Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Have we gotten sick of pumpkin yet? I hope not, because I sure haven't! The thing I love about pumpkin is how versatile it is. I've seen it in just about everything, including chili! It's fantastic, and good for you.

I liked this cake for it's "semi-homemade" quality. A boxed spice cake, and a few other ingredients, and you're made in the shade. It's a very soft, velvety cake which is the perfect canvas for that sinfully rich cream cheese frosting. Eat up!

Pumpkin Spice Cake
By Taste of Home Baking Book

Ingredients

1 package spice cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 package instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I used almonds, but I think pecans would be better)
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, eggs, pumpkin, water, oil, pudding mix and cinnamon. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. Stir in pecans.

2. Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Cook for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost cake or serve with whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
5-6 cups powdered sugar

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar. Store in fridge.