From The New Thanksgiving Table: An American Celebration of Family, Friends, and Food

When it comes to dessert, I am a chocoholic first and fruit-pie lover second; but after several test batches to perfect this cake, I am completely won over, and so is everyone who has tasted it. This is simply a spectacular cake — moist and light with spiced pumpkin flavour and sweet bites of coconut and pineapple.

In addition, it is a snap to make. It requires two nine-inch cake pans to make the layers, but the cake itself can be mixed together with a rubber spatula and bowl. If all the cake ingredients are pre-measured and the cake pans prepared, this can be a fun kitchen project to do with children, especially since it can be made ahead and frozen.

Cake

• Softened butter for greasing cake pans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin purée
• 1 cup lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple (do not drain)
• 1/3 cup dried currants

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons canned unsweetened pumpkin purée
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter two 9-inch diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch sides. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper. Sprinkle the pans with flour, tap the pans to evenly distribute the flour, and then shake off the excess flour. Set aside.

To make the cake, in a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and vanilla. In another medium bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, coconut, crushed pineapple, and currants.

Diane Morgan has travelled to all corners of the United States collecting recipes for her book The New Thanksgiving Table: An American Celebration of Family, Friends, and Food. (Leigh Beisch/Chronicle Books LLC)Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir just until combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, spreading it evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Run a table knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cakes. Invert the cakes onto the racks and peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely before frosting the cakes.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about three minutes. Add the butter and beat until combined, about two minutes. Add the pumpkin purée and beat until incorporated, about one minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about three minutes.

Place one cake layer on a cake plate or platter. Using an offset spatula, spread half of the frosting over the top of the first cake layer. Spread the frosting right to the edge of the top without frosting the sides of the cake. Carefully place the second cake on top, lining up the edges. Spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake without frosting the sides. Swirl the frosting to decorate the top. Refrigerate the cake to set the frosting. Remove from the refrigerator 30 to 40 minutes before serving.

Serves 12

Do Ahead The cake can be made up to two days in advance. Refrigerate until cold, and then carefully cover with plastic wrap. The cake can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to one month. Let thaw in the refrigerator, about 12 hours.

(Recipe excerpted from The New Thanksgiving Table: An American Celebration of Family, Friends, and Food , © 2008, by Diane Morgan. Published by Chronicle Books LLC. Photography by Leigh Beisch. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.)