Baking with the Seasons

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This cake is a fun, Thanksgiving pie alternative or a nice fall season treat. It’s a twist on a traditional pumpkin bar recipe. This simple cake is easy enough for an amateur baker, and you likely have most (if not all) of the ingredients already in your pantry.

Traditionally, this recipe was meant to be bars, so if you prefer simplicity just bake in a sheet pan. If you’re interested in making the layer cake pictured, you will need 2 round cake pans. I used 8 inch, stainless steel, round pans.

Baking in a sheet pan will take much less time as well. Normally, I bake this in a jelly roll pan (15″ x 10″) for 25-30 minutes. Baking in the 8-inch round cake pans took 45 minutes in my oven.

The delicious, cream cheese frosting is super simple and can be prepped while your cakes are in the oven.

Once your cakes are out of the oven and have had time to cool, you can start assembling your layer cake. Spread a layer of frosting on the first layer of your cake (making sure to save a generous amount for the top). Then, place the 2nd layer of cake on top of the bottom, frosted layer. Now, use the remaining frosting to spread a generous layer on top of the cake. I also spread a very thin layer around the sides of the cake for a sort of “naked” cake aesthetic. Optionally, you can sprinkle some roasted pecans on top as garnish. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups sugar
• 1 Cup oil
• 1 can pumpkin puree (2 cups)
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 Cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 3 Cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cream together wet ingredients in large mixing bowl with electric mixer.
3. Add dry ingredients into bowl with wet ingredients and combine with electric mixer until batter is smooth.
4. Line 2 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
5. Pour batter into lined cake pans, distributing evenly between the 2 pans.
6. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or until batter comes out clean with toothpick test).
7. Optional:  Pour small bag of pecan halves into small sheet pan and roast in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes – do not overbake, they burn fast! Once cooled, pour pecans into a ziploc bag and crush into small pieces to use as garnish.

Frosting:

1. Combine frosting ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Cream together with electric mixer until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Cake Assembly:

1. Place one of your layers of cake on a serving platter and spread frosting over the top of that layer until covered, making sure to save a generous amount of frosting for the top layer.
2. Place 2nd layer of cake on top of the already frosted bottom layer, and spread most of the remaining frosting on top of the cake, saving a very small amount for the sides.
3. Spread a thin layer of frosting around the sides of the cake.
4. Optional: Sprinkle crushed, roasted pecans on top.