Pumpkin Pecan Dessert

Hello all– This warm and comfy dessert has been around for a long time.  But for us, out it comes every October for Laurel’s birthday.  She loves this stuff!  So when we met up in San Francisco this weekend, we made a pan full for a little birthday celebration.  And it was just as delicious as always–  sweet spiced pumpkin, topped with buttery, nutty, crunchy “cake” and, of course, all those toasted pecans and whipped cream.  Happy Birthday Laurel!

PUMPKIN PECAN DESSERT
15 oz. canned pumpkin
12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
3 eggs
1 yellow cake mix
2 sticks of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1 pint whipping cream
2 tab. powdered sugar
1 tsp. instant vanilla pudding powder

Combine the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spice and salt.  Mix them thoroughly and pour it all into a 9″x13″ pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Sprinkle on the cake mix dry from the package.  Top that with the pecans.  Carefully drizzle the butter over it all.

Bake it up at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until it is beautifully browned on top.
While it’s baking whip together the cream, powdered sugar and pudding mix with an electric mixer and store it in the fridge until you need it.

Cut up the those lovely pumpkiny squares and serve them warm or cooled.  It just tastes like fall.