Four Layer Pumpkin Cake With Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

FOUR-LAYER PUMPKIN CAKE WITH ORANGE-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with 1 1/2-inch sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment; spray parchment.
• Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in brown sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating to blend between additions. Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks. Remove parchment. Using tart pan bottom as aid, turn cakes over onto racks, top sides up, and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes in plastic and store at room temperature.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese and orange peel; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.
• Trim rounded tops from cakes. Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on large platter. Spoon 2/3 cup frosting atop cake in dollops; spread to edges. Repeat 2 more times with cake and frosting; top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake (layer will be thin). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• Decorate cake with walnuts and serve.
• A spice blend that usually contains ground fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves; available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

LUSCIOUS FOUR-LAYER PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
• Bake 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading COOL WHIP mixture between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F; lightly butter three 8-inch cake pans and fit each bottom with an 8-inch circle of parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
• Make the batter: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light.
• Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.
• Divide the batter among the pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean - about 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove cakes and cool. (For cupcakes: Heat oven to 375°F; place cupcake liners in standard cupcake tins and fill each with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake for 22 minutes).
• When cakes are cool, trim each of the layers. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one third of the frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. (To ensure that cake layers do not shift, cut three skewers to 1/4 inch shorter than the full height of the cake and insert them before icing the top layer). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To prepare frosting: Blend the cream cheese, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium speed, until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy - about 3 more minutes. Add the food coloring and gently stir until the color is uniform. Chill the frosting until ready to ice the cupcakes or cake.