Pumpkin and Harissa Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe has earned it's place in our family's favorite recipes.  Time to record it here on the blog for safe-keeping.   I've tried other pumpkin muffin/cake/bread recipes, but this is the one we like the best. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a 10 x 15 inch baking pan.

Harissa Chili Paste - for an extra kick of flavor

We have to order it from Amazon.com, as no one around here sells it. Copper Olive sells the harissa-infused olive oil (quite pricey, though). 

Wet ingredients :
4 eggs, beaten
16-oz can pumpkin
1-1/2 - 2 Tablespoons Harissa Paste
1-1/4 cup sugar  (2 cups in the original recipe)
1 cup vegetable oil
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Dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar and oil.  Add the eggs and mix well.
Combine the dry ingredients and add to the pumpkin mixture, beating until well-blended.
Pour into the greased 10-15 inch baking pan.  Bake for 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Wait for the cake to cool before adding the frosting.  It's the cream cheese frosting that tames the hot pepper in the harissa. 

Cream Cheese Frosting 
5 Tablespoons butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tablespoons milk
chopped nuts for the top, if desired.

Beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add the vanilla and blend until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Add the milk a bit at a time until you get it to a spreadable consistency.

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The original recipe came from here.  We amended it slightly to our own tastes --  with the addition of 1-2 tablespoons of harissa hot pepper paste.   I swear, this particular pepper from North Africa was MADE for pumpkin!    My friend Vicki made some pumpkin muffins one day, but instead of the regular olive oil, she grabbed some harissa-infused oil.  It was an accident, but they were so good, and we craved more of that harissa heat, that now we make them on purpose!

My husband's mother used harissa in small quantities when he was growing up.  You had to be careful with it (as in consider wearing a haz-mat suit) because it was so hot!