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Although we’ve yet to hit Halloween and its delicious excuse to use pumpkin puree or November and its wide selection of holiday recipes, I can’t seem to get enough of pumpkin pastries and pies.

To keep things fresh, however, I’ve decided to deviate from the stereotypical pies and dabble in something a little more edgy and a little less healthy: pumpkin pie cake.

Prep Time: 20 Min.
Cook Time: 50 Min.
Total Time: 1 Hr 20 Min.

Ingredients :

Crust
1 package yellow cake mix (18.25 oz) -1 cup of this will be used for the topping
1 egg
½ cup margarine

Cake Filling
1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
½ cup white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3 eggs

Crumbled Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup margarine
Optional:
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 9X13 in. pan.
2. Set aside 1 cup of yellow cake mix from the package. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining cake mix with 1 egg and melted margarine. Use this mixture to form the crust along the bottom and sides of the pan.
3. Mix together the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, evaporated milk, and remaining 3 eggs until thoroughly blended. Pour mixture over crust.
4. Combine remaining cake mix with 1 cup brown sugar, and then cut in margarine until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over cake filling. If desired, add chopped walnuts for a finishing touch.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes.
6. Cut into squares and top with whipped cream if desired. Keep refrigerated.

This cake is good for any holiday or celebration and its use of pumpkin is positively divine. In fact, given the choice between the nostalgic pumpkin pie and its cubed companion, I’d take the pumpkin pie cake. It has long been a family favorite, and any excuse to use pumpkin will do in pinch.

As summer fades into fall, I start whipping out the pumpkin recipes.

From cookies to pie, pumpkin seems to capture the flavor of the autumn season. Pumpkin is loaded with vitamin A, making it a great choice for those who want to stay lean.

For those who don’t, of course, a smidgeon of chocolate always makes this delicious dessert go down easy.

Preparation time : 15 min
Cooking time :45 min
Yield: 1 dozen rolls

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup sugar

Optional
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, begin by whisking together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Then add pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and sugar until thoroughly blended. Fold in chocolate chips.

Grease or line muffin tin with paper then spoon in batter. Each slot should be about 2/3 full. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top as desired.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Insert toothpick into a muffin, if it comes out clean, then the muffins are ready. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to a rack.

Then enjoy!

Additional Muffin Recipes

Pumpkin Chocolate chip muffins have always been my favorite fall treat. When made the night before, they make a great breakfast. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll find that these particular muffins are best when they’re straight out of the oven, fresh and oozing with chocolate. These muffins have an amazing way of sticking to the roof of your mouth and then melting in a burst of pumpkin flavor. Be careful not to burn your tongue though! On more than one occasion I’ve let my excitement overwhelm my better senses and eaten a muffin too hot than is good for me. (It was well worth the pain.)

This and other delicious (and healthy) muffin recipes can be found here.