Gooey Pumpkin Cake Squares

Part of what I enjoy the most about fall is creating as many pumpkin-themed dishes and desserts as I can muster (and with the aid of The Pumpkin Spice Handbook this year, I plan to plow cover to cover through as many recipes as I’m able!). Pumpkin pie is hard to top when it comes to my all-time favorite desserts, but I think this take on a gooey pumpkin cake – with a cake batter “crust” and blended pumpkin and cream cheese filling – is a novel, fresh take on this most beloved autumnal treat.

Gooey Pumpkin Cake Squares

Cake
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. cake flour
⅛ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. milk
⅛ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
15 oz. pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
3 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
⅛ tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13” baking pan and set aside.

FOR THE CAKE: Combine sugar, flour, and salt. Add in milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing well. Place  mixture into bottom of prepared baking pan.

FOR THE FILLING: In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat to combine. Then mix in confectioners’ sugar and spices.

Pour filling over cake batter crust. Bake until top is set but center is still gooey, 40-50 minutes. Do not over bake.

Let cool 5-10 minutes before cutting cake into squares and garnishing by preference (I used whipped cream and pecans).

Dress: Loft Pleated V-Neck Dress in Bright Coral Pink
Lips: Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Sarafine
Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW® Pomade in Soft Brown