How to add a cream flavor to a pumpkin ale?

[oostur]

I'm about to make my first pumpkin ale with an American amber as a base. I want my beer to taste like a pumpkin pastry with cream icing on it, any ideas for the cream icing flavor?

 

[Jakemo]

Lactose. I used 1/2# (@30 min) in my 5.5 gallon pumpkin ale batch, it lent a very subtle cream flavor with a pleasant sweetness. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Dr. Francois]

A touch of vanilla extract at bottling should do the trick. +1 on the lactose, too.