Yummy Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I love Pumpkin! Especially during the Fall and the Holiday season. With only a few weeks until Thanksgiving my Pumpkin cravings are starting to coming in full force. I am not the best at making pies so I thought I would try something new. Why not do a Pumpkin flavored cake…. and let me tell you this cake is AMAZING!!!!! It is the perfect combination of sweet, rich, creamy, and moist. 

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 
  
• Cake Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, being sure to scrape down the edges after adding each egg. Beat in the vanilla. 
  
• In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Once mixed,
  turn the mixer off and gently fold in the pumpkin puree. 
• Scoop batter equally into the cake pans and level with a knife. Bake in preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes. Gently remove the cake from the pans and place on a cooling rack. 
• Frosting Ingredients:
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup butter, softened (I used 6 Tbsp salted 6 Tbsp unsalted)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 - 5 cups powdered sugar

Frosting instructions:

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add cinnamon, vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined. Once combined increase to medium and whip until pale and thick. 

Tip: If frosting comes out runny, place in refrigerator for a few hours to thicken. Then place on cake

• Frosting and Cake inspired by Cooking Classy

Fall in New England is Simply the BEST

As the weather begins to get colder and the leaves change in color, well kind of change, my longing for New England grows stronger. There are defiantly some advantages to living in Texas, but a fall in New England is like no other! It has been three years now since I took the drive up 93 to look at God’s beautiful painting. Oh how i miss it! For some reason fall just doesn’t feel like fall this year, which is sad because fall is my favorite time of year! I can’t wait to pull out my UGG boots and North face jacket. I jump for joy when Starbucks brings back the Pumpkin Spice Latte! This year i just want to bring a little bit of my home to Texas. 

I miss driving down the road and being taken away by all the different colors within the trees.

I miss Apple picking in the cold crisp air.

I miss drinking warm apple cider while sitting around a fire outside. 

I miss wearing sweaters, scarves, and boots because its cold outside….not just for fashion.

I miss shopping down Newbury Street wearing just a North Face fleece window shopping for Christmas. 

I miss holding a Pumpkin Spice Latte to warm my hands 

 I miss all the Halloween festivals and events  

But most of all I miss the smell! There is no way to describe the smell of New England other than… Perfect! 

What is your favorite thing about Fall?