Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

If you follow me on Facebook you may have read about my frustrating search for pumpkin puree last week. I had been waiting for the perfect moment to make something pumpkin and that moment was last weekend. I was baking up a storm for a dessert buffet for the teachers at my daughters' school and wanted to include this pumpkin cake.

But I couldn't find any canned pumpkin. (I know I could make my own, but I'm really not into adding hours of work to an already busy baking day.)

I looked at Walmart. There was a huge space for it next to the pumpkin pie filling, but it was empty.

I looked at Savemart (a local grocery store). Same thing as Walmart, space on the shelf with no pumpkin in sight. The checker mentioned that the shipment may have gotten delayed.

After seeing my Facebook post, a friend of mine offered to look at Trader Joe's while she was shopping. No luck.

At this point I was getting nervous. Did the long winter we had mean there was a pumpkin shortage? Would I have to go without muffins and bread and pie and cheesecake? What was I to do?

I started calling other stores in the area. I was in luck! The Safeway near me had five cans of pumpkin in stock. My husband was headed that way and said he'd pick some up for me. I gave him strict instructions (real pumpkin not pie filling, check the expiration dates...) When I saw the bag sitting on the table later that day I was very excited. Pumpkin! Yippee! Then I looked inside and saw four cans of pumpkin puree, just like I'd asked for. But instead being 15 ounce cans, like I'd expected, he'd gotten me four 29 ounce cans. Four. 29 ounce cans. Um, wow. That's a lot of pumpkin. Now you know what to expect from me for the next few months.

This cake is delightful. It's pumpkin goodness all mixed up together. And it starts with a cake mix, so it's easy to make too. Oh, and it's glazed with browned butter frosting.

{Um, can we talk about browned butter frosting for a minute? So. Freakin'. Good. Have you ever had it? I hadn't until I made this batch. It's caramely, nutty, buttery sweet goodness. Go make some. Just serve it with a spoon, no cake needed.}

And if you still can't find pumpkin? Give me a holler...I think I have some to spare. (Wink, wink.)

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

Printed from www.CrazyforCrust.com

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 box of yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Supermoist Yellow Cake)

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

For the glaze:

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons milk

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.

2.       Using a hand mixer, blend all of the ingredients in a large bowl on medium speed.

3.       Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before glazing.

4.       To make the glaze: Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter has browned. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir until no lumps remain. Pour immediately over top of cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

Yield: 12-15 slices (or less if you’re like me)

This recipe may be linked with:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts. Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box). Wednesday: Cast Party Wednesday, Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks.  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home). Saturday: Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters)