Pumpkin Cake With Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
| Sugar | 1 Cup (16 tbs) (FROSTING) | |
| Water | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) (FROSTING) | |
| 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped | ||
| Butter stick | 1 1/2 , softened (FROSTING) | |
| Heavy cream | 2 Tablespoon (FROSTING) | |
| 1 pound cream cheese, cut into 2-inch cubes | ||
| CAKE | ||
| All purpose flour | 2 Cup (16 tbs) (FROSTING) | |
| Baking powder | 2 1/4 Teaspoon (FROSTING) | |
| Salt | 1 Teaspoon (FROSTING) | |
| Cinnamon | 1 Teaspoon (FROSTING) | |
| Ground ginger | 1 Teaspoon (FROSTING) | |
| Baking soda | 3/4 Teaspoon (FROSTING) | |
| Nutmeg | 1/2 Teaspoon, freshly grated (FROSTING) | |
| Ground cloves | 1/4 Teaspoon (FROSTING) | |
| Light brown sugar | 1 1/4 Cup (16 tbs) (FROSTING) | |
| Eggs | 4 Large (FROSTING) | |
| Vegetable oil | 3/4 Cup (16 tbs) (FROSTING) | |
| One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree | ||
| Whole milk | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) (FROSTING) | |
Directions
1. Make the frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and vanilla bean and seeds. Cook over high heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Using a wet pastry brush, wash down any crystals from the side of the pan. Cook over moderate heat without stirring until medium-dark amber caramel forms, about 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the butter and heavy cream. (Don't worry if the butter separates.) Discard the vanilla bean.
2. Transfer the caramel to the large bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk and beat at low speed until the caramel cools slightly and comes together, about 5 minutes. With the machine running, beat in the cream cheese, adding 1 cube at a time and beating well between additions, until the frosting is smooth and silky. Scrape the frosting into a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 6 hours.
3. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350° Butter and flour two 8-inches round cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves until the ingredients are well combined.
4. In the large bowl of an electric standing mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the brown sugar and eggs at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the oil until smoothly combined, and then beat in the pumpkin puree. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk in 3 batches, beating well between additions.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake the cakes for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to loosen the cakes, and then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Place 1 layer on a plate and spread with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with the second layer and frost the top and side. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before serving.
2. Transfer the caramel to the large bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk and beat at low speed until the caramel cools slightly and comes together, about 5 minutes. With the machine running, beat in the cream cheese, adding 1 cube at a time and beating well between additions, until the frosting is smooth and silky. Scrape the frosting into a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 6 hours.
3. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350° Butter and flour two 8-inches round cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves until the ingredients are well combined.
4. In the large bowl of an electric standing mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the brown sugar and eggs at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the oil until smoothly combined, and then beat in the pumpkin puree. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk in 3 batches, beating well between additions.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake the cakes for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to loosen the cakes, and then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Place 1 layer on a plate and spread with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with the second layer and frost the top and side. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before serving.
Chef
