In the Oven: Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting

Baked Sunday Mornings celebrates its second birthday this week, so let’s bake a cake! Posting date is November 25 – will you use fresh or canned pumpkin puree?

Yield: One 9-inch, single-layer cake

For the Pumpkin Almond Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk, well shaken

For the Almond Butter Frosting
1/2 cup almond butter
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 to 3 tablespoons almond milk
1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the assembly
1/4 cup almonds, toasted, or pumpkin seeds, raw or toasted

Make the cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter one 9-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust the parchment with flour and knock out the excess flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree and beat just until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few more seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. Loosen the sides of the cake from the pan, then turn the cake out onto the rack. Remove the parchment, flip the cake right side up, and let the cake cool completely.

Make the Almond Butter Frosting
Place the almond butter, butter, 2 tablespoons of almond milk, 1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting comes together and is shiny and smooth. If you prefer a slightly looser frosting, add 1 tablespoon of almond milk; if you prefer a thicker frosting, add 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Process again.

Assemble the cake
Transfer the cake to a board or serving platter and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top. Sprinkle the perimeter with the almonds or seeds.

The cake can be stored, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.