Vermont Spice Cake

What you will need for the Cake:

3 Cups all- purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking power
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
3/4 Cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, soffened
3 large eggs
1 1/2 Cups pure pumpkin (I use Libby's)
1/2 Cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Maple Frosting

11 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 1.2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons maple flavoring
Orange peel teist, fresh mint, or chopped nuts for top

Preheat oven to 325 F Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. (I don't have cake pans so I use cheese cake springform pans)

For Cake:
Combine:
Flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl until creamy. Then add eggs; beat for 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin, evaporated milk, water and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared cake pans.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a wooden tooth pick (or fork) inserted into the center come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes, then remove them from pans and cool completely.

For Frosting:
Beat cream cheese, butter, and powder sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Add maple flavoring and mix well. ( I would put in a little less butter because the frosting needs to be stiff or the cake will fall over)

To Assemble.
Cut each layer in half horizontally with long knife. Frost between layers and on top of cake, leave the sides un-frosted. Top with what you want.
You don't have to make it a 4 layer cake you can just frost the 2 layers from the cake pans and frost the whole cake.
Enjoy!!!