Happy Halloween!

I made this for our work Halloween party to have some dessert that was a bit of a break from all of the chocolate and candy.  The cake has a great pumpkin/fall flavor, and the frosting is not at all overwhelmed by cream cheese or maple.  It really is the perfect fall balance.

I'm thinking I might try making this again for Thanksgiving breakfast, and taking out a bit of the sugar, while swapping out the frosting for a drizzled cinnamon sugar glaze.

Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (like Libby's)
2/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9 pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Set aside.
3. Beat the oil, brown sugar, and sugar in a bowl.  Add in the eggs and mix well. Add in the pumpkin puree and beat until well blended.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the oil and sugar mixture.  Add the toasted walnuts.
5. Pour into the baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a tester comes out completely clean.
6.  Allow cake to cool completely before icing.
7. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together.  Then beat in the maple syrup, followed by the confectioners sugar.  If the mixture does not seem to spread easily, add some additional maple syrup.  If it appears runny, add in additional confections sugar.
8. Ice the cake and add the toasted walnuts on top.

Happy Halloween!