Vermont Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Have you ever walked into some one's home for the first time and felt immediately welcome and comfortable right away?  This is exactly how I felt this past month with my Secret Recipe Club assignment.  I was completely delighted to be in the "home" of Sarah of Fantastical Sharing of Recipes.  Honestly, I didn't want to leave! And I truly feel that the title of her blog is beyond perfect as EVERY. SINGLE. recipe that she shares is fantastically delicious!

 My list for recipes to make from Sarah's blog started with her Coffee Cake Pancakes - what a brilliant pairing! I then went onto marking her recipe for a Blueberry Breakfast Braid - blueberries are always wonderful to bake with!  But then I found a recipes for Chicken Parm Meatballs along with Soft Raisin Cookies - both delicious comfort foods in my book.  My world stood still when I discovered Sarah's recipe for Vermont Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.  Not only did this recipe call for pumpkin but also for maple syrup.  TWO ingredients that are near and dear to my heart.  I love them.  I really do! 

 This cake is the perfect cake to make for this time of year.  Pumpkin seems to be the theme of all things good and yummy right now and then add in a fluffy sweet frosting with hints of maple syrup and cinnamon you truly can't go wrong! 

Vermont Spice Cake with 

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting 

 (recipe from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes) 

Cake Ingredients:

3 cups flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder  

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp pumpkin spice 

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

1/2 cup evaporated milk (I used 2% milk as I didn't have any evaporated milk...worked fine!) 

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1/4 cup water 

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients:

11 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tsp maple flavoring (I used 1 tsp maple flavoring and 1 TBSP real maple syrup)

a squeeze of lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13 pan or two 9" round pans and set aside.  

2. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. Set aside.

3.  Cream together butter and sugar until nice and fluffy.  Add in eggs, one at a time beating well for each egg.   Add in pumpkin puree, milk, water and vanilla extract and mix well all together.

4. Gradually add in flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix just until all is combined.  Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting.

5. Make frosting by creaming together cream cheese and butter.  Gradually add in powdered sugar and then maple flavoring (and maple syrup if you wish) and squeeze of lemon juice. Beat all together until light and fluffy.  Frost cake and enjoy!  

Happy Vermont Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Baking!