Pumpkin Crumb Cake

 

Fall is here, you can tell by all the pumpkin offereings in the stores. From pumpkin munchkins at Dunkin Donuts to all the pumpkin lattes in the coffee places.  It is something I am always eager for the arrival of and sad to see it leave.  Seems like pumpkins are everywhere this season.  I will have to get out to do some pumpkin picking next weekend.  I love to carve a nice jack-o-lantern and roast the seeds.  For today however I am using canned pumpkin puree to make a very moist pumpkin crumb cake.  I will be honest the taste of pumpkin is not strong in this cake, but the pumpkin helps to keep this cake moist.  It does have walnuts in the cake but that is optional and if there are any nut allergies simply leave them out.

 

Recipe:   (taken from Entenmann's Big Book of Baking)

 

Cake Batter1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Topping2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

 

2-3 tablespoons of Confectioner's sugar sifted for  dusting on top

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease cake pan 13x9.

To make the topping, combine 2/3 cup oats, flour, sugar, and cinnamon in processor. Add butter and cut in until crumbly. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oats. Set to one side.

Sift the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar and 1 egg at a time. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract to the wet batter mix. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the batter. Slowly add the milk and stir in the walnuts (optional). Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread with the topping.  Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool.