Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons butter extract (optional)
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups All-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon water
2 8″ or 9″ cake pans

Buttercream
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
Dash Heavy Cream (or water if you want to, it’s what I used so it’s lighter)
Pinch Nutmeg
Pinch Salt
(This is a plainer Buttercream so there is no Vanilla Extract but if you want about 5 drops is more traditional)

Butterscotch Pudding (Kinda)
1 cup White Sugar
2 cups Water
Pinch Salt
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 teaspoon Molasses
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoons Corn Starch and equal water (for a slurry)

Topping
Handful Toasted Almonds

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees, rack center oven

Cake
1) Lightly grease two 8″ or 9″ round cake pans
2)Beat together the butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed, until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes
3) Add Pumpkin Puree and beat 20 seconds
4) Add the eggs two at a time until fully combined about 2 minutes between each addition
5) Stir in 1 1/2 cups flour, then all of the Sour Cream, followed by 1 1/2 cups flour, scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix just barely combined 6) Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, spreading it level as best you can
7) Bake the cake until the edges are golden brown — 30 – 40 minutes The center of the cake should feel firmish when gently pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
8) Remove the cake from the oven. Allow it to cool until you can pick up the pan without obvious heat in the pan, then quickly flip the pan over onto a cooling rack. The cake should loosen and fall in on swift movement. Confidence is key here, if you hesitate the cake will fall or break.
9) Once room temperature, tightly wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 2 hours.
10) Once firm remove from freezer and unwrap one cake at a time.
11) On each cake using a sharp serrated knife cut off the very top layer (it will be very thin except for the edges which will be thicker, cut until the cake is mostly yellow). For the edges of the second cake place the first cake on top and use it as a template to cut the second cake to be the same size.
12) If the other components are not ready to go then re-wrap the cakes and place in the refrigerator.

Buttercream
1) Put Sugar, Salt, Nutmeg, and Butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whisk until fluffy
2) Dash in Water/Heavy Cream and continue to beat about 1 minute until creamy

Butterscotch Pudding (Kinda)
1) Combine Sugar and Water, bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. It should look slightly thick ( think of half-set Jello vicious) but not enough to coat a spoon. Splash ( a 2-second splash from the faucet) with some warm water and swirl around in the pot.
2) Add everything but the Slurry (cornstarch and water) and Greek Yogurt and whisk.
3) Whisk in the Slurry til combined then bring to a boil for about 30-60 seconds over medium-high heat
4) Thoroughly whisk in the Greek Yogurt until smooth
5) Set aside and let cool

Tips:

If you don’t wrap the cake tightly before putting the freezer you run the risk of the porous sponge sucking up any foul odors and flavors that are in your freezer. Tightly wrapping it ensures that while it cools it doesn’t take on any unfortunate flavors.