Crafty Satisfaction: Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Pumpkin addiction is a very serious and tasty affliction. I don't know what comes over me, but when I see canned pumpkin in the store I feel the need to immediately buy 3 cans and put them in the cupboard for safekeeping. I think it has something to do with all the NPR reports that there was going to be a pumpkin shortage this year due to some sort of crop failure in New England. Or I might be off my rocker. Either way, I've been doing lots of pumpkin baking lately!

This recipe was incredibly easy and remarkably delicious. It was one of those "scrounge around the pantry to see what I find" Sunday afternoons. I had a can of pumpkin in one hand and a box of white cake mix in the other and was on a mission. A quick ingredient search on Allrecipes (love this feature!) brought me to this recipe for Pumpkin Crumb Cake.

I made a few minor modifications (egg beaters instead of eggs, white cake mix instead of yellow, pecans for the nuts, and always, always more spice) and it turned out beautifully, even at 7,500 ft -- a badge of honor for any recipe in my opinion. The middle layer is a wonderfully rich pumpkin, so it's not cake-y through and through --- and it keeps for a while in the fridge. I cut it up and served it to the Board of Directors at business meeting about 5 days later... the plate was almost licked clean.

There's a pumpkin gingerbread recipe coming up next... you'd better run to the store now and stock up on canned pumpkin. It's endangered, you know.