The Most Amazing Pumpkin Cake!

I LOVE pumpkin!  I've made pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pancakes, but I had never made a pumpkin cake until a couple of months ago.  And let me tell you - it was amazing!  The first time I made this cake I just made a sheet cake in a 9 x 13 cake pan and topped it with homemade cream cheese frosting.  I took it to work and everybody raved about it.  This cake is super moist- it doesn't even need frosting, but that just makes it that much better.  This time, I had a new bundt pan I wanted to try out so I used that pan.  Again, very yummy!  This recipe originally called for 1 1/4 cups of oil, but I cut it down to 3/4 cup and used 1/2 cup cinnamon flavored applesauce.  I actually didn't find this recipe on Pinterest, but thought it should be on there, so it will after today. :) As you can see, we couldn't wait to test it out before I took the picture- that's how good it is!

• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1-2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan, or bundt pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine sugar, oil, and applesauce. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes (40 for bundt pan), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
4. Frost cake if you like or dust with powdered sugar.

Happy Baking!