Pumpkin Spice Cake

Watkins Pumpkin Pie Spice isn't just for pumpkin pie! This spice blend tastes great in cakes, breads, coffee, cookies, ice cream, and oatmeal. Here is a delicious cake that uses pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup mashed cooked fresh pumpkin
1/2 cup Oil
1/2 cup Water
3 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Watkins Pumpkin Pie Spice
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine first 7 ingredients with mixer until well blended. Pour into 13x9-inch pan sprayed with Watkins Cooking Spray and dusted with flour.

Bake 32 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting; sprinkle with nuts. Keep refrigerated.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups), sifted

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended.

Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition until well blended.


How to Cook Fresh Pumpkin

Cut a 4- to 5-lb. pumpkin in half with a large knife. Scoop out seeds and stringy fiber. Save seeds for roasting, if desired. Cut pumpkin into 1-1/2-inch cubes. Place pumpkin in large saucepan. Add water to 1-inch depth. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 25 to 30 min. or until pumpkin is fork-tender. Drain well; cool just until pumpkin is easy to handle. Remove peel. Mash with potato masher for a chunky mixture. For a smoother consistency, process pumpkin in a food processor. Drain mashed pumpkin in sieve for about 20 minutes to remove excess liquid. Store in refrigerator up to 5 days. Cooked pumpkin can also be frozen up to 6 months in resealable freezer-weight plastic bags.

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