I (heart) Pumpkin!

It's been a long time since I've gotten to make a birthday cake for a coworker. Wes jokes that it seems I'm baking a cake for someone every week but that's hardly the case considering I work with a whopping 12 people. I'm quite lucky to have such a willing audience and most of them are very accepting guinea pigs. From carrot to parsnip, there hasn't been one that's been turned away yet. I've had some personal favorites and not surprising, this Pumpkin Cake is right up there for me. Did you know I love pumpkin? Did you know there's a pumpkin shortage this year?! Horror of horrors!!

One coworker asked if there was a story that went with this one and I said, "Funny you should ask. Yes, there is." The original recipe was to be baked in a 12x8 pan. No offense to any fellow sheet cake lovers but I don't find those as pretty and I don't have the decorating capabilities to compensate on the top. Layer cakes are my preference and thus I needed to adjust the bake time accordingly. I knocked down the bake time but still was concerned when the cakes came out darker than a typical white cake. I was afraid the cake would be dry, so I whipped up a glaze to try to add a layer of moisture to the cake. Of course I don't know if the cake would have been dry without it but it was indeed moist!

Pumpkin Cake III with Cream Glaze and Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

adapted from Allrecipes.com

2 cups sugar (don't fill the cups all the way full and save a few calories!)

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup canola oil

2 cups canned pumpkin puree

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup chopped walnuts (toasted)

Preheat oven to 350. Cut parchment paper to fit 3 8-inch round cake pans. Grease pans and paper with butter. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine sugar, applesauce, and oil. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in nuts. Divide batter evenly between 3 cake pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Vanilla Glaze

3 T. butter

6 T. sugar

3 T. 1/2 and 1/2 or whipping cream

dash of baking soda

splash of vanilla

In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, cream, and soda to a boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring often, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Spread 1-2 T. on the flat side of the cooled cakes. Let cool completely.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

7 T. butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

2 T. pumpkin puree

1 tsp cinnamon

Beat cream cheese and butter together until well blended. Mix in pumpkin and cinnamon. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, tasting periodically for desired sweetness.

Frost cake and top with nuts, if desired.