3 c Sifted cake flour (sifted
-before measuring)
3 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 ts Cinnamon, ground
1/4 ts Cloves, ground
1 c Cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 c Milk
1 c Granulated sugar
1 c Light-brown sugar,packed
1/2 c Butter or margarine,
-softened
2 Eggs
1 ts Vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8-by-1
1/2-inch layer-cake pans. Sift flour onto waxed paper with baking
powder, soda salt, cinnamon, cloves. 2. In a 2-cup measuring cup,
combine pumpkin and milk, mixing well. Turn granulated and brown
sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla extract into large bowl of electric
mixer; beat at high speed about 5 minutes, occasionally
scraping side of bowl with rubber scraper. 3. At low speed, beat in
flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with pumpkin mixture (in
thirds). Beat just until smooth-1 minute. Pour batter into pans; bake
30 to 35 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed
with fingertip. Cool in the pans 10 minutes. 4. Remove from pans;
cool completely on wire rack. Make Frosting: In top of double boiler,
combine 1/4 cup egg whites, 1 1/2 cups light-brown sugar, packed, 1
tablespoon light corn syrup and 1/3 cup water. With an electric
rotary beater, beat 1 minute to combine. 5. Cook over rapidly boiling
water, beating constantly, about 7 minutes, or until stiff peaks form
when beater is slowly raised. Remove from boiling water. Add 1
teaspoon vanilla extract; then continue beating until the frosting is
thick enough to spread-about 2 minutes. 6. Place a layer on plate,
top side down; spread with 1 cup frosting; sprinkle with 1/2 cup
chopped walnuts. Repeat with second layer, top side down. Frost cake
with rest swirling decoratively. Garnish edge with walnut halves.
Refrigerate till serving. Serves 12
