Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Cake

FROSTING
1 pk Cream cheese; (8 oz.)
1 ts Rum or vanilla extract
4 c Confectioners sugar; sifted
Pecan halves for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare pumpkin cake:

Crack eggs into large bowl of electric mixer; cover and let stand for
thirty minutes, or until room temperature. Meanwhile, sift flour with
baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

With electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs thoroughly. Add sugar and
continue to beat until eggs are lemony in color and the mixture is light
and fluffy. Gradually add the oil and pumpkin, beating well after each
addition to blend thoroughly.

With the electric mixer at low speed, beat in the flour mixture, several
spoonfuls at a time, beating only until the flour is moistened. Do not
over beat! Pour into an ungreased 10-in. tube or bunt cake pan. Bake
about one hour or until surface springs back when gently pressed with
fingertips. Remove cake from oven and cool completely in pan, on a wire
rack.

Prepare frosting: In a small mixer bowl, with The electric mixer, beat the
cream cheese with the rum or vanilla extract, until smooth and soft.
Gradually beat in the confectioners sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
Using a long narrow spatula, carefully loosen cake from the pan and remove.
Place the cake on a plate and frost the top and sides with the cream cheese
frosting. Use the tip of the spatula to swirl the frosting in a spoke-like
fashion, in toward the center of the cake. Arrange the pecans decoratively
around the top of the cake. Store the cake tightly covered in the
refrigerator until 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings

Note: This cake is very moist and rich. Once frosted it keeps for several
days in the refrigerator. The flavor is best if stored for at least three
days prior to serving. Remember that this cake is made with cream cheese
and must be kept refrigerated!