PUMPKIN RIBBON CAKE

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 eggs

3/4 cup solid pack pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

Topping:

Powdered sugar

Frozen Whipped Topping, thawed (optional)

For cake, combine flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt in small bowl; mix well and set aside.  In a medium bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, pumpkin, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Slowly add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; mix well.  Set aside.

For filling, whisk cream cheese and sugar until well blended and smooth.  Spread 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups of the cake batter evenly over bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.  Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over cake batter; carefully spread over batter.  Spoon remaining cake batter over cream cheese mixture, spreading evenly.

Bake at 350º for 45-50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Before serving, sprinkle cake with powdered sugar.  Cut into wedges.  Serve with whipped topping, if desired.