkin until smooth. Gently combine wet and dry ingredients, divide between pans, and tap pans to release air bubbles. Bake, checking at 20–25 minutes, until the centers spring back. Cool completely.
• Prepare the Prune Caramel: Steep California Prunes and bay leaves in hot water for 15 minutes. Cook sugar with 2 TBSP water until deep amber. Carefully whisk in warm cream, followed by butter. Add Prunes and steeping liquid, simmer 3–4 minutes, and remove whole bay leaves. Add salt, blend until smooth, and cool completely.
• Whip the mascarpone mousse: Mix cold mascarpone with sugar, salt, and a splash of cream. Add remaining cream and whip to soft peaks. Slowly drizzle in pumpkin seed oil, then continue whipping to medium peaks. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• Make the buttercream: Heat egg whites and both sugars over gently simmering water, whisking until dissolved and reaching 161°F. Whip until glossy, stiff peaks form and the bowl is barely warm. Gradually beat in softened butter until smooth. Add salt and malted milk powder, then mix on low speed to remove excess air.
• Assemble the cake: Place one cooled layer on a serving plate. Pipe a tall buttercream dam around the edge. Spread Prune caramel inside, then top with mascarpone mousse. Add the second cake layer, gently pressing into place.
• Frost and decorate: Seal the sides with buttercream, apply a thin crumb coat, and refrigerate until firm. Finish with the remaining buttercream and decorate with pumpkin pieces, florals, pumpkin seed oil, or seasonal garnishes.

Notes

Storage Tip: Keep the finished cake refrigerated. Allow the buttercream to soften slightly before serving. Extra Prune caramel is delicious on toast or yogurt, while leftover buttercream can be frozen for up to three months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 1018kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 9gFat: 72gSaturated Fat: 37gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 181mgSodium: 1005mgPotassium: 427mgFiber: 3gSugar: 65gVitamin A: 4902IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 2mg

Keyword mascarpone cake, prune caramel, pumpkin cake

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Meet Rose Wilde

Rose Wilde is the visionary baker and owner of Red Bread, a celebrated micro-bakery known for its focus on seasonality, sustainability, and artisanal craftsmanship. Based in Los Angeles, Rose specializes in naturally leavened breads, and heritage grains. Her inventive pastries blend rustic charm with modern flair. Her creations are deeply inspired by the natural world. Rose draws on local ingredients and a reverence for the artistry of baking.

Rose’s work has earned her a loyal following and recognition for her thoughtful approach to food. Whether it’s her beautifully imperfect cakes or her bold, experimental flavor combinations, her desserts reflect her belief in food as both nourishment and art. Rose’s philosophy celebrates imperfection and creativity, inviting joy and a connection to the seasons in every bite.