Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Cake

For years I made pumpkin pies from scratch. The day after Halloween, I would cut up the jack-o-lanterns and roast the pieces in the oven. Then I would remove the flesh from the shell and puree in my food processor. The results were always delicious. But after all of that work I would have only 2 pies to show for it. There just had to be another option and here it is. Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Cake has all the pumpkin pie taste one could ask for without all the work. This cake makes its own caramel sauce to spoon over each serving.

Serves 10-12

1 1/2 cups flour + 5 tbsp flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup milk
6 tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 vanilla
1 1/2 cup hot water
3/4 cup caramel sauce

Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 chopped pecans

To prepare in advance, assemble entire cobbler minus the caramel, hot water and brown sugar, pecan topping. Cover with plastic and refrigerate. Just before baking , top with the sugar and pecans.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, melted butter and vanilla. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and spices. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk to create a thick batter. Pour it into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly with an off-set spatula. Mix the pecans and brown sugar together, set aside. Drizzle the caramel sauce over batter and pour the hot water over all. DO NOT MIX into the batter. Sprinkle the pecan/sugar mixture over all. Place on a foil covered sheet pan in case it bubbles over. Bake 40 minutes or until the center is set. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream to serve.