Pumpkin Cake

This recipe caused me to live true to my husband's nickname for me - "Hurricane Piyusha." Though I rarely bake, this turned out soooo good :) Thank you chow.com!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups canned pumpkin purée
• 1 cup milk (1%-whole is good)
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

The "How to" -

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange the rack in the middle and place the cupcake liners in your pan (or whatever baking dish you are going to use)


2. Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside
   Whisk together pumpkin and milk in a separate bowl and set aside


3. With a mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes
   Add eggs one at a time


4. Add vanilla and beat until smooth


5. Add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with pumpkin-milk mixture, mixing on low speed


6. After all ingredients have been added, mix batter 30 seconds on medium-high speed until uniformly combined.
   Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake


7. Check to see if cupcake are done by poking one in the middle and seeing if the toothpick comes out clean


8. Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from the pans


9. Let cool completely on a rack, decorate with icing

Icing:

Ingredients:

• 8 oz container of cream cheese


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 2 tbsp of vanilla extract

The "how to" -

1. soften cream cheese to room temperature and mix in all ingredients

2. spread on to pumpkin cake