Pumpkin-Gingerbread Streusel Cake
INGREDIENTS
- Streusel Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
- Cake Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup full flavor (dark) molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Topping Ingredients:
- 1 cup caramel ice cream topping, heated
DIRECTIONS
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Combine all streusel ingredients except butter in small bowl; cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (2 to 3 minutes). Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cake ingredients. Beat until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes).
- Pour cake batter into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with streusel. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until woden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Serve cake warm or cool with ice cream topping.
- *Substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Tip: To make homemade caramel sauce, combine 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/4 cups brown sugar and 2 tablespoons corn syrup in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil (5 to 8 minutes). Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup whipping cream; return to a boil (1 minute). Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Tip: Leftover pumpkin? Combine 1 (8-ounce) package softened cream cheese with 1 cup powdered sugar in small mixer bowl. Beat at low speed until creamy. Add 3/4 cup pumpkin, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat at low speed until creamy. Serve as a dip with fresh fruit slices or gingersnap cookies, or as a spread for bagels. Makes 1 3/4 cups dip.


