pumpkin cake with a sweet cinnamon filling running through the center and a thick layer of crumbs on top. The topping has pecans in it for a little crunch and a drizzle of icing to hold all those giant crumbs together.
This is my attempt to embrace pumpkin season before it slips away. . . Although even if it does the case of organic, canned pumpkin I have stowed away for safe keeping will certainly save me.
My own personal “pumpkin season” lasts until sometime after Christmas, maybe even until Easter, mostly because I associate pumpkin with cold weather baking.
Being I hadn’t popped open a can of pumpkin yet this fall, I felt a sense of urgency, like I better hurry up and bake something pumpkin flavored before. . . I don’t know what(?). . . Before I make the pumpkin gods angry and they send Jack the Pumpkin King to my door demanding pumpkin cake?!
If he shows up I’m crowning him with a big slab of this and sending him on his merry way.
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PUMPKIN CRUMB CAKE
Ingredients
- Topping:
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- Filling:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Cake:
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger and nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Drizzle:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square pan or line with parchment paper.
Make the topping:
- Whisk the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl. Mix in the nuts then add the butter. Work it in with a fork until completely absorbed. It will be crumbly.
Make the filling:
- In a small bowl mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.
Make the cake:
- In a large bowl on low speed beat the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder together until smooth 1 - 2 minutes. Don't over mix.
- Stir in the flour by hand until just combined.
- Spoon half the batter into the pan (13 + 1/2 ounces, if you want to weigh it) and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the filling evenly over it and then spoon the rest of the batter over the filling smoothing it out from edge to edge.
- Crumble the topping over it from edge to edge.
- Bake 40 - 45 minutes until a toothpick from the center comes out with no wet batter on it, dry crumbs are OK.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Whisk the confectioners' and milk together to make a glaze. If it seems too thick add a tiny bit more heavy cream. Drizzle over top of the cake.
- If you used parchment paper you can remove the cake to a cutting board or platter to cut into squares and serve. If you buttered the pan cut and serve right out of the pan.
- Store leftovers tightly covered in a cool, dry place 4 - 5 days.