Autumn Spice Cake

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup shortening

1 c dark brown sugar

1 c sugar

4 eggs

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 c flour

1 T Dutch-processed cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cloves

Heat oven to 350*. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter. Beat butter, shortening and sugars together until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until smooth and light. Stir in buttermilk, in thirds, into the beaten butter. Blend well with each addition. Pour batter into the pans and bake until center tests clean- about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans on a rack for 30 minutes, unmold, and cool completely before frosting.

Autumn Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

4T butter, softened

3 T whole milk

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2/3 c cocoa

1/8 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese, butter and milk together until smooth. Add sugar, cocoa and salt and continue to beat until blended. Reduce mixer speed and add the vanilla and beat until smooth. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before frosting.