This is my last chance to share a pumpkin recipe before November (pumpkin month) is over, so I am going with (drum roll, please!) a dessert! If you know me, this probably does not come as a big surprise. I am all about desserts, all the time. And I couldn’t pass up this final opportunity to do another pumpkin treat before my beloved pumpkin season ends.
I’ve been baking pumpkin desserts frequently over the past 6 weeks trying to come up with one last one to post today. Most of the recipes I tried tasted good, but the recipes were not quite ready for the blog yet. They each needed some tweaking to the recipe to produce a better result. Instead of taking the time to bake the same thing 2 or 3 times, those recipes went into my 2-inch stack of “Try-Again” recipes that litters the island in the kitchen. Since the nearly as big stack of recipes next to that one is “Try This Soon!”, I’ve been leaving one recipe behind to start on another. Obviously, I have ADD issues when it comes to trying out recipes.
While I loved this dessert, I didn’t love the name. Gooey Butter Cake doesn’t sound appealing to me. But I was hard pressed to come up with a better name. Kelly objected when I called it a cheesecake. I figured since it had cream cheese in it & bakes in a springform pan, it was technically a cheesecake. Attorney Kelly called that misleading. Pumpkin-y Butter Cake sounded childish and Pumpkin Butter Cake implied cooked pumpkin butter as an ingredient, not pumpkin puree and lots of butter. To convey it’s pumpkin-y and rich buttery flavor, but not be gross or childish or misleading, I’m calling this a Pumpkin & Butter Cake. Enjoy!
Pumpkin & Butter Cake
Pumpkin & Butter Cake (adapted from midwestliving.com) Serves 10, Prep time: 45 minutes, Bake time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
4 ounces (1 cup) gingersnap cookies or graham crackers, crushed to a fine meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8 – ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Directions:
Coat the bottom and side of a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
For the crust: In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/4 cup of the butter and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until they are creamed. Add the cookie meal, baking powder, and salt to the creamed mixture. Beat the mixture on low speed until it is combined and crumbly. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust in a 350º F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is set and golden brown.
Transfer the crust ingredients to the springform pan.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, and the remaining 3/4 cup butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until it is creamy.
Combine the butter, cream cheese & brown sugar.
Beat in the corn syrup, 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice, and the vanilla. Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, and egg yolks until it is all well combined.
Add the eggs & pumpkin to the filling.
Pour the pumpkin mixture over the partially baked crust.
Pour the filling over the baked crust.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle the flavored sugar over the filling. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is set and golden brown and the cake pulls away from the side of pan.
Sprinkle the top of the filling with the spiced sugar.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Loosen the side of the pan and remove it. Cool the cake completely.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan.
Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkle of additional pumpkin pie spice.
I am always thankful for pumpkin desserts!
And so, Pumpkin Month comes to a sweet close! ~Linda
Pumpkin & Butter Cake (adapted from midwestliving.com) Serves 10, Prep time: 45 minutes, Bake time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
4 ounces (1 cup) gingersnap cookies or graham crackers, crushed to a fine meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 8 – ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Directions:
Coat the bottom and side of a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
For the crust: In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/4 cup of the butter and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until they are creamed. Add the cookie meal, baking powder, and salt to the creamed mixture. Beat the mixture on low speed until it is combined and crumbly. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust in a 350º F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is set and golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, and the remaining 3/4 cup butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until it is creamy. Beat in the corn syrup, 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice, and the vanilla. Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, and egg yolks until it is all well combined.
Pour the pumpkin mixture over the partially baked crust. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle the flavored sugar over the filling. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is set and golden brown and the cake pulls away from the side of pan. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Loosen the side of the pan and remove it. Cool the cake completely. Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkle of additional pumpkin pie spice.