Pumpkin Pie Cake

First off, I realize that it's not pumpkin season.  However, my husband brought a piece of this cake home after having lunch with a colleague, and it was delicious.  I had to have the recipe.  And now I have to share it.  Yes, it's practically summer, but I don't care because this dessert is delicious anyway.  When you're making it, you might think, "Wow, this is going to be super unhealthy.  I hope it's worth it!"  Trust me--it is.  My husband and I have found that it's best served chilled with whipped cream on top.

Image Source

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Crust:
1 package yellow cake mix, unprepared (minus 1 cup that you'll reserve for the topping in step #1)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
Filling:
1 29-oz. can of pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups (or 12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:
1 cup reserved yellow cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

1. Take 1 cup of the cake mix and set it aside in a small bowl for later use.  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 cake pan.
3. Make crust by combining the rest of the yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1 egg.  When all ingredients are well mixed, press into a greased 9x13 cake pan.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, sugar, and eggs.  Beat slightly.  Add salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla and mix well.  Pour filling evenly over crust.  At this point you may be starting to wonder if it's all going to fit in the pan.  Trust me, it will.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the reserved cake mix, sugar, cinnamon.  Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly.  Here is where it comes in handy to have a pastry cutter.  I don't, so I put the ingredients in my kitchenaid mixer and used the whisk attachment until it formed nice crumbs.  When all else fails, use a couple of forks.  Sprinkle topping evenly across pumpkin mixture.
6. The pan will be very full by this point, so carefully put the pan in the oven and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean from the center.  If you're afraid it will overflow, DO NOT put a cookie sheet underneath to catch the mess.  It will NOT overflow, and the cookie sheet will just prevent it from cooking in the center.  The first time I made it, I didn't cook it long enough, and it turned out too mushy for my taste.  If it's taking a while, just be patient.  It's worth the wait.
7. Chill in the refrigerator and serve topped with whipped cream.
8. Savor the pumpkin taste--even if it's summer!