2 Ingredient Cake: Pumpkin!

When I was pregnant with my first baby I craved canned pumpkin. The only way I had ever had canned pumpkin prior to pregnancy was as an ingredient in pumpkin pie. I had never tasted plain canned pumpkin...but I had to have it.

I ate it plain, mixed it with yogurt, added it to my oatmeal. I had hoped that because she was fed so much pumpkin while in my belly that The Princess would be a big fan. And she is! She loves it. Of course you have to mix it with a box of chocolate cake mix first...

A can of pumpkin (plain, not the pumpkin pie filling) mixed with a box of devils food cake mix produces a fudgey chewy dense cake. I don't know how else to describe it. I generally make the recipe in mini cupcake form because children really seem to enjoy them and they are pretty rich. I had first found the recipe for the Yum Yum Brownie Muffins recipe on the Hungry Girls website. Since then there have been further cake combination recommendations including spice cake mix. The first time I made the Yum Yum Brownie Muffins, I had thought that spice cake would probably work very well, so today we are going to try it out.

The ingredients are simple:
I box spice cake mix
1 can 100% pure pumpkin

Mix ingredients until well combined and smooth. The batter is very thick and sticky.

Once you spoon into greased cake pans you will need to spread out with a spatula. Bake according to cake mix instructions. I made 6 cupcakes and an 8" cake. The tops of the cupcakes will seem hard before the inside is cooked through. You will definitely need to do the toothpick test on these treats.

As with all spice cakes the kitchen smelled wonderful while they are baking. Just so warm and comforting. Not really appropriate for 93 degree weather...whatever.

The pumpkin flavor really comes through in these cakes. Actually, they tastes like a pumpkin roll cake I've had in the past. (With the pumpkin/devils food combination, there isn't a pumpkin cake flavor.). Very good texture and good moisture level. Husband said wayyyy better than normal boxed spice cake. The Princess said it tasted punkiny and continued to shovel it into her mouth. I feel much better about adding a can of pumpkin instead of oil and eggs...

It's basically health food.

Right?

Bryn