Let’s make a promise. Let’s stop over thinking things and just eat some cake.

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pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese filling

recipe adapted from taste of home

this is a traditional pumpkin bread, made special. every bite is filled with pumpkin and the flavors reminiscent of fall – cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. a layer of cream cheese filling adds an almost cheesecake texture to the middle, while a streusel topping adds a buttery sweetness. this recipe makes 3 small cakes or 3 loafs. Extra cakes/loafs can be frozen and reheated when ready to eat.

for the filling:

2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

 

beat all ingredients together until fully combined – set aside.

 

for the streusel:

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

 

with your fingers, combine all ingredients until combined and crumbly. set aside.

 

for the cake and/or loafs:

1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree

3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 cup water

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted in a dry pan

1 heaping cup chopped dates

 

preheat oven to 350 degrees. butter and flour 3 6″ cake pans [i made 1 6″ cake and 2 loafs]. set aside. 

in a large bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil, and water. mix until fully combined. in a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. 

gradually add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined (being careful not to over mix). add toasted, chopped walnuts, and chopped dates. stir to combine. 

fill the 3 small cake pans or 3 loaf pans with half of the pumpkin mixture, splitting it evenly. add the cream cheese filling to the top of the pumpkin mixture, spreading it to cover the top. top the filling with the remaining pumpkin mixture. sprinkle the top of the 3 loafs with the streusel topping. 

bake, in the center of the oven, for 65-70 minutes. allow to cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before inverting the loafs, removing from the pans, and allowing them to cool completely on the wire racks. 

if not eating immediately, tightly wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. [allow to come to room temperature before serving – or warm slightly in the oven].