Praline Pumpkin Layer Cake

This is America, land of opportunity. We believe in the freedom to make our own choices and we perpetuate that philosophy by offering every choice under the sun! I mean, seriously, have you been to Walmart lately? There are like 50 varieties of peanut butter, for heaven's sake!

But too many choices can definitely be a bad thing. It just makes life way too complicated. Take my Pinterest dessert board for example. I love dessert, so at least half my pins are sweets. Sounds awesome, but when it comes time to actually make something, it's a nightmare! It takes me an hour just to scroll through all my pins, let alone pick one.

I had company this weekend and I promised I would make dessert, so I began the laborious process of searching through my recipes for the perfect one. Usually, I'll pick three or four that look really good then spend half an hour debating which one would be the best choice. When I finally do pick one and start making it, I second guess myself and wonder if one of the others would have been better! Quite a mind warp, for sure.

But this time was different. When I saw this recipe, I knew it was the winner. It's made from a cake mix, so it's simple; it's got pumpkin AND pecans, so it has a great fall flavor; and it looks beautiful even if you have no idea how to work a piping bag. Now that's all-American!

Praline Pumpkin Layer Cake
Prep time: 15 min  Bake time: 45 min
Serves 16 

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pie mix)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice


FROSTING:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 325°F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into two ungreased 9- or 8-inch round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup pecans.

In a large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and the pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture in each pan.

Bake 41 to 47 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until light and creamy.  Beat in  1/4 cup whipping cream until smooth (scrape and stir with spatula as necessary). Add the rest of the cream and pumpkin pie spice and beat until it has the consistency of whipped cream (don’t overmix). Spread half of the frosting between the two cake layers then spread the rest over the top layer.  Decorate with pecan halves if desired. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

325 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!