Pumpkin Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing

We are heading to Toronto Tomorrow for a family Dinner.  We haven't had a Family Dinner with Dave's dads side of the family since Roger and Carrie's Wedding Party.

I have been asked to make dessert.  I have been wanting to make a pumpkin cake since I made Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns a coupe of months ago. I have a bunch of Pumpkin puree in the freezer.  I can't think of a better way to use it.   I have made this Martha Stewart recipe before and had hoped to make a different one.

Every recipe I found either had two sticks of butter and 4 eggs or 1 cup of vegetable oil.  I decided to use Martha's recipe again because it had half the butter and eggs as those I had looked at.  I couldn't decide between a cream cheese or brown butter icing.  So I made my own.  Here it is:

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing


1 1/4 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
3 oz Butter
1/2 Cup Whipping Cream
6 oz Room Temp. Cream Cheese
Note: Be sure to scrape the bowl along the way.

1. In a sauce pan combine all but the cream cheese.  
2. Heat until melted stirring occasionally.  
3. Once boiling stir constantly for 1 minute.  
4. Pour into metal bowl and allow to cool a 20 minutes.  
5. Turn your mixer on low aiding in the cooling for 5 minutes.  
6. Turn mixer up to medium for a couple of minutes.  
7. Add cream cheese and Mix on high for a couple more minutes.  
8. Let stand for a few minute and then use.

I added Some Heart Nuts from Grimo Nut Nursery for decoration.  I couldn't find a hammer in the house so I had to use a meat tenderizer.  It took forever and I am surprised I didn't hit my finger.    

I can't wait to try the icing and cake together.