Pumpkin Praline Cake

Pumpkin Praline Cake

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 Tbsp. whipping cream
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups cooked fresh or canned pumpkin
1/4 t. vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Topping and Assembly:
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350. For cake: Mix flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Mix the brown sugar, butter and cream in a pan. Cook over low heat until brown sugar dissolve, stirring constantly. Pour evenly into two greased 9 inch springform pans. Sprinkle with pecans. Let stand until cool. Beat sugar, oil and eggs in mixing bowl until blended. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat just until blended. Spoon pumpkin mixture evenly over the prepared layers. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. For the topping, beat cream in mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until blended. Put one cake layer praline side up on a cake plate and spread with two thirds of the topping. Sprinkle with pecans. Store, covered, in refrigerator. For variety, spread all the topping between the layers and sprinkle with pecans. Cut the recipe in half for a one layer cake. Serves 14