Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

I don't know if you've ever had Gooey Butter Cake. Paula Deen has a recipe for it, and it's good, but the recipe I use came from a friend of mine. It was written by her husband's very German Grandma. It's delicious. It's practically sinful. You eat a small portion and feel like you need to run to church and confess.

This recipe is a version of that, plus pumpkin. It is the end-all of pumpkin desserts. You can quote me on that.

I will post the original recipe in it's unchanged form at some point in the future, but since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, uh, tomorrow? I'll post this one today!

You start with the bottom crust.

It's a box of yellow cake mix, seriously. You add to it one stick of butter and 2 eggs. Mix this and press into a greased 9x13 dish. You could also flour the dish, it would make a fabulous crust. I normally do, but forgot here.

Forgive me.

Press it down and up the edges if you want. The original recipe has to have it up the sides to protect the gooey center, but the center on this isn't quite as gooey, so you could leave it flat and be just a layered bar.

Confusing?

Next, mix your cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.

Add your butter, eggs, egg whites and vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until combined.

I must apologize for the lighting here. It was late.

Add the confectioner's sugar, mix well. Pour over crust.

Easy recipe! You can see some of my cream cheese didn't mix very well. It sure didn't bother me when I was eating it, though.

Ooh, 45 minutes later. We are happy in my house. The center may be soft, but not overly jiggly. Use a knife to test doneness, not a toothpick.

Sprinkle an additional 3 or 4 Tablespoons of confectioner's sugar over the cooked final product.

You should really let it cool before you serve. Maybe even refridgerate it. The cream cheese needs to set up a bit.

But I can never wait that long. I let it come to room temperature and that was it.

It is a little better the next day, though. So, make it today in preparation for Thanksgiving. It'll save you a step tomorrow.

The Recipe: (adapted from Taste of Home recipe)

Base-

1 package (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margerine, melted

Mix up and press into greased and floured 9x13 pan

Filling-

1 package (8oz) cream cheese

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (up to 1 teaspoon if you like heavy nutmeg)

Additional 3-4 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar for dusting after baking.

Beat cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth, add butter, eggs, egg whites, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat on low until combined, add confectioner's sugar and mix well. Pour over curst.

Bake at 350 for 45 - 50 min or until edges are golden. Sprinkle with additional confectioner's sugar and cool before serving.

Refridgerate leftovers.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I'm opening the Christmas Baking Giveaway on Monday morning!! Don't forget to stop by and enter!

What does your Thanksgiving menu look like?