Remember way back in April when I last posted a recipe? A lot has happened since then, which is why it's been months since I posted here. Since this blog is about delicious food and serves as my virtual recipe box, I'll just leave this amazing cake from Half-Baked Harvest here. A friend introduced me to her blog, and I've already made two recipes from her amazing collection.
What's the occasion for this cake? Well, first of all, it sounded amazing with some of my favorite flavors: chai and browned butter. Secondly, tomorrow I'm planning to run the furthest I've ever run: a 14-mile training run. I have run many half-marathons fueled by cake from the evening prior (thanks to half-marathons that fall right around our families' birthdays). Also, I feel entitled to delicious cake as a treat after running 14 miles, so I made myself a cake.
The frosting is amazing. It seems like too much maple syrup, but it all pulls together and tastes incredible.
Chai Pumpkin with Maple Browned Butter Frosting
Cake
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
15 oz. pumpkin puree
Frosting
3 sticks butter, divided
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, may need more
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 8-inch cake pans or 3 6-inch pans. Line with parchment paper, and butter pans.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. In a mixer, beat together canola oil, sugar, vanilla, eggs and pumpkin until combined. Gradually add in dry ingredients until smooth.
Pour batter into cake pans, and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until tops are just set. Let cool 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn onto cooling racks to cool completely.
To make frosting, brown two sticks of butter. (Search for browned butter if you need guidance on this.) Cool to room temperature, and allow butter to solidify again. (It can be refrigerated to speed the process.) Combine browned butter with remaining stick of butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and maple syrup. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. If needed, add more powdered sugar to thicken the frosting.
To assemble, place a layer of frosting between each cake layer, and cover cake with remaining frosting. Makes a delicious cake perfect for a celebration ... or a post-run treat!
