Spiced Pumpkin Cake

Name: Spiced Pumpkin Cake
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 12
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan; 2 cups cake flour, plus more for pan; 2 tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. ground ginger; 3 ⁄ 4 tsp. kosher salt; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground cloves; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground mace; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups packed light brown sugar; 2 eggs; 3 ⁄ 4 cup canned pumpkin purée, preferably Libby's; 1 ⁄ 4 cup milk; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Serves
serves 12

TODD COLEMAN

A welcome addition to the holiday table, this simple frosted layer cake, from Unity Hall board member Becky, can also be made with homemade pureed pumpkin: just peel and seed your favorite variety of cooking pumpkin, cut it into large chunks, steam or boil it until soft, and mash it until smooth.

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 cups cake flour, plus more for pan
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
³⁄₄ tsp. kosher salt
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground cinnamon
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground cloves
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground mace
1 ¹⁄₂ cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
³⁄₄ cup canned pumpkin purée, preferably Libby's
¹⁄₄ cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

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Instructions

Step 1

Heat oven to 375°. Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans lined with parchment paper cut to fit; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and mace; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat ½ cup butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, 1–2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until smooth. Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add pumpkin and milk, and then add remaining dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with a rubber spatula; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes; unmold cakes and let cool.

Step 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat remaining butter and vanilla on medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Increase speed to high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.

Step 3

Place 1 cake on a cake stand and frost the top with ⅓ of the frosting; stack second cake on top and frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Refrigerate cake; let cake sit for 1 hour at room temperature before serving.