Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pumpkin pie), and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then add the vanilla extract. Stir in the pumpkin puree. On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the egg mixture. Gently fold in the pecans. Transfer to the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan as it will be served from there.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Using an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. On low speed, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and continue until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the Vanilla extract. Spread evenly on top of the cooled cake. Place 1 or 2 whole pecans on each slice. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips and TricksThis cake is best eaten on the day it is baked because of its butter content. If there are any leftovers, simply refrigerate them. Allow cake to reach room temperature first before serving. So delicious with tea or coffee.