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Pumpkin Spice Cake (D, TNT)
Source: Bon Appetit, October 2007
Yield: 1 9" layer cake

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1-3/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs
1 15-ounce can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. grated orange peel
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut plus additional for garnish

Frosting:
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
10 tbsp. (1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tbsp. dark rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla paste
4-1/2 cups powdered sugar (measured, then sifted)

Make Cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9" cake pans with 1-1/2" high sides.

Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; dust pans with flour. Sift 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and oil in large bowl until combined (mixture will look grainy).

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well-blended after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and orange peel; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Stir in raisins and 3/4 cup coconut.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cakes completely in pans on rack. Run knife around cakes to loosen.

Invert cakes onto racks; remove parchment paper. Turn cakes over, rounded side up. Using serrated knife, trim rounded tops of cakes to level.

Make Frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in dark rum and vanilla.

Add powdered sugar in 3 additions, beating just until frosting is smooth after each addition (do not overbeat or frosting may become too soft to spread).

Assembly:
Place 1 pumpkin cake layer, flat side down, on platter. Spread half of cream cheese frosting over top of cake to edges. Top with second cake layer, trimmed side down. Spread remaining frosting over top (not sides) of cake.

Sprinkle additional coconut over cake. Cut cake into wedges and serve.

Poster's Notes:
Based on the reviews on epicurious.com, I used diced, dried apricots and diced crystallized ginger (I used about 3/4 cup of the two combined, but next time i would use more of each). The result was delicious.

Posted by Judy Hochsztein

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A