Pumpkin Cake + Cream Cheese Frosting = Dessert Heaven

For the last month I’ve been dreaming of cake. Like, literally dreaming of it!

This pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is just what I need to satisfy my cake craving! The cake is moist but light with just the right amount of spice, and the frosting is delicious enough to eat by itself!

I discovered it one day while attempting to make pumpkin muffins. Sometimes I just play around with recipes until I come up with my own little masterpiece.

Anyways, the muffins turned into cupcakes, which then turned into cake heaven!

You won’t be sorry if you make this cake. You’ll want to eat the entire thing, and even if you do that, you still won’t be sorry!

Here’s the recipe…

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 C butter, softened or room temperature

1C granulated sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs (farm fact: duck eggs are excellent for baking)

1 C puréed pumpkin (If using frozen pumpkin purée from the garden, unthaw and then drain excess liquid first)

1 2/3 C all-purpose flour

1tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 C room temperature milk (I prefer whole milk while baking)

Frosting Ingredients:

8 oz of room temperature or softened cream cheese

3 Tbsp softened butter

4 C confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1-3 Tbsp milk for thinning frosting to desired consistency

Now let the baking begin!!!

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

• grease and lightly flour a 8×9 inch spring form pan

• In a medium size bowl, combine all dry ingredients, whisk together, and set aside.

• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy.

• Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, mix until blended.

• Add pumpkin purée and room temperature milk, mix until blended.

• Next add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time and mix until just combined. It’s always important not to over mix on this step.

• Lastly, pour batter into pan, smooth out, and bake on middle rack for 30-55 minutes. Cake is done when an inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

** I give such a wide range of baking time (30-55 mins) because all ovens are different. If I follow a recipe completely, my oven always runs hotter and cooks at least 15 mins faster than most recipes call for. Set a timer for 20-30 mins and check cake for progress.**

Once the cake is done and cooling, prepare the frosting!! My favorite part!

Frosting:

• First, use an electric mixer to combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla.

• Next, add in confectioners sugar (2cups at a time) and salt.

• Mix until smooth and add in 1-3 Tbsp of milk until you’ve reached your desired consistency

** Try hard not to eat all the frosting right there on the spot!! It’s harder than you think!**

Once the cake is cooled completely and you’ve withheld from the frosting as long as you can, undo the spring in the cake pan and load it down with the best looking frosting in the world!!!

** Cake is best consumed alone, locked in a closet with a cup of coffee and the latest copy of GRIT magazine!! Just speaking from experience!**

Happy baking!!!!