I Saw it on Pinterest: Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

I actually started this post last week, and never quite got around to finishing it. Since then I broke my beloved green cake stand, pictured above, while I was washing it, which makes me very sad because my grandma gave it to me. And I made this cake for the second time in a week...because it's that good.

 

I love Pinterest, and I love all things pumpkin. I've been trying to keep cans of pumpkin in the house at all times, just in case I come across a tasty looking recipe like this one. Speaking of which, I should carry a notebook with me and take notes at all times, because I seriously can't remember anything. Like who pointed me in the direction of this autumnal divinity, which my kids and I have eaten way too much of this week. I'm pretty sure a Pinterest link was posted to Facebook, and that's how I found it. Nonetheless, however I came about finding the recipe, it is on Pinterest now. And HERE is a link to the website where the full recipe can be found.

I'm not going to type out the ingredients and directions here, so just go ahead and get all that pertinent info from the link above. 

The recipe might look a little complicated, but it's truly not bad. Then again, I'm of the mindset that a little extra time and effort is well worth it when it comes to baking from scratch. But this recipe is just a matter of following the directions - no special skills required. Since the recipe calls for only half a cup of pumpkin, one small can of pumpkin is enough to make about two and a half pumpkin crumb cakes. I used my spring form pan, just cause I think it looks prettier, but I'm sure it would taste just as good coming out of a square baking dish.

The end result is a somewhat rich, not overly sweet, coffee cake with a hint of pumpkin flavor. The crumb topping is crunchy and wonderful, and not a crumb of it has gone wasted from a single plate. There is just something about this pumpkin crumb cake that makes it difficult to resist every time I find an excuse to pass through the kitchen.

I've also tried modifying a couple recipes using canned pumpkin. After seeing a post from Life After I "Dew" (whether it was on Facebook or the blog itself, I couldn't tell you), I decided to give two-ingredient pumpkin muffins a try. Maybe you've seen the recipe floating around the internet. Just combine a box of cake mix (I used spice cake) and a small can of pumpkin, and bake as usual. Really - no need to add anything else. My kids really liked these muffins, I'd have to say they were a big hit. 

I was telling a friend of mine about the pumpkin muffins, and she said the same can be done with a box of brownie mix and a small can of pumpkin. Having nothing to lose, I decided to give the brownies a try too. They tasted good right out of the oven, but the more they cooled the less I liked the pumpkin brownies. The kids liked them and ate quite a few, but they didn't devour them as they did the pumpkin muffins. My friend told me her kids preferred the brownies over the muffins, but my kids were the opposite. So who knows? Go ahead and try both "recipes"* and let me know whether you and yours prefer the muffins or the brownies. Don't forget about the pumpkin crumb cake either! Or if you have another pumpkin recipe that you love, please share in the comments.

*In quotes because it's only two ingredients, does that really constitute a recipe?