Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I was looking to make myself a delicious birthday cake. I usually go for carrot cake, but my sister recommended pumpkin cake. I also had been eying this recipe for Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. And I added some chopped bittersweet chocolate, which is delicious, but not necessary. Cake recipe is from http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2009/10/pumpkin-cake-with-amaretto-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe.html Frosting recipe is from http://www.kitchenista.org/2009/05/12/carrot-cake-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting/ I put it all together here for my safe-keeping and because it was an absolutely wonderful cake. Just make sure the frosting is completely room temperature or your cake will end up ugly like mine (but still delicious!!).

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8-10
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• Cake

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3  eggs, room temperature
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 cups pumpkin puree

• Frosting

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2  cups confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup
• 5  ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Cake:.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
4. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla.
5. Slowly whisk flour mixture into egg mixture. Fold in pureed pumpkin.
6. Evenly divide cake mixture between the two prepared cake pans.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs on it.
8. Cool cakes in pans completely before transferring to a cake plate. About 1 hour.
9. Once the cakes are cool, spread a layer of maple cream cheese frosting on the top of one cake layer. Place the other cake layer on top. Use remaining frosting to frost the cake.
10. Frosting:.
11. Beat sugar and butter with mixer or in stand mixer.
12. Gradually add confectioner's sugar and maple syrup while blending.
13. You can put the frosting in the refrigerator to set up a little bit or just let it stand at room temperature so it's ready for you when you need it.
14. Optional: You can chop up some bittersweet chocolate and add it to the batter once it's in the pan and stir just a bit so it doesn't sink to the bottom. Reserve about a third of the chocolate to sprinkle over the frosted cake.