Instructions

1. First, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the wet ingredients. Starting from the center of the bowl, whisk outward, pulling the dry ingredients into the middle. Whisk until no streaks of flour remain.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until the cake is risen, the top springs back to the touch, and a butter knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Place the cake pans on a cooling rack and allow the cakes to cool slightly. To remove from the pan, drag a butter knife around the edge of the cake, then carefully flip the cake out onto a plate, peel away the parchment paper, and re-invert it, right-side up onto a cooling rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
6. While the cakes cool, make the caramel. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the granulated sugar until it melts completely. Use a spatula to stir the sugar occasionally, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan. First the sugar will form clumps, then it will begin to melt and take on a light golden color, and after 5 to 7 minutes it will become fully melted and be a medium-gold hue. As soon as your last bit of sugar has melted, turn off the heat and don’t let it continue cooking or it’ll burn.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the butter—use caution as the mixture will violently bubble. Use a whisk to stir the butter and melted sugar together until combined, about 20 seconds. Whisk in the heavy cream and salt until combined. Allow the caramel to cool in the pan until you’re ready to frost your cake (if you don’t plan to frost your cake for a while, the caramel can stay covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks).
8. Next, make the pecan pralines. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the egg white in a large bowl until frothy. Add the pecan pieces and stir to coat. Add the sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
9. Last, make the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until combined, about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, until the frosting is fluffy, about 2 minutes.
10. Assemble the cake. Use a serrated knife to cut each cake layer in half so you now have 4 cake layers. Place the first cake layer on a plate or cake stand, then spread a large dollop of the frosting on top. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the salted caramel and use a spoon to swirl into the frosting. Top with a handful of the pecan praline pieces. Repeat with the second, third and forth layers of the cake, then frost the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. If desired, top with more caramel and pecan pieces. . Refrigerate until ready to serve!