recipe friday: pumpkin crunch

Boone helping momma make dessert

 Happy Halloween!  Here I sit with my cup of black coffee, eating paleo brownies smothered in real maple syrup (reward day), and looking forward to getting my little man dressed into his dinosaur costume!  He's going to be a Booneasauraus!  Love him. 

This is the last day of October, so I just had to sneak one last pumpkin recipe in here!  I am obsessed with pumpkins...they just taste so good!

Thanksgiving was a couple of weeks ago, though if you're in the States, then you are looking forward to it!  My contribution to this year's feast was a dessert that I have made for at least 3 years now, and I keep pulling it out because it's so darn good and 'tis the season.  I think I may make this for Christmas this year too because just once a year is not enough!

I affectionately call this Paula Deen's Pumpkin Crunch because I got the recipe from one of her YouTube videos.  I just love watching her in the kitchen whipping up dishes filled with butter and cheese and all those good things!

This recipe combines salty and sweet flavours and there is a little crunch in there from the caramelized cake batter layer!  Oh, heaven.  And it's not too pumpkiny in case there are those at your table who aren't pumpkin devotees (ridiculous).

Here's what you'll need:

1 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
2 sticks butter (salted)
16 oz. (small) can pure pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup white sugar

Frosting:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. (brick) cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup whipping cream (small carton)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
 

Here's what you'll do:

1. Grease a 9" by 13" baking dish.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat all cake ingredients until smooth (except box of cake mix).
3. Pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with yellow cake mix.
4. Top with chopped pecans and butter sliced into pads.
5. Bake for 1 hour.
6. Chill cake and top with frosting. Enjoy!
 

cover that cake in butter! makes the crunchy layer

Honestly, this is one of those desserts that your family and friends will mention every once in a while with longing.  That's when you know you have a winner that becomes a yearly tradition.

Hope that you and your famjam have a very lovely Halloween!

Blessings and Kisses!