Because Baking is Creative: Mom's Pumpkin Cake

It's Friday! That means that you get your weekly dose of recipe goodness from Lilly & Louise! This week I'm sharing a recipe that my mom has been making--and become known for--for fall and winter holidays for the past few years. This is always a hit! But be sure to make it for a big group (like a holiday potluck) because it's rich and it's huge. I made it for a Halloween get-together last weekend and one [male] comment was "this dessert is legit!"

And...be warned. You MUST channel your inner Julia and embrace the amount of butter in this recipe.

Pumpkin Cake
You'll notice the ingredients put this dish in the category with Green Bean Casserole (i.e. canned pumpkin, cake mix, and cool whip), but just like Green Bean Casserole, it's totally satisfying!

4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 large can (or 1½ regular cans) pumpkin
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 sticks butter

Grease a 9 x 13 pyrex dish and place wax paper in bottom.
Mix together first 7 ingredients (eggs through evaporated milk) until thoroughly
combined. Pour mixture into cake pan.
Spread box of cake mix over pumpkin mixture (do not mix in). Sprinkle nuts on top. Add butter ontop of nuts (slice to cover pan).
Bake at 350 for one hour. Let cool and flip over. Remove wax paper

Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
¾ cup Cool Whip

Mix together by hand. Cover top of cake, when cool.
Refrigerate. Let stand 10-15 minutes at room temp before serving (should be served cold).

Thanks for letting me share, mom!