There’s still a solid month of fall left — which means I still have time to get some good pumpkin recipes posted this season (and it’s no secret that I have mad love for pumpkin).

I made this cake to accompany a Sunday dinner, and it totally hit the spot.  The cake is dense and delicious.  The frosting is buttery and nutty.  I topped it with some pecans I dipped in melted caramel for a little extra sweetness and crunch (speaking of caramel… I have yet to make a successful homemade caramel sauce — it turns into rock candy every time!  If you have any helpful caramel-making tips, please send them my way!).

This cake would be a perfect accompaniment to say… Thanksgiving dinner?  Or any fall meal, really.  I’d like to try it with a cream cheese frosting as well — because let’s be real: pumpkin + cream cheese = marriage made in taste-bud heaven.  However, staying on topic…  Pumpkin + brown butter = also amazing.  YUM.

Pumpkin Cake With Brown Butter Frosting

Recipe adapted from Shutterbean

For the cake, you will need:

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 and 2/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground allspice

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 and 1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 c. pumpkin puree

1/2 c. warm (110 degrees) milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour an 8″ round cake pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.  Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy — about 2 minutes.

4. Add eggs, one at a time.  Mix well.

5. Add pumpkin puree and milk.  Mix well.  Scrape down bowl with spatula.

6. With mixture on low speed, slowly add in flour mixture until ingredients are just combined.  Fold in any remaining flour with a spatula.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean — 40 to 45 minutes.  Let cool in pan for about 20 minutes or so, then unmold cake onto a cake plate.  Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, you will need:

4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 c. powdered sugar, sifted

1 t. vanilla

1 to 2 T. apple cider (you can substitute milk)

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color — about 10 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and pour butter through a sieve into a heat-safe bowl, leaving any burnt sediment behind.

2. Add sugar, vanilla, and 1 T. cider and stir until smooth.  If icing is too thick, add another T. of cider.  Let cool 5 minutes, then spread over cake.

Cake will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.