Pumpkin Spice Cake

I made this super simple and very, very delicious cake this weekend for my parents' paella party on Saturday night. Nothing could trump a paella but this cake was perfect for finishing off the night with the sweet taste of fall.

what you need: 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup warm (110 degrees) milk

what you do:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray with Pam a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. 

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, and beat until combined. Add pumpkin and milk; beat until combined. Add reserved flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Let cake rest 20 minutes.

for the icing: 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.

2.  Add sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk; stir until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon milk, a little at a time, until consistency is spreadable. Let cool 5 minutes. 

3. Using an offset spatula, spread icing over top of cake :)

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart