Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Man did I feel like a workaholic last night, not from my normal 9 to 5 – but from laundry and baking….oh yah and making sure my mini-me is occupied. I even had a brief mommy brain lapse where I let my sweet bean eat some cake batter…with raw eggs! Needless to say that batter was like toddler crack & mom crack. It was really great, and when it bakes up it’s just as good.

Indigo cleaning out the batter bowl



INGREDIENTS
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl combine the yellow cake mix, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil & eggs. Mix together by hand or mixer. After the batter is ready mix in the pecans & raisins…If you are daring you might taste test that sweet batter now.



Next pour the batter into your prepared baking pan, I used two round pie pans for my cake. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer comes out from the center cleanly. Once baked remove from oven and let cool for at least 2 hours.

ICING! Oh how I am impressed with myself for making icing. To be honest with you before I started cooking things…just a short 2 months ago I couldn’t have even told you what was in frosting. I made a nice cream cheese one for this cake. Below are the ingredients, if you prefer a higher cream cheese concentration then just leave out some sugar if you swing the other way just add more.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl you will want to cream together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Next add the sifted confectioner’s sugar and blend together. You have now birthed cream cheese frosting.

Once your cakes are cooled you will want to find a plate or surface for the cake to sit on for icing. Next you will want to cut 4 small strips of parchment paper to place around the side of the plate (This will make the icing bottom PERFECT). Take one of your cake pans and flip the cake over upside down onto the plate and on top of the parchment paper. Take your frosting and ice the top of the cake on the plate. Take your second cake and place right side up on the first cake, like so….


Now ice the whole thing, don’t miss a spot! When you are finished you remove the parchment pieces by slowly pulling on them. What does this leave you with….



And 20 minutes later after setting the frosting in the fridge..YUM