For Thanksgiving this year, I want to make something that I haven’t made before and is easy to put together. So I made this Pumpkin Cake ! I kept it light by using vegetable oil in the batter and just a small amount of butter in the frosting. I figured everyone might be running out of stomach space after a hearty turkey meal ! The maple walnuts are optional, but they are REALLY good and make the cake a lot more flavourful ! My daughter is usually my taste tester, but this time I got my mom to try it …..and she ate 2 big pieces of it, I guess that means it’s approved ! Happy Thanksgiving !

Makes one 8-inch square cake

For the cake 

• 150 g canned or homemade pumpkin puree 
• 200 g cake and pastry flour
• 3 g baking powder
• 3 g baking soda
• 2 g salt
• 5 g ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 90 mL vegetable oil
• 90 mL buttermilk
• 5 mL pure vanilla extract 

For the frosting 

• 250 g cream cheese, softened
• 60 g unsalted butter, softened
• 100 g icing sugar, sifted
• 2.5 mL pure vanilla extract 

Optional toppings

Mix about 60 g walnuts with a tablespoon of maple syrup and toast in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes.

1. To make the cake, preheat oven to 350ºF
2. Line bottom of baking tray with parchment paper, lightly grease and flour the sides
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking power, baking soda, salt and spices
4. Mix in sugar
5. In another bowl, mix together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla
6. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mix until just blended
7. Fold in pumpkin puree
8. Pour into baking tray and bake for about 25-30 minutes, let cool 
9. Evenly trim off top and sides with a serrated knife 
10. To make the frosting, beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy
11. Add icing sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth
12. Spread over top of cake
13. Top with toasted walnuts if desired