Pumpkin cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

**P.S. If you're not a fan of maple, simply omit the maple syrup from the icing recipe and you'll just have cream cheese frosting which is also DIVINE!

Pumpkin Cake Recipe:

3 large eggs
2 cups light brown sugar, not packed
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 15-oz can cooked pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 x 13" baking pan. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl till light and frothy; add the brown sugar, beat till smooth; add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the flour through salt). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture a little at a time and beat to combine- for two minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Maple Cream Cheese Icing:

8 oz. softened cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar (more, if needed)

Beat until the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time; beat till smooth. Add another tablespoon maple syrup, if needed. Add more sugar, if needed.

When the cake is cool, frost with the Maple Cream Cheese Icing. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.