My beautiful friend Laya just turned 17 a few weeks ago and I knew that the party would not be complete without a cake as special as her :) And since she's obsessed with coffee and Starbucks and pumpkin, I knew exactly what she needed.
This "cake" is more like a pie in cake form - its dense and moist and full of pumpkin and espresso. The crunch and nutty sweetness comes from the pecan praline patted onto the sides of the frosted cake. This was one of the first real layer cakes I've made, and I have to say I think it turned out pretty good! If you want 3 layers instead of 2, you can easily divide your batter into 3 pans. And there is quite enough whipped cream and praline to accommodate 3 layers.
A note with the frosting - be really, really careful not to let the sugar burn. when you're mixing it with the butter in the saucepan. It will completely ruin the taste of the frosting and it will also be a huge waste of quite a bit of both sugar and butter.
Happy baking!
For the Icing
1 stick (ie 1/2 cup) butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups powdered sugar + more to taste
1 (one) 8 oz pack cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon
For the Praline
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup chopped pecans
For the Cake
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp espresso powder
2 1/4 cup pumpkin pie filling*
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp brewed espresso
3 Tbsp white sugar
*you can use regular pureed pumpkin, but then be sure to add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves
For the Icing
- Put the butter in a heavy bottom saucepan over a medium heat.
- Cook the butter until it starts to foam and brown flecks appear. There will be a nutty scent coming from the butter.
- Stir in the granulated white sugar into the butter until dissolved. Allow mixture to cool.
- Add cream cheese to a separate bowl. Mix in the warm butter until no cream cheese chunks are left
- Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and beat until the frosting comes together. Add more powdered sugar for a thicker frosting, and less for a thinner one.
For the Praline
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat together brown sugar, white sugar, and heavy cream until a thick syrup is formed.
- Stir in butter and chopped pecans and cook for another 5-7 minutes
- Spread the mixture on parchment paper and refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours.
- Break the praline into coarse chunks / pieces.
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Put parchment paper on the bottom of 2 (two) 9 inch round pans.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Stir in espresso powder, brown sugar, and white sugar.
- In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, pumpkin pie filling, oil, and beaten eggs.
- Carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones, and be sure not to overmix!
- Divide the batter between the pans, and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes.
For the Whipped Cream and Assembly
- Beat together cream, espresso, and sugar until medium-stiff peaks.
- Lay one cake on a serving platter and top with frosting and 1/2 the praline pieces.
- Lay the other cake on top of that one, and top with more icing. Also frost the sides of the cake until no frosting remains.
- Press the rest of the praline onto the sides of the cake (they should stick to the frosting).
- Top with the espresso whipped cream, and decorate as desired.