Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Instructions:

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 can pumpkin
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 8-oz tub whipped topping
• 1/4 cup caramel topping

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 2 9" round cake pans.
• Beat cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice together until well-blended.  Pour evenly into prepared pans.
• Bake 28-30 minutes.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese in a small bowl until creamy.  Add sugar, remaining pumpkin, and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.  Stir in the whipped topping.

To assemble the cake:

• Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife.  (In order to make a clean, straight cut through the middle of the cake, place toothpicks around the cake as a guide and cut in a gentle sawing motion.)  Stack layers on a serving plate, spreading the cream cheese filling between layers (but do not frost the top of the cake).  Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving.  If you would like, sprinkle with pecans.  Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.