Pumpkin Ribbon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a decadent cake, layers of pumpkin cake with a cheesecake layer sandwiched in between. So delicious!

Serves 12

Cake

• 1⁄2 c pumpkin puree

• 2 eggs

• 1⁄2 c avocado oil, or grapeseed, olive, canola, or safflower

• 1⁄2 c granulated sugar

• 1⁄2 c brown sugar

• 1 t vanilla bean paste, or extract

• 1 1⁄2 c all-purpose flour

• 1 t baking soda

• 1⁄4 t kosher salt

• 2 t pumpkin pie spice

• 1 t ground ginger

• 1⁄4 t ground nutmeg

Cream Cheese Filling

• 6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1⁄4 c granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 1⁄2 t vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

• 4 oz unsalted butter

• 2 t vanilla

• 1⁄4 t salt

• 3 1⁄4 c confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8” square pan with parchment and spray parchment with cooking spray.

To make cream cheese filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined and creamy. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a small bowl and stir to mix. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla, whisking vigorously until the batter lightens, about 2 minutes. Gradually fold in the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Transfer half the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Spread the cream cheese filling on top. Carefully spread remaining cake batter on top of cream cheese filling.

Bake 40-50 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Let cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add vanilla and salt and beat to combine. Slowly add in sugar and beat until fluffy. Once the cake is cool, spread on frosting.