Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Cake

Although fall hasn't officially begun yet, I'm ready for it to start....and since today we'll have a few friends over, I wanted a Pumpkin Spice Cake.

No one told me canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) would be hard to find this year.

No one told me cream pumpkin candies weren't out in the store yet.

But I managed to find all the ingredients to pull it off...and the house smells amazing as it bakes.

Pumpkin Spice Cake
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Powdered Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
2 cups Sugar
4 eggs
1 cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 15oz can Solid Packed Pumpkin (do not use Pumpkin Pie Mix)

Step #1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step #2: Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl and sift together.

Step #3: Add eggs, oil, and pumpkin to dry ingredients and stir well (about thirty strokes by hand)

Step #4: Pour into greased 9X13 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remember to insert a toothpick in the middle comes out clean...if not, bake a few minutes more.

Step #5: Let cool on a wire rack, frost with cream cheese frosting, and add creme pumpkin candies for decoration.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Milk
4 cups Powdered Sugar

In your mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and milk.  Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, blending between additions.  Add more milk if necessary.