Halloween Pumpkin Spice Cake

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
 
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
 
1 cup sugar

3 large eggs
 
1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 
2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
 
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground nutmeg

whipped cream frosting

Directions:

Prepare cake pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans with softened butter.Cut three 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and fit them into the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly coat the paper circles with butter and set aside.

Make the batter. Cream butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Set aside.

Combine the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.

In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition until smooth.

Bake the cake. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.

Assemble the cake. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with whipped cream frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. Than cover the cake around with the same frosting.

Serve or store refrigerated for up to four days.

To make the color of the frosting, add 1 drop of red for every 5 drops of yellow coloring to butter-cream, cream cheese, or whipped cream frosting. All pair well with a spice cake.