Lemon Pumpkin Cake

3 large eggs

1 cup 2 percent milk

1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree (see Cook's Notes)

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see Cook's Notes)

1 box (16.5 ounces) lemon cake mix (see Cook's Notes)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and flour the pan. Set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree and spice. Add the cake mix and blend on medium-high for 1 minute. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly through entire pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes or more, until cake is barely warm to the touch. Turn cake out onto a parchment-lined rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile prepare the frosting (see directions below).

When cake is completely cool, slice in half vertically. Place one half on a cake plate and frost sides and top. Carefully place the other half on top and complete frosting. Use a cake-decorating tip to create designs, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Start to finish: 10 minutes prepping, 25 minutes baking, 30 minutes cooling, 20 minutes assembly

Yield: 12 servings

Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons 2 percent milk

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Add milk and blend on high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Use immediately or cover the bowl with a cool damp cloth until ready to use.

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Yield: makes about 2 ½ cups (enough for 1 cake)

Cook's Notes: Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.

You can substitute pumpkin pie spice with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.

For testing purposes, I used Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix.)

Approximate values per serving (frosted cake): 483 calories, 22 g fat (11 g saturated), 89 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 69 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 431 mg sodium.

Alicia Ross