Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Yes... is it beautiful. Yes... that is a yummy cream filling. Yes... that is caramel drizzling down the sides and pooling at the bottom. And Yes... it was so incredibly delicious! "Wow- this is Thanksgiving worthy!" were my husbands first words as he bit into this AMAZING cake, and he was absolutely right! Would you believe that I won this beauty at a Ward Dessert Auction! (We bid with points instead of money.) It was the first dessert auctioned and I got a SCREAMIN' DEAL (people are always a little gun-shy at the beginning of auctions) and let me tell you that I was screamin' by the time I cut a slice and took a bite. This cake looks beautiful and it tastes even better! A big winner. If you click on the Kraftfood's link, there is even a video tutorial on how to make it. My friend Jen (who made this beauty) said it is super easy... but then isn't that what every professional says? She did an amazing job and somehow, by eating her cake, I just feel like we are best friends. Anyone who makes cake like this is a very good person in my book. :)

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake (Kraftfoods.com)
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup Milk
1/3 cup Oil
4 Eggs
1-1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup Caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F.
BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Size-Wise
Celebrate and enjoy a serving of this indulgent cake on a special occasion.

How to Slice and Stack Cake Layers
Place 1 of the cooled cake layers on serving plate. Make 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake, using long serrated knife. Cut all the way through cake layer to make 2 layers. Remove top layer by sliding it onto 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost cake layer on plate with 1/3 of the COOL WHIP mixture. Slide top half of split cake layer from cardboard circle onto frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into 2 layers as done for the first layer. Repeat process of transferring cake layers to stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.

Substitute
Omit caramel sauce. Microwave 10 KRAFT Caramels and 1 Tbsp. milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels begin to melt. Stir until caramels are completely melted. Drizzle over cake just before serving; top with nuts.