Ingredients

2 1/2

cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 1/2

teaspoons ground cinnamon

1

teaspoon baking soda

1/2

teaspoon baking powder

1/2

teaspoon ground ginger

1/2

teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2

teaspoon salt

1 1/2

cups packed brown sugar

3

eggs

1

cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1

cup vegetable oil

1/2

cup toasted chopped pecans

2

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/3

cup butter, softened

1/3

cup (from 13.4-oz can) dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)

2

teaspoons vanilla

2 2/3

cups powdered sugar

1/8

teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper. In small bowl, mix flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, the baking soda, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin and oil with whisk until combined. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour 1 2/3 cups batter into each pan. Spread evenly.

Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and dulce de leche with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until smooth and creamy.

Place one cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup of the frosting on top; top with second cake layer, rounded side down. Spread 2/3 cup of the frosting on top; top with third cake layer, rounded side up. Fit decorating bag with large round piping tip; fill with 3/4 cup of the frosting. Set aside.

Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Using decorating bag, pipe frosting mounds on half of top of cake (use photo as guide). Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.

When ready to serve, sprinkle cinnamon over frosting mounds. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.