unsalted butter 2/3 cup pecans 1/2 cup unsalted, raw, hulled pepitas 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar 1/4 tsp. table salt 1-1/2 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger For the frosting 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 5 oz. (1-1/4 cups) confectioners' sugar 1 tsp vanilla Instructions To make your own pumpkin pure Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350F. Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with the oil. Put the pumpkin halves in the dish cut side down and bake until tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel the pumpkin and pure the flesh in a food processor until smooth. You'll need 1-1/2 cups of the pure for the cake. Refrigerate or freeze any remaining pure for another use. Or substitute canned pumpkin puree. Make the cake Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350F. Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let stand until cool but not set, about 15 minutes. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with removable bottoms (or butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, butter the parchment, and flour the pans). In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon,