Prep: 10 mins | Bake: 25 mins | Servings: 9

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2cup whole milk or half and half

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups boiling water

2 tbsp salted butter, melted

pinch of salt

chopped pecans and vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ square baking pan. Set aside
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, pie spice, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, pumpkin puree, melted butter and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a flexible rubber spatula until combined (batter will be thick).
  3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. For the topping, sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the batter. In a liquid measuring cup, combine boiling water, melted butter and a pinch of salt. Gently pour boiling water over the top of the cake batter (do not stir).
  4. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean (don’t poke all the way to the bottom of the pan). There should be a wet, pudding like layer under the cake and possible even bubbling up around the sides. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm with chopped pecans and vanilla ice cream.

Notes:

  • This cake is best served warm, the day it is made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and are best consumed within a day, reheating individual portions in the microwave as needed.