Move Over, Pumpkin Pie...Gooey Cake Has Arrived

Sometimes you've just got to put clean-eating on the shelf, and indulge in those decadent dishes that are reserved for the holiday season.

Enter Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake.

My friend Lisa introduced me to the world of Gooey Butter Cake a few years ago, and since then the pumpkin version has been out-shining the standard pumpkin pie at our annual Thanksgiving feast (Sorry, P-Pie fans. This guy puts those basic pies to shame).

The recipe I use comes straight from Queen of Southern Cooking herself: Ms. Paula Deen. With Paula at the helm, there's obviously no way around the butter-rific nature of this dessert. I mean, it is called Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake. And I do apologize for the use of a boxed cake mix--I'm not a fan of making desserts that start with a box. However, I'm more than happy to set aside my boycott for this over-the-top holiday dessert.

It's worth it. I promise.

Close your eyes, pull the cake mix off the grocery store shelf, and picture that gooey, buttery, pumpkin-y piece of goodness you'll be enjoying in a few hours.

This dessert is perfect for holiday parties, festivities at work, or as a creative twist on Thanksgiving Day dessert. For an after-dinner dessert at a sit-down meal, serve each piece with a fork (it's gooey). For party situations, I like to cut it in mini squares and place each square in a foil-lined cupcake liner.

Since I wanted you all to have this recipe prior to your T-Day meal planning, I thought I should make it today so you, too, can try it before you decide to add it to your Thanksgiving menu.

So as you can see, I made Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake today for your benefit. No benefit to me at all. Nope--I wasn't craving a piece for myself. Not one bit.

Who are we kidding? I'm just grateful I have a blog to use as an excuse to make these two weeks early :)

See ya later, pumpkin pie. Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake is on the scene now. And she means business.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

(a Paula Deen recipe)

If you're not up for the pumpkin version, check out Paula's website for tons of variations you can make--chocolate-peanut butter, lemon, vanilla, pineapple, and much more!

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 package of vanilla cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 package of cream cheese, softened (reduced fat cream cheese works fine)
• 1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz.)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, melted (yep! I told you this was a butter-rific recipe)
• 3 - 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

2) Combine the crust ingredients with an electric mixer. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside.

3) Beat the cream cheese and pumpkin together until smooth. Add the vanilla and butter and blend until thoroughly combined. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and beat batter until smooth. Pour filling over crust and bake for 40 - 50 minutes (mine is usually done around 45 minutes). The cake will not be set, and a toothpick will not come out clean! (hence the gooey part).

4) Allow to cool on a wire rack completely, then refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving.

5) You can go back to clean eating tomorrow. For now, just enjoy this heavenly ride :)