Monday, October 18, 2010

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Praline Icing

IMG_2314

We celebrated my Mother’s birthday over the weekend with a Cajun menu.  I made this cake, Gumbo and homemade French bread.  Ahhhheeee, it was good!

Ingredients
  • 1 (15 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix with pudding
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Whisk together the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and oil. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Praline Icing 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring the first 3 ingredients to a boil. Boil for one minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and almond extract until smooth. Add pecans and continue to stir for about 3 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour onto cooled cake. Makes 1 1/2 cups.