Pumpkin Cake

Fall is such a wonderful time of the year. It is when we most enjoy baking. Here is a fantastic pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting that you'll want to make for a crowd. If you don't have a crowd coming, be warned that the smell will constantly entice you and it will be impossible not eat it all yourself! What an extraordinary way to reap the benefits of beta-carotene, Vitamin A and potassium! It comes from the Food Network.

Cake:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can Farmers Market organic pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.