The maple flavoring in the frosting makes this spooky spice cake delicious! And the gingersnap crumbs make the coffin look like a pine box—it suits this season perfectly.
—KATHY MICHEL DUBUQUE, IA
PREP: 1 HOUR • BAKE: 40 MIN. + COOLING • MAKES: 20 SERVINGS
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup buttermilk
FROSTING/FILLING
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons maple flavoring
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 40 cookies)
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the pumpkin and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, ginger and cloves; add to pumpkin mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
2. Line a greased 13x9-in. baking pan with waxed paper and grease the paper; spread batter into pan. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and enough maple flavoring to achieve a spreading consistency. For the filling, in a small bowl, beat 1 cup frosting with whipping cream until soft peaks form.
4. Cut cake into a coffin shape (discard scraps or save for another use). Cut cake horizontally into two layers. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate; spread with filling. Top with second layer.
5. Set aside 2 tablespoons frosting for writing; frost cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Cut a small hole in the corner of a plastic bag; fill with reserved frosting. Pipe RIP onto cake. Store in the refrigerator.