For the pumpkin cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare two 9” round cake pans by first buttering and flouring each pan. Then line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper rounds, and butter the paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir in sugar to incorporate. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the pumpkin mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened - batter may be just a bit lumpy. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or just until a wooden toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Do not overbake. Let cool completely in pans on a wire rack.

For the creamy cinnamon whip: Using a chilled bowl and beaters, whip the cream until stiff. With mixer on low, add powdered sugar and beat just to combine. Remove sweetened whipped cream to another bowl and set it in the refrigerator.

Add cream cheese to the same chilled bowl and cream until very smooth (no lumps), about 1 to 2 minutes. Blend in the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger. Now add the sweetened whipped cream back into the chilled bowl with the cream cheese, folding gently to combine. The mixture should be thickened, with a fluffy/creamy texture.

To assemble the layer cake: Arrange first layer of cake on platter or cake stand. Place about half of the creamy cinnamon whip on top of the cake. Using a spatula or the back of a serving spoon, gently spread the frosting in an even layer over the top of the cake.

Place the second layer of cake on top of the creamy cinnamon whip and press it down very gently to compress the layers just a bit. Add the remaining creamy cinnamon whip to the top cake layer and spread it over the top evenly. Incorporate swirls with the back of a spoon, if desired.

Dust top of cake with additional cinnamon and then chill cake for 2 to 3 hours for best cutting results.