To make this beautiful fall treat we first must gather all our ingredients...
unsalted butter
light brown sugar
eggs
canned pure pumpkin
vanilla extract
cake flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
cinnamon
ginger
cloves
buttermilk
Beat the butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and other spices. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk in alternating additions. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
Divide the batter in half and pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then invert and remove the cakes from their pans.
While cakes are cooking and cooling, make this delicious cream cheese frosting...
Here are the stars of the show: Cream Cheese and Butter!
You will also need powder sugar and the secret ingredient...maple syrup.
Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add the maple syrup and sugar and mix to combine. Adjust syrup or sugar for consistency, or use buttermilk to thin the frosting.
Set aside about a cup of frosting, then place the bottom layer upside down and frost the top. Place the top layer on top right side up. Frost the entire cake. Then let's make it fancy...
Mix a small amount of reserved frosting with 6 drops of yellow and 1 drop of red food coloring. Create an orange to your liking. Grab a 1 gallon plastic bag and turn it inside out. Pour the orange frosting into one of the corners of the bag, and then flip the bag back to normal. Cut a small slit on the corner and you have a easy decorating tool!
