Pumpkin spice cake recipe

Last weekend at Nordstrom Cafe, I had a little slice of heaven in the form of pumpkin spice cake.  Now, since I happen to be in a state of adoration of anything made with pumpkin, it was a hit before it came to the table.  The spice cake part of it just made it even better. 

My dad and I were pumpkin pie aficianados.  The problem with most pumpkin pies, my friends, is that they simply do not have enough of the spices.  You need to generally start with twice as much as is in the recipe, taste test, and go from there.  My dad's favorite kind of cake was a spice cake with caramel icing (for me, it's second place).  So, as you can see, I really needed that pumpkin spice cake.  It was really a tribute to my father, right?  I knew he'd be disappointed in me if I didn't have some.  It did not disappoint, but I knew I could do better.

So I searched various cookbooks and online recipes and then baked the heavenly creation today.  Here it is.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe

3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs (or 2 extra large eggs)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. fresh nutmeg, grated
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour 9x13 baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffly (about 3 minutes).  Add the eggs, mixing after each addition, until fully incorporated. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix well. 

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Add the fresh ginger into the buttermilk.  Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing on low, just until fully incorporated.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp. sorghum molasses or pure maple syrup
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. fresh nutmeg, grated
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

After cake has cooled, beat together the cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes.  Mix in molasses or maple syrup.  Sift powdered sugar and nutmeg and add while mixture is beating on low speed.  Add in pecans and mix by hand until fully incorporated.  Spread on cooled cake.