This is a great Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake With Caramel Glaze recipe!  We love pumpkin this time of year and I wanted to see how many things I could actually add pumpkin to for a new twist to old recipes.  I pulled out my grandmother’s pound cake recipe (yum) and remembered how tasty the cream cheese version is (I think that was a Southern Living….though I gave credit to Paula Deen once in a blog entitled Cream Cheese Pound Cake).  So, using those two recipes as a jumping off place and after changing things a bit, I came up with my own recipe.  I was not disappointed in the results.  In fact, this was absolutely one of the best pound cakes I have ever tasted (even though I do say so myself) and will be cooked for Thanksgiving this year.  Now, I need to figure out how to make it gluten-free…..and I will before then.

I think the glaze is probably optional, if you wanted a more old fashioned pound cake consistency and flavor, but the glaze was really awesome too.  You must try this at home!  Fortunately, my daughter needed a dessert to take with her for a weekend get-away…..so I didn’t eat but two pieces.  But, I sure do wish I kept a third.

SPICED PUMPKIN POUND CAKE with CARAMEL GLAZE

Cake:
1 cup butter, softened
1—8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin (canned)
6 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/8 tsp salt

Cream the sugars and butter.  Egg pumpkins, vanilla and eggs.  Cream for about 3 minutes.  In another bowl, mix the spices and flour together.  Slowly add to the creamed mixture.  Heat the oven to 300 degrees.  Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Check it with a toothpick to make sure it is done.

CARAMEL GLAZE ICING (optional)
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup FF Half ‘n Half (or regular or whipping cream)

Melt the butter.  Add the corn syrup, brown sugar and white sugar.  Cook for a few minutes, stirring continually.  After all the sugars are melted and the mixture is creamy, add the Half and Half….stir it in really well.  Pour over the cake while the sauce is warm.  My cake has cooled enough to take it out of the pan but was still a little warm.  I don’t know if that is important or not.  I placed it in a plate that had some sides to catch some of the glaze.  As the glaze cooled, it also became thicker and harder.  I stored the whole thing in the refrigerator.

Delicious!!!!!