• Preheat the oven to 325℉. Grease and flour a tube pan or bundt pan. (see notes)

For the Cinnamon Mixture

• Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside for later. We will use this after adding half of the cake batter to the bundt pan.

For the Cake Batter

• In a medium sized bowl, add the cake flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk to blend thoroughly. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (using paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), add softened butter and sugar. Mix for 3-5 minutes, until lightened in color and fluffy.
• Next, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended in.
• In a medium sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients: canned pumpkin, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Set aside.
• With the mixer on low speed, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture, add the flour mixture alternately with the pumpkin mixture. We did a total of three additions of the flour mixture and two additions of the pumpkin mixture. Mix just until incorporated. (Makes about 8 cups of batter.)
• Add about 4 cups(half) of the cake batter to the prepared bundt pan.Then, sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture over the batter.
• Next, add the remaining cake batter on top of the cinnamon mixture and lightly smooth with the back of a spoon to even out the batter.
• Bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed with no crumbs or just a few crumbs attached. The cake should also spring back when lightly touched. Baking times may vary! It is best to peek in as the one hour mark approaches.
• Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before turning out. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.

For the Caramel Glaze

• Using a medium size saucepan (deep enough to prevent boil over) melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add the brown sugar and the remaining ingredients and heat on medium high heat.
• Stir to blend, try to keep mixture off the sides of the pan. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low.
• Simmer for 6 minutes, checking often to make sure that it is not going to boil over. It should still be bubbling. After 6 minutes, remove from heat.
• Keep in mind that the caramel with thicken up a bit as it cools. You can pour it into a long glass casserole dish if you want it to cool more quickly. We often refrigerate to cool it off as well.
• Makes about 1 cup caramel sauce. It can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Spoon over the cooled cake or for more control, pipe it on using a disposable piping bag (or ziplock bag) with the tip snipped away.
• Sprinkle with chopped pecans and/or toffee bits if you'd like for a bit of crunch and another layer of flavor!

Storing the Cake

• This cake is fine to sit at room temperature under a cake dome or in an airtight container. We like to move it to a refrigerator after a couple of days for freshness. However, if you do chill the cake, it is best to remove it from the refrigerator at least a couple of hours before serving so that it has time to warm and soften.