Pumpkin Spice Cake

By SaraB

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 recipe Browned Butter Frosting (see recipe, below)
• 1 1/4 cups chopped, toasted pecans
• Ground cinnamon mixed with ground cloves or pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pans; set pans aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl stir together buttermilk and pumpkin. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour into prepared pans, spreading evenly.

3. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.

4. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread top with some of the Browned Butter Frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining Browned Butter Frosting on top and sides of cake. Press pecans into frosting on sides of cake. If desired, place a pumpkin stencil on top of cake. Place cinnamon-clove mixture or pumpkin pie spice in a sieve and sift spice atop cake; remove stencil. Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 687 cal., 29 g fat (12 g sat. fat), 77 mg chol., 271 mg sodium, 105 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 4 g pro.

BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING: In a small saucepan heat 3/4 cup butter over medium heat until melted. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue heating until butter turns the color of light brown sugar. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a simmer (reduce heat if butter spatters). Remove from heat; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. In a very large mixing bowl combine 6 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add browned butter. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium to high speed, adding additional milk, if necessary, to reach spreading consistency. Frosting may set up upon standing. Beat in additional milk if it becomes too firm to spread. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.