Luscious Pumpkin Cake

Every fall I like to try a new pumpkin recipe and this one was a big hit with my family.

 

 Although this delicious cake looks very time consuming...it is not.  It is light and airy and has a mild pumpkin flavor and the filling is almost like a mousse. I may or may not have had some for breakfast.

 

The recipe called for caramel topping drizzled over the top but in my opinion it's sweet enough without it. Also, I'm not a spice lover so I use cinnamon in my recipe. If you want it spicier add some nutmeg, cloves or pumpkin pie spice to it.

 

 

Luscious Pumpkin Cake

 

1 (18.25 ounce) yellow cake mix

 

1 (14 ounce) can pumpkin, divided

 

1/2 cup milk

 

1/3 cup vegetable oil

 

4 eggs

 

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

 

2 teaspoons vanilla divided

 

FILLING:

1 package cream cheese (8 ounce)

 

1 cup powdered sugar

 

3 cups Cool Whip whipped topping

 

reserved pumpkin, cinnamon and vanilla from above

 

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (I used sugared pecans)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) round baking pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.
2. Bake 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
3.  Beat cream cheese in small bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin, cinnamon and vanilla; mix well. Gently stir in Cool Whip.
4. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers reserving approximately 1 cup for the top. Sprinkle with nuts.
5. Refrigerate leftovers.  printablerecipe

Linking to: Chicken Chick ; Mix it up Monday; Fluster Buster; Craftberry Bush; Homeacre Harvest Hop