A 65th Birthday...

     Yes... you read correctly... a 65th birthday.  Not mine!  It's my husband's birthday today.  One of his favorite things... ever... is pumpkin, so that's what he's getting.  A pumpkin layer cake with an orange-cream cheese frosting.  Oh... and I can't forget the pumpkin seeds!

   + Pumpkin Layer Cake with Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting +

•adapted recipe | Bon Appetit, November 2009
CAKE:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus additional for greasing pans
• 3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting pans
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1/3 cup whole milk

FROSTING:
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12-ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
• pumpkin seeds, toasted

1.  Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat oven to 350˚F.  Grease three 8-inch cake pans with 1 1/2-inch sides with butter.  Line bottoms with parchment; grease parchment.  Dust the interior of the pans lightly with flour, tapping out excess.
2. Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in large bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in another large bowl until smooth.  Beat in brown sugar.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in pumpkin.  Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions., beating to blend between additions.  Divide batter between pans.
3. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks. Remove parchment. Turn cakes over onto racks, top sides up, and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes in plastic and store at room temperature.
4. TO MAKE FROSTING:  Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup butter in large bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese and orange peel; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.
5.  Trim rounded tops from cakes.  Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on large platter. Spoon  some frosting atop cake in dollops; spreading to edges. Repeat 2 more times with remaining cakes.  Spread remaining frosting on sides of cake.  (Cake can be made 2 days ahead.  Cover cake and chill.)  At room temperature, decorate cake with pumpkin seeds.  Serve. 

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