Description:

Rich and moist pumpkin cake with the best caramel frosting you will ever put in your mouth. This is very special and delicious!

Source:

S. Chokel

Serves/Makes:12-18 cake squares

Ingredients

• Cake Ingredients:
• 1 cup (225 ml) sugar
• 1-3/4 cups (425 ml) and 2 tbsp (30 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
• 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
• 2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (225 ml) oil
• 1 cup (225 ml) chopped nuts
• 1 cup (225 ml) pumpkin, cooked
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) mace
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ginger
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) allspice
• Frosting Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream or canned milk
• 9 tbsp (125 ml) butter
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) granulated sugar
• 1-1/8 cups (275 ml) powdered sugar

Preparation

• Cake Directions:
• Sift together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
• Add eggs, oil, nuts, pumpkin, and spices and blend together.
• Pour and scrape the batter into a greased and floured 9x13 cake pan.
• Bake at 375 degrees (200 C.) for 20-25 minutes.
• Frosting Directions:
• Heat cream and butter together.
• Meanwhile, put granulated sugar in a heavy frying pan on medium heat and stir until it is a golden brown syrup, (be careful not to burn!). Take off the heat and stir constantly until it cools slightly.
• Slowly pour the hot cream and butter mixture into the melted sugar, stirring constantly.
• Return to the heat and let boil until mixtures are thoroughly blended and not lumpy.
• Remove from heat an dstir in powdered sugar.
• Beat until smooth and creamy and thick enough to spread.

Comments

This is a recipe that can be a challenge for the novice or beginning cook because of the icing recipe. However, if you trust that sugar melts without water on it's own, and you take your time, it will be your favorite frosting recipe. This IS the real deal for true caramel icings!

If you are a less experienced cook, you might want to read the frosting directions over a few times to get comfortable with it.

This frosting recipe is EXCELLENT on drop cookies and bars as well. I have used it on homemade cinnamon rolls with GREAT success too.