Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 Cups sugar
• 2 Cups pureed pumpkin
  
• 1 Cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
  
• 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 2 Cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 Cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Frosting:

• 3-4 oz. cream cheese
  
• 1/2 Cup butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 Cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat eggs
until frothy. Add sugar, pumpkin, oil, PUMPKIN
PIE SPICE, and VANILLA, beat until well blended.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,
and nuts, mix gently to combine. Pour into an
ungreased 9" x 13" pan, bake for 30-40 minutes,
until the cake is golden brown. It should be pulling
away from the sides of the pan a bit, and will
spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from
oven and let cool at least an hour before frosting.

To prepare frosting: Beat cream cheese and room
temperature butter with powdered sugar and PURE
VANILLA EXTRACT until well blended and fluffy. Add
a bit more powdered sugar if a stiffer frosting is de-
sired. Spoon the frosting onto the center of the cake
and spread toward the edges until the cake is evenly
frosted. If you want to be really decadent, the frosting
recipe can be doubled for extra thick icing, a real kid
pleaser.

Yields: 16-32 pieces
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes