Fall means pumpkin cake time at our house. We love the taste of pumpkin and cream cheese together and that’s why this cake is perfect. I like to get a jump start on my baking and freeze the cake if I’m entertaining or making several items at once. Guess what? Just about any cake can be frozen ahead of time, thawed and then frosted the day of an event or meal. That’s why this cake is so easy. I baked it three days prior to my daughter’s birthday and then right before we celebrated, I made the frosting. Shhhh, she thinks I slaved.
My cake freezing tips:
- Bake cake as directed and completely cool on a wire rack.
- Cover 9×13 cake with foil or lid prior to freezing.
- If round cakes are used, allow the cakes to stand for 10 minutes prior to removal. Cool on wire racks.
- Fragile cakes should be flash frozen on a tray until solid and then wrapped.
- Wrap each cake with plastic wrap and then with foil or slip into a gallon size bag.
- Thaw 24 hours prior to frosting.
Pumpkin Bars
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1-15 oz. can pumpkin (not the mix) or 2 cups frozen, thawed pureed pumpkin or butternut
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil (I substituted 1/2 cup applesauce)
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose (or a combination of both)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Frosting:
- 1-8 oz.package light cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Cake
Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs, pumpkin sugar and oil until well blended. Add the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until smooth. Spread in a sprayed 9×13 pan. Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Freeze if desired until ready to frost.
