STEAMED PUMPKIN CAKE

Prep Time: 3½–4 Hours
Yields: 10 Servings

Comment:
Slow cookers are the perfect appliance for making steamed cakes. They provide a steady, even heat that allows steam to build in the crockery insert and surround the soufflé cooking dish. The result is a flavorful, moist cake and hours of spare time.

Ingredients:
1 (15-ounce) can solid-packed pumpkin
1½ cups flour
1½ tsps baking powder
1½ tsps baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
½ cup melted unsalted butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten

Method:
Grease and flour a 2½-quart soufflé dish that fits into a slow cooker then set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Mix well then set aside. In a mixing bowl fitted with a whip attachment, beat together butter, brown sugar and eggs on medium speed until creamy. Add pumpkin and beat an additional 2 minutes. Stir in flour mixture then spoon batter into prepared soufflé dish. Assemble slow cooker according to manufacturer’s directions then fill the cooking insert with 1 inch of hot water. Place soufflé dish into slow cooker, cover and cook on high 3½–4 hours or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. When done, carefully remove dish from slow cooker and cool 15–20 minutes. Invert cake onto a serving platter. Slice and serve with Chef John Folse’s Pumpkin Crème Anglaise (see recipe).