Pumpkin Cake With Fig Filling And Cream Cheese Frosting

Oh, this is really good cake. Moist, sweet, and best of all, filled with a layer of fig preserves. It is also quite simple to make. The recipe is based on the one in From Amish And Mennonite Kitchens by, Phyllis Pellman Good and Rachel Thomas Pellman. As I've pointed out many times, this is probably the best money I ever spent on a cookbook. The cakes and pies are mind-bogglingly perfect-and simple. The best cakes I make are based on the recipes in this book. I omitted the nuts in this particular cake, but a cup of chopped walnuts added to the batter don't really seem needed as it is already so rich and dense. Your call.

The cream cheese frosting needs to be spread on the cake while it is still slightly warm, which also means you will not get complete coverage-that's OK. This isn't the sort of cake that requires meticulous frosting and decoration. It looks most impressive sliced anyway. If you're really intent on having it look perfectly smooth, double the recipe for the frosting and keep slathering it on-but beware the extra calories as cream cheese frosting ain't exactly health food, calcium rich, or not.

You Will Need:

4 eggs, well beaten

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 cups pumpkin

For The Frosting:

8 tablespoons butter, softened

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

Beat until smooth and spread on cake.

Filling:

1 small jar fig preserves/spread warmed in a pan until spreadable.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the sugar to the beaten eggs and beat well. Add the oil and incorporate thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and pumpkin. Mix well but don't over beat.

Pour into 3 greased and floured 9 inch pans. Bake 25 minutes and then begin checking for doneness. You really do need to give it the toothpick test to be sure it is completely baked through in the centre. It may take as long as 40 minutes, but mine all finished at different times as the heat is not consistent in all areas of my crummy oven. In other words, watch the cakes carefully.

Cool on a rack, in pan for ten minutes before running a thin knife around the perimeter to loosen. Cool a bit more on racks while you prepare the frosting. The cakes need not be completely cool to frost and in fact will do better with a bit of warmth remaining.

Melt the fig preserves and spread between two layers. Use cream cheese frosting for the other layers and the outside. Chill well before slicing and serving.