Fall Sheet Cake

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 2 sticks salted butter
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup water, boiling
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, optional
• For the frosting:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon half-and-half or whole milk, plus more if needed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 7×11-inch sheet pan with baking spray.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 sticks of the butter.
4. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice into the melted butter until totally combined.
5. Whisk in the boiling water until the mixture is smooth and combined.
6. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt by whisking them together.
7. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, the eggs, the baking soda, the vanilla, and the maple extract, whisking them together.
8. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and stir until about halfway combined.
9. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until everything is just combined.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan.
11. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
12. Allow the cake to cool.
13. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, the remaining butter, the powdered sugar, and the salt, mixing until smooth.
14. Add the half-and-half and check the consistency of the frosting; it should be thick yet just thin enough to spread across the cake in a thin layer.
15. Spread the frosting all over the cooled cake.
16. Slice and serve.