Recipe: Butternut Squash Layer Cake with Maple Cream Frosting (using cake mix)

BUTTERNUT SQUASH LAYER CAKE

Vegetable shortening to grease pans
All-purpose flour for dusting pans
1 (18.25 ounce, 2-layer-size) package plain spice cake mix
1 (12 ounce package) package frozen butternut squash puree, thawed but not drained (OR 1 1/3 cups fresh squash puree)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
Maple Cream Frosting (recipe follows)

Lightly grease two (9-inch) round cake pans with vegetable shortening, then dust them with flour. Shake out excess flour. Set pans aside.

Place cake mix, squash puree, oil, eggs and maple flavoring in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are moistened, 30 seconds. Stop machine and scrape down side of bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes longer, scraping down side again if necessary. The batter should be well blended. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing it out with a rubber spatula.

Place pans side by side on center rack of preheated 350 oven. Bake until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cakes from oven and place on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes.

Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each cake onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack so that cakes are right side up. Allow cakes to cool completely, 20 minutes more.

Bake this cake up to 2 weeks in advance and freeze. Thaw at room temperature.

MAPLE CREAM FROSTING

1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, for garnish

Place cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy, 30 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar, maple flavoring and vanilla, and beat on low until combined, 30 to 45 seconds. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until frosting is fluffy, 30 seconds longer.

TO FROST AND ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Place one cake layer, right side up, on cake plate and spread some frosting over top. Place second layer, right side up, on the first, then frost the top and side of cake with remaining frosting, using smooth, clean strokes. Sprinkle pecans over. Refrigerate cake, uncovered, until frosting sets, 20 minutes, before serving.

Makes 12 servings
Source: Anne Byrn, author The Cake Mix Doctor by Workman Publishing