Pumpkin Spice Cake with Vanilla Spice Buttercream

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup pumpkin purée

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake pans: Using either three 8-inch round cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans, grease and flour the bottoms and sides of all pans. Cut our a circle of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of each pan, then grease and flour the paper. Set aside.

Stir together the pumpkin purée, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in another bowl and set aside.

Cream butter until smooth and fluffy in a large bowl on medium speed. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each, until the mixture is smooth and light. Add a third of the flour mixture, mix well and scrape down the sides. Alternate with half of the pumpkin mixture, then flour, pumpkin, and flour again, mixing well and scraping down between each.

Pour batter into the prepared pans, smooth the surfaces and tap on the counter a few times to release any air. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and return to the wire racks until completely cool.

Vanilla Spice Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened but still firm

3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

a pinch of salt

1 Tb vanilla extract

up to 4 Tb milk or heavy cream

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Beat butter for a few minutes on medium speed till smooth. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t poof everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. It will look crumbly. Increase speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time, mixing well between each. Be patient and don't add too much too fast!