Pumpkin season is most definitely in full swing with just a few days to Halloween. Most of us associate pumpkin with pie, or carving Jack-o-Lanterns, especially around this time of the year. However, pumpkin is tasty in all sorts of things, whether it be savory or sweet, so I’m kicking off a Pumpkin Palooza in my house, and I thought I would start with this old-school recipe for a buttery pumpkin cake.
Pumpkin cakes baked in a bundt, loaf or regular cake pan, create the most special treats. And whether you swirl the inside with cream cheese or cinnamon, glaze them with chocolate, or sprinkle the top with a crumb crust, they all taste like fall desserts. But, today I wanted to focus on creating the most ooey-gooey sensation you’ve had in a while, and what better ingredient to achieve that kind of texture than butter.
This cake recipe not only has a creamy center, but it has a buttery crust to match. You start by pressing the crumbs into a pan with your fingers, and then gently pouring the smooth filling of cream cheese and pumpkin over the crust. The top of the cake is dusted with a little sugar and pumpkin pie spice for a crackled crust after baking, and you can serve this pumpkin cake at room temperature, or cold, right out of the refrigerator. I think you’ll adore it’s simplicity, and ponder whether it’s more like a pie, or a traditional pumpkin cake that you just prepared?
Ingredients
Crust
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
Topping
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
(Serves 8)
To Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 9-inch Springform pan with parchment. To make crust – cream together on high speed, butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Add flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla, mix on low until coarse crumbs. Dump crumbs into prepared pan. Bake crust in oven for 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown. Remove and let cool, while you make filling.
2. To make filling – cream together on high speed, cream cheese, butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin and eggs. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour filling on top of crust.
3. In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients, and sprinkle over filling. Bake cake in oven for 35-45 minutes, or until top is set. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour.
4. Remove cake from pan. Slice and serve, or refrigerate for later. Enjoy!
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