Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake

 After using half a 30 oz can of pumpkin for a recipe the other day, I begin searching for a bread or cake recipe to put the rest of the pumpkin in. While flipping through the 2012 Rachael Ray Thanksgiving magazine, Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake caught my eye. However, not all the ingredients were in stock at the home, meaning some improvisation was in order. Here is my version of her recipe, without the layering.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter 
• 1 cup or 15 ounces) canned  pumpkin pie puree
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (why not?)
• pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon)
• 8 oz. Cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 cups whipped cream (thawed)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a oblong (rectangular) baking dish with baking spray.
2. Place the stick of butter in a small or medium skillet or pot and heat on medium for 5-6 minutes until browned or nutty smelling (mine was brownish but not totally brown), stirring occasionally). 
3. While butter melts, mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. 
4. Place the pumpkin puree, white sugar, brown sugar, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract in a mixer and mix on low or medium-low for 1-2 minutes until all ingredients are well blended. Add the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes and add the melted butter, mix another 1-2 minutes (spray the mixer with non-stick baking spray before mixing to prevent sticking).
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and cook for 25-30 minutes. Once cooked, place the dish on a cookie rack for cooling. Let cool completely (while it is cooling, clean the mixer).
6. Once the cake is cool enough to ice, spray the mixer and a spatula with baking spray. Place 1/2 the cream cheese and 1/2 the confectioners sugar in the mixer and mix on medium-low for 3 minutes (stopping once to get any sugar and cream cheese off the mixer if needed). Add 1 cup of the whipped cream and mix another 2-3 minutes on medium or medium low. 
7. Ice the cake. Repeat step 6 and finish icing the cake.

Not only is this recipe easy, it is delicious and absolutely a fall must have. Enjoy!