Butternut Squash Spice Cake With Maple Frosting - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 None eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups firmly packed coarsely grated butternut squash
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus additional, for dusting
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 pkg (12 oz) cream cheese, softened, chopped
14 tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) butter, softened
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups powdered sugar, additional

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F. Grease a 12 x 8-inch baking pan. Line bottom and long sides with parchment paper, extending the paper 2 inches over edges.
Beat eggs, brown sugar, syrup and oil in a small bowl with an electric mixer for 5 mins or until thick and creamy. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in squash and nuts, then combined sifted dry ingredients. Spread mixture in prepared pan.
Bake for 30 mins or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 mins. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Meanwhile, for the sugared pecans, line a baking pan with parchment paper. Rinse pecans in a sieve under cold water until wet. Spread in a single layer on prepared pan. Dust with 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar. Roast in oven for 10 mins or until lightly browned .
For the maple frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 3 mins or until fluffy and smooth. Gradually beat in syrup and 2 cups sifted powdered sugar until smooth and combined.
Split cake in half. Place bottom cake layer on a platter; spread with half the frosting. Finish with top cake layer and remaining frosting. Decorate with sugared pecans. Dust with additional ground cinnamon.