Pumpkin Crunch Cake

I know Thanksgiving is over.

I know it's time to move on to minty chocolately things. 

But just in case you're like me and you're willing to extend all things pumpkin far past their threshold of seasonal appropriateness, I come bearing a recipe. 

I give you Pumpkin Crunch Cake. 

It's freakin' delicious. 

Recipe found over at Chef Dennis.  

I made a couple minor changes from his recipe. I used pecans instead of walnuts and did 2 layers instead of 4. 


Crunch Topping

3 Cups Pecans, finely chopped
3 Cups Vanilla Wafers (about 75 cookies)
3 Cups Brown Sugar
3 Sticks Butter

1.  Melt Butter
2. In a food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb
3. Then Pulse walnuts to a fine chop
4.  Add in Brown Sugar and mix well.
5.  Add in Melted Butter and blend together.
6. Divide mixture into 2-4 Cake Coated Cake Pans, pressing into bottom and spreading it evenly into the cake pans.   Reserve about 2 cups of the mixture which will be baked to use on the sides of the cake.
7.  Set pans aside and begin cake.
8.  Pre heat Oven to 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 sticks of Softened Butter
1 16 oz can Solid Pack Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs

1.  In your mixer beat sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, scrapping down the bowl frequently .
2.  Add In Pumpkin and all the rest of the ingredients, except the eggs. Mix just until blended.
3.  Add in the Eggs, one at a time just until blended.
4. Divide batter equally into your 4 prepared cake pans, smooth it out and make it as even as possible in the pan.
5.  Place remaining crunch mixture in another cake pan or pie dish and allow to bake for the same amount of time as the cakes.
6.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25  minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   If you use 2 racks to bake on in the oven, at the halfway mark rotate the pans.
7.  Allow pans to cool about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire racks and allow to completely cool.
8. break up the extra crunch mix to very small bits to use to decorate the cake with.

While your cakes are baking prepare a Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 8 oz packs Cream cheese
16 oz  Marscapone
2 sticks Softened Butter
1 lb  Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla

Whip the cream cheese, marscapone, and butter till very smooth and creamy
Slowly add in the 10x sugar while mixer is on low setting
Add in Vanilla and mix well.  Set aside till needed.

After your cake is completely cooled (you can even refrigerate for a few hours) begin frosting the layers and putting the cake together.  After you have assembled all the layers with some frosting between them, start to spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top.  When finished frosting, coat sides and top with your extra crunch mixture