- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 (18.25 ounce) box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
- 1 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 (16 ounce) container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
- Caramel topping (optional)
- Additional coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into 2 (9- or 8-inch) round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup pecans.
- In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture in each pan.
- Bake 43 to 45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Stir remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice into frosting. To assemble cake, place 1 layer, praline side up, on serving plate. Spread with half of the frosting. Top with second layer, praline side up; spread remaining frosting to edge of layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and additional pecans. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.