If you’re looking for a fall flavored dessert that tastes cozy and warm but doesn’t make you feel like you’ve just eaten a feast, this here is your dessert.

This is a cake that tastes like being curled up by a fire but won’t weigh you down. It’s light and fluffy, and actually tastes best cold, which is perfect for the beginning days of the season, when the temperature can vary by 20 degrees from morning to afternoon.

That autumn weather where you’re really not sure if you should wear shorts or a jacket – and sometimes you end up wearing both in the same day!

You may not know what to wear, but this is what you’ll be eating all season long.

I was introduced to this dessert by one of my best-friends years ago when I was pregnant with our middle son. As hard to believe as it may be now, I actually turned down this cake the first several times she offered it to me due to morning sickness.

There finally came a time when I tried it and learned what I had been missing.

One of the best things about this cake is that it can serve quite the crowd. You can get anywhere from 12 very generous servings, to 24 moderate servings with this cake.

If you have a fall potluck, party or holiday coming up that needs a cake that will stretch, this one is a winner.

Although I could clearly continue taking about this for a good while longer, as is the case with most baked goods, I will leave you to it.

INGREDIENTS

1 box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

¢ C. vegetable oil

¢ C. milk

3.4 oz. box, vanilla pudding mix

¢ C. sour cream

15 oz. can pumpkin

8 Tbsp. butter

§ C. light brown sugar, packed

¢ tsp. ground cinnamon

§ C. powdered sugar

¢ C. heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a half-sheet pan with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream and pumpkin into a the bowl of a stand mixer, and start beating until well combined. This can also be done with a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl!

3. Pour into prepared sheet pan, and spread mixture evenly to the corners.

4. Place butter into a microwaveable bowl and melt, for approximately 30 seconds.

5. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to butter, whisk until smooth.

6. Drizzle mixture evenly over cake then take a knife and swirl it through the batter.

7. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed without batter sticking to it.

8. Place powdered sugar and heavy cream into a large bowl, mixing until smooth.

9. Drizzle over warm cake, then let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Cake should be refrigerated if not serving same day. Enjoy!

Katy Wise is a Fredonia resident.