Best Pumpkin Layer Cake With Spiced Frosting Recipes

PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE WITH SPICED FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with a round of parchment paper; butter paper. Dust pan with flour, tapping out excess. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin-pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in pumpkin puree. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; mix just until combined.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops, and tap pans on work surface several times to eliminate large air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pans; run a knife around edge of pans, and invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Set a rimmed baking sheet upside down on work surface. Place one cake on top, and spread with 1/3 of frosting. Place second cake on top, and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Using two wide metal spatulas, carefully transfer frosted cake to serving platter. Sprinkle with more pumpkin-pie spice, if desired.

SPICED PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch sides. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper. Sprinkle the pans with flour, tap the pans to evenly distribute the flour, and then shake off the excess flour. Set aside.
• To make the cake, in a large bowl, sift together the 2 cups flour, the granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and vanilla. In another medium bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, coconut, crushed pineapple, and currants.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, spreading it evenly. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks and let cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Run a table knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cakes. Invert the cakes onto the racks and peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely before frosting the cakes.
• To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed for about 3 minutes until smooth. Add the butter and beat for about 2 minutes until combined. Add the pumpkin purée and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat for about 3 minutes until fluffy.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or platter. Using an offset spatula, spread half of the frosting over the top of the first cake layer. Spread the frosting right to the edge of the top without frosting the sides of the cake. Carefully place the second cake on top, lining up the edges. Spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake without frosting the sides. Swirl the frosting to decorate the top. Refrigerate the cake to set the frosting. Remove from the refrigerator 30 to 40 minutes before serving.

PUMPKIN SPICE LAYER CAKE WITH CARAMEL AND CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides, tapping out any excess flour. Whisk first 9 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat pumpkin, sugar, and oil in another large bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to incorporate between additions. Mix in orange peel. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 33 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Invert onto rack, then turn top side up and cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup powdered sugar over bottom of small nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until sugar melts (do not stir). Continue cooking until sugar turns deep amber, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Carefully stir in 1/2 cup cream, vanilla, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir until any caramel bits dissolve. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon cream. Strain into small bowl. Cool caramel to room temperature.
• Sift remaining powdered sugar into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in cooled caramel. Cover and chill frosting until firm enough to spread, about 2 hours.
• Using long serrated knife, trim rounded tops from cakes. Place 1 cake layer on cake plate, cut side up. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Place second cake layer, cut side down, atop frosting. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, creating smooth surface. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome or large bowl and chill. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.
• Sprinkle candied orange peel over top of cake. Cut into wedges and serve.
• Available seasonally at most supermarkets and year-round at specialty foods stores and from chefshop.com.

OVERNIGHT PUMPKIN SPICE ROLLS WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Set aside until yeast becomes foamy while you gather remaining ingredients.
• In another small bowl, mix pumpkin, vanilla and egg.
• In large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups of the flour (reserve the last 1/4 cup to bring together the dough if needed), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup butter by pinching it into the flour with your fingers, using a pastry blender, or a fork until mixture is sandy and butter is mostly incorporated.
• Mix yeast mixture and pumpkin mixture into the dough using dough hook on stand mixer or with wooden spoon until wet dough forms. If using mixer, beat dough with dough hook 10 minutes on medium speed until dough starts to pull away from side of bowl and becomes elastic. If dough is still very wet and stringy, add remaining 1/4 cup flour. If you are mixing dough by hand, you will likely need additional flour so you can handle dough enough to knead it. For hand mixing, knead dough about 5 minutes, until it becomes elastic and fairly smooth. Shape dough into a ball and place into oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and set in warm place 1 to 2 hours or until double in size.
• In another small bowl, beat sugar and spices for Filling with whisk. Lightly oil 13x9-inch pan; set aside.
• Place dough on floured work surface. Roll dough with rolling pin to 15x12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup melted butter over dough, leaving about 1 inch of unbuttered space on each of the longer sides. Sprinkle with sugar-spice mixture. Starting with 1 of the longer sides of the dough, roll it up into a log, and pinch together the seam. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces; cut each piece into 3, for a total of 12 rolls. Arrange evenly in pan with 1 of the cut sides down. Cover pan with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator overnight.
• In the morning, remove pan from refrigerator, and set on counter for 30 minutes to take off the chill. After 30 minutes, heat oven to 350°F, and place pan on top of oven, where it will be very warm, and cover with towel. Allow oven to heat and the rolls to warm for about 30 minutes or until rolls are puffed, about double in size, and the spaces in between the rolls are nearly filled in.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until rolls are golden. Cool slightly while you make icing.
• In 6-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup butter over medium heat until it separates into clear butter, foam and milk solids. Continue to cook until milk solids become deep, toffee brown and smell fragrant and nutty. Pour butter into a dish, and set aside.
• In medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft and creamy. Add powdered sugar, browned butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat to combine, and spread over warm rolls. Serve warm. Rolls are best the same day they are made.