{Fall Table} Pumpkin Cakelettes

This is a treasured family recipe I learned when I married my husband. He is a dyed-in-the-wool pumpkin lover and this is the go to recipe for all holidays falling after Labor Day when everyone seems to crave that quintessential fall ingredient. Here I’ve given it the mini treatment, once again, using my mini cheesecake pans with the lift out bottoms. These work WONDERFULLY for this recipe!

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• ½ c. sugar
• ½ c. + ¼ c. butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 lb can pumpkin (2 c.)
• 1 ½ t. cinnamon
• ½ c. brown sugar
• 1 6 oz. can evaporated milk

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and taking a cup of the cake mix and setting it aside for later.

For the Crust:

Spray your pans with cooking spray and place on top of a cookie sheet to catch any drips and keep you from having to clean your oven.

Mix remaining cake mix with ½ c. softened butter and 1 egg until combined. My pans make 12 mini cakes and I wanted 24, so I divided this crust ‘dough’ in half and then divided each half amongst the 12 cups. Press down into the bottom of the cups as evenly as possible to keep pumpkin mixture from running out the bottom.

For the Pumpkin:

Combine pumpkin, 3 eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon and EVAPORATED milk until smooth and creamy. Once again, divide your mix, and then carefully spoon pumpkin mix into the 12 cups over the crust, filling almost to the top.

Crumbly Topping:

Crumb together ¼ c. butter, white sugar and reserved cake mix. Sprinkle on top of the pumpkin mixture. It will be messy. Press down a bit into the pumpkin mix. Messy, but SO worth it, just you wait!

Now that you’ve layered this yumminess together, pop into the oven for 30-35 minutes. Your cakelettes will be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean of pumpkin.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the countertop for at least an hour before attempting to remove from the pans. When they are good and cool, they come out like a dream and look like the most adorable little pumpkin goodies you’ve ever seen. Take a bite and you’ll be using this recipe all winter long. Put some on a plate and send them to the new Mommy in your neighborhood or your husband’s co workers. They’ll thank you.