Pumpkin Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Who puts a cup of canola oil in a cake????????

Haven't made it yet, but confirmed (with the author!) it's 1 15oz can of pumpkin

I'm having trouble believing that this recipe only calls for 5-ounces of pumpkin puree. Cans are usually 15 ounces. Can anyone clarify for me before I try to bake this?

Thank you!

I didn't have round cake pans so I baked mine in a 9x13 and cut it in half & made a small rectangular cake. I wasn't sure how that would effect baking time so I checked at 25 minutes and found it to be completely done. I was so worried I missed something & was going to cut into it & find it undone, but it was cooked completely through. I also have a ton of extra frosting, I would definitely try to third that recipe if I did it again. I found this cake to be pretty dense, not in a bad way at all, but if you're looking for crumbly goodness this isn't the recipe for you.

Made this for an early Thanksgiving, exactly as instructed in the recipe, and we all loved it.  Similar to others, I did find that I needed to pull the cake much earlier than 40 minutes baking time (like at 32 minutes), which just saved it from being too dry.  It is possible that this is a variation of ovens.  The frosting is an ample amount, and we were glad for that, because it is delicious.

I made mine with 2/3 batch of frosting and still it came out just right for the cake. This was actually the very first time I made a cake out of smaller pans, and yet the height was really impressive. Love it!

This recipe is certainly a crowd pleaser! I used a 1/2 tsp of ground clove in addition to the recommended ginger and cinnamon quantities, and I think it could use even a little more spice (perhaps an addition 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and some nutmeg). The batter comes together quickly and bakes like a dream, and the mascarpone buttercream is delicious. The cake is moist, not too crumbly, and easy to frost. I garnished with some candied pepitas (tossed with brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, and a touch of oil and baked for ~10 min) and that was a nice addition.

When they say cake can be refrigerated for 3 days do they mean with or without frosting?

I made this for Halloween themed potluck. The cake and the frosting were very easy to make. The cake was moist (mine was done in 30 minutes, but my oven is completely off), but I used the spice levels included in the recipe and found it lacking any discernible spice flavor, so in the future I would probably up it or add some allspice and/or nutmeg. The frosting was delicious - I'm not a buttercream fan but the mascarpone cut through the sweetness. If you use the entire amount on the cake it will be very thickly iced - I used more than the 3/4 cup called for in the middle layer because it seemed too skimpy, and even after generously icing the entire cake had probably 1/2 cup leftover.

I went ahead and made this but used 2 teaspoons of cinnamon (Vietnamese/Saigon variety)  and 1.5 teaspoons of ginger instead of tablespoons.  It turned out nicely spiced at those levels.  If anyone makes it with the original measurements, I would be interested in knowing how that turns out.  Also, 1) the mascarpone butter cream frosting is dramatically good and easy to work with and 2) I checked my layers at 35 minutes and they were done (although my oven may be off a bit.)  All in all, it's a keeper.