Grandma Helen's Pumpkin Cake

• large eggs↗4
• sugar↗1⁄8 cup
• fresh pumpkin puree or 2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin↗2 cups
• vegetable oil or 1 cup canola oil↗1 cup
• pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each ground allspice and ground ginger)2 1⁄2 teaspoons
• vanilla extract↗1 teaspoon
• flour↗2 cups
• baking powder↗2 teaspoons
• baking soda↗1 teaspoon
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• chopped walnuts or 1/2 cup pecans1⁄2 cup
• For Frosting
• butter, at room temperature↗1⁄2 cup
• cream cheese, at room temperature↗3 ounces
• confectioners' sugar↗3⁄4 cup
• teaspoon vanilla extract↗1

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 325 degrees if using a Pyrex Glass pan

2. 2

   Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.

3. 3

   In medium bowl with electric mixer, beat eggs until frothy.

4. 4

   Add sugar, pumpkin, oil, spice and vanilla.

5. 5

   Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed.

6. 6

   Beat 1 minute.

7. 7

   Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed for 2 minutes.

8. 8

   Add nuts and stir to combine.

9. 9

   Pour into baking pan.

10. 10

    Bake on center rack for about 40 minutes (30 to 35 minutes for layers) until cake is golden brown and top springs back when lightly pressed.

11. 11

    Let cool in pan on rack for at least 1 hour before frosting.

12. 12

    (For a layer cake, let cool 15 minutes, remove cake from pans and let cool completely before frosting.) For frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy.

13. 13

    Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat on low speed until fluffy.

14. 14

    Add more powdered sugar if necessary to make a stiffer frosting.

15. 15

    Store cake in the refrigerator.