New England Pumpkin Cake

I mentioned on Monday this simple cake I baked over the weekend.  This is one of those cakes that you can whip up in a hurry, toss in the oven and go about your business.  All the while wiping the drool from your mouth as it bakes.  The smell is AH MAZING!

This recipe comes from a book we are using this year in school.  The book is "A Trip Around The World"-Bringing Cultural Awareness to Your Classroom with Activities Across the Curriculum.  Last week we were "traveling" the great US of A.  We had several recipes to choose from and you know me, I picked the recipe that mentioned pumpkin.  :)

New England Pumpkin Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground gloves
1 can of pumpkin (16 oz.)
1/4 cup water

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add eggs and stir them into the mixture.  Add water and oil.  Beat on low speed until well blended.  Add pumpkin.  Blend on low speed until smooth.  Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for one hour.

Tips, thoughts and add-ins:  starting off with a box cake mix makes this super easy!  Fifteen minutes out of the oven this is cake will make all the neighborhood kids think you are the best cook in the world.  True story---we like to share our fall goodness with neighbors.  But it is equally good the next day---really moist.  Although it calls for a 16 oz pumpkin all I could find was 15 oz.  AND I accidentally picked up pumpkin pie filling and it still came out perfect.  Now for the add-ins.......this was a good cake as is, but I know a couple of add-ins that I feel will knock it out of the ballpark!  Cinnamon chips and pecans.  I can only find cinnamon chips around during the Fall months...at least here in Texas.  I have been making pumpkin bread with cinnamon chips for years.  They just take your pumpkin bread to a whole 'nother level.  And will do the same with this cake.  Try it.  And then add pecans.  Slightly toasted.....oh I will be giving this a try very soon.

Happy Wednesday Y'all.