pumpkin cake + maple cream cheese frosting

YAY for all things pumpkin! 

Bring cake into the picture and you have a winner. 

The frosting, well the frosting is a total game changer. Just sweet enough and oh so creamy; if you are not a fan of overly sweet + sugary frosting's this one is for you!

A super simple cake that looks really impressive- no joke, 1 bowl for the cake + 1 bowl for the frosting. 

Making just enough cake to share.

Pumpkin, coconut sugar + butter are mixed together in a sauce pan, if you don't want to dirty 2 bowls you can simply use a sauce pan large enough to add the dry ingredients to and reuse the dry ingredients bowl for your frosting. The ingredient list is pretty minimal, regular sugar can be subbed in for coconut sugar, I would even try brown sugar for a more intense caramel flavor.

The cake can bake up in 2 little round cake pan's 4" or in a 9 x 9 square pan.

I love me a little layer cake, but square gets the job done too.  

Baking and cooling accounts for most of the time in this recipe- if you start mid afternoon you will have a sweet treat ready for post dinner.

Hands down this is my absolute favorite frosting- pure NH maple syrup  + vegan cream cheese + vegan butter makes an irresistible frosting. So good you will find yourself "taste testing" the final batch about a a gazillion times.

You will want to make sure you allow the cakes to FULLY cool, if you don't you will find yourself with a slip and slide cake and frosting all over God's creation. I waited about an hour or so prior to frosting and allowed the cakes to cool by an open window.

Don't be shy with the frosting, pile each layer high, definitely with more than you think is needed. Pepitas + pecan pieces are the perfect garnish, a layer of pumpkin butter would be pretty fantastic between the 2 cakes before the 1st layer of frosting is piled on.
This cake is an absolute must for your next Harvest Dinner!

Do you go crazy over pumpkin this time of year or are you more 'ugh I could take it or leave it?

pumpkin cake + maple cream cheese frosting

You will need

FOR THE CAKE

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance/Vegan Butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon  + 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 container 6oz plain coconut yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
• 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree 

FOR THE MAPLE FROSTING

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance/Vegan Butter, very soft
• 1 container (8 ounces) Tofutti Cream Cheese- Plain, very soft
• 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
• Pecan Pieces + Pepitas for garnish

Assembly

1.                  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease  2 - 4" round cake pans or a 9 x 9 baking pan

2.              In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin-pie spice.
3.  In a medium sauce pan melt vegan butter, remove from heat and whisk in sugar, coconut yogurt and pumpkin puree until combined. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix gently until smooth.

4.       Turn batter into prepared pans, and smooth tops, gently tap each pan on the counter. 
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan, then turn out of pans, and cool completely, right side up, on a rack.

6. Make Maple Frosting: In a medium bowl, whisk vegan butter, tofutti cream cheese, and maple syrup until smooth.

7.                  Spread top of cooled cakes with maple frosting creating a 2 layer cake.
8.  Garnish cake with pepitas + pecan pieces.

(inspired by Martha Stewart Pumpkin Spice Cake w/ Honey Frosting)