Just Baking

I love my neighborhood grocery store.  Billed “The Friendliest Store in Town” (this is actually printed on their paper bags), it is a self-prescribed yet well-deserved distinction.  This is a store where the clerks will open up ANY product in the store for you to taste, should you have any hesitation about buying it.  You know, if you’re afraid to take a chance on those Cougar Mountain Pumpkin Cookies (they’re good, by the way) and need to know FOR SURE if they’re good before plunking down $2.50 for a box.  EVERYONE who works there is so damn nice – and not in a superficial, pasted-on-smile-works-at-The Gap sort of way.  (Yes, I do have friends, but I see these people more regularly than any of my actual friends, so forgive me if I seem a little over-invested…)

So, anyway, I was up there this morning and noticed that their in-house bakery had a new item:  Pumpkin Upside Down Cake with Cranberry Pecan Topping – being sold by the (very large) piece.  It was being featuring in tandem with a great -looking book (the store stocks a great selection of cookbooks) called “A Passion for Desserts” by Emily Luchetti.  I’ve certainly seen Luchetti’s books, but never used her recipes.  Until today, that is.

Being that a) I am a fool for all things pumpkin and b) I have been assigned to bring a dessert to my family’s Thanksgiving meal this year, I decided I should do a little pre-research.  So, instead of buying a piece, I got all d.i.y. and I whipped up a batch at home.  But whether or not this becomes the chosen cake for next Thursday, the recipe is, indubitably, a winner.  The picture pretty much speaks for itself:  rich and full-bodied, sweet, moist (REALLY moist) and chock-full o’ pumpkin and caramel flavor.  I don’t know what else to tell you.

Note:  I know that Thanksgiving is a time to indulge and throw caution to the wind, but I’m willing to bet that the cake wouldn’t suffer too much if I were to somewhat reduce the (ridiculous) amount of butter and oil, replacing it with extra pumpkin and maybe some applesauce. It would still be moist and (even more)
pumpkin-y.

Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake
with Cranberry Pecan Topping

From “A Passion For Desserts” by Emily Luchetti, copyright 2003     

Makes 8 to 10 servings

8 ounces (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups cranberries
4 ounces (1 cup) coarsely chopped pecans, toasted (see page 26 of book)
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar and whisk until smooth.  Pour the brown sugar mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the cranberries and pecans.  Place them in the pan over the brown sugar mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, and oil.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.  Carefully spread the batter over the cranberry pecan topping.

Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Place a large plate or platter on top of the cake.  Invert the cake and plate together, then remove the pan.  Carefully peel off the parchment paper.

Let cool completely before serving.  Serve with Chantilly Cream (or just good old fresh whipped cream).

The cake can be made a day in advance; wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.