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4. Make the frosting: Place the butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy, 20 seconds. Add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest and beat on low speed until combined, 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is creamy and light, 1 minute longer. Spread the frosting evenly on top of the cooled cake. To make slicing easier, let the cake rest for 10 minutes before slicing or place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Keep It Fresh! Store this cake, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to three days or for up to one week in the refrigerator. Freeze the cake in the pan, covered with aluminum foil, for up to three months. Let the cake thaw overnight on the counter before serving.

PUMPKIN CRANBERRY CAKE

BAKE THIS FESTIVE CAKE when you can find cranberries—fresh or frozen. Jennifer Degler of Lexington, Kentucky, sent this recipe to me a while back. She promised that the cake smells so good baking that “you’ll want to lay down and scream!” So I baked the cake, and yes, I will say it smelled of cinnamon and everything that is good and right with this world. Admittedly, I didn’t lay down and scream, but the cake was still mighty good!

serves:

16 to 20

prep:

25 minutes

bake:

45 to 50 minutes

cool:

10 minutes

For the streusel topping

½ cup packed light brown sugar

5 tablespoons butter, melted

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake

Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pan

Flour, for dusting the pan

2 cups cranberries, fresh or thawed frozen

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup milk

¼ cup water

3 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Recipe Reminders

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DON’T FORGET

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SPECIAL TOUCHES

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1. Make the streusel topping: Place the brown sugar, melted butter, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and mix with a fork. Set the streusel topping aside.

2. Make the cake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 13 by 9–inch metal cake pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust it with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.

3. If using frozen cranberries, drain them well in a colander. Coarsely chop the cranberries and pat them dry with paper towels. Set the cranberries aside.

4. Place the cake mix, cream cheese, oil, granulated sugar, milk, water, eggs, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the mixture is smooth, 1½ minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. Stir in 1 cup of the chopped cranberries.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smooth the top with the rubber spatula, and sprinkle the remaining chopped cranberries on top. Scatter the streusel topping over the cake.

6. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes,