Pumpkin Spice Cake

By jgroeneveld

Layers of cake cushioned with Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting create a lasting impression even before you take the first bite. One taste of this moist cake and creamy icing, and the traditional pumpkin pie may have to make room on the sideboard for a new holiday favorite.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup(s) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup(s) sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup(s) pumpkin purée
• 1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground nutmeg
• 1 recipe Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting

Details

Preparation time 40mins
Cooking time 120mins

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans with softened butter. Cut three 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and fit them into the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly coat the paper circles with butter and set aside.
Make the batter: Cream butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside. Combine the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.
Bake the cake: Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.
Assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one-third recipe of Pumpkin Cream-Cheese Frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. Serve or store refrigerated for up to four days.
Pumpkin cream-cheese frosting:

Yields: 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 package(s) (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup(s) pumpkin purée
1/4 cup(s) (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon(s) fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon(s) grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
4 cup(s) confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions:
Blend the cream cheese, pumpkin purée, butter, orange juice, zest, and vanilla in a large bowl using an electric mixer set at medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy -- about 5 more minutes.