Pumpkin Crunch Cake: Its the Great Pumpkin Cake, Charlie Brown

I am so excited that this cake turned out absolutely gorgeous (oh and delicious too)!! It was a huge under taking on my part. I am NOT a professional baker, nore a professional anything when it comes to the kitchen. I am just a recipe collector (and that's an understatement...check out my book of all the recipes I've cut out to make) and a recipe maker. So, when I came across this recipe on this wonderful blog More Than A Mount Full - A Culinary Journey, I just knew that I had to make it (or at least attempt to make it). And to my surprise (and my mother-in-law's too) it came out just perfect.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Its the Great Pumpkin Cake, Charlie Brown from More Than A Mount Full

Crunch Topping adapted from Good House Keeping

3 Cups Walnuts, finely chopped
3 Cups Vanilla Wafers (about 75 cookies)
3 Cups Brown Sugar
3 Sticks Butter, melted

In a food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb, then pulse walnuts finely. Add in Brown Sugar and mix well. Add in Melted Butter and blend together. Divide mixture into 4 round sprayed Cake Pans, pressing into bottom and spreading it evenly into each cake pans.  Makes about 10 cups; 2 cups for each cake pan and reserve about 2 cups of the mixture which will be baked to use on the sides of the cake. Set pans aside and begin cake.

Pre-heat Oven to 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1 1/2 sticks of Softened Butter
1 (16 oz) can Solid Pack Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tbsp Pure Vanilla
1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Large Eggs

In your mixer beat sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, scrapping down the bowl frequently. Add In Pumpkin and all the rest of the ingredients, except the eggs. Mix just until blended. Add in the Eggs, one at a time just until blended. Divide batter equally into your 4 prepared cake pans (about 1-1/2 cups per cake pan), smooth it out and make it as even as possible in the pan.  Place remaining crunch mixture in another cake pan or pie dish and allow to bake for the same amount of time as the cakes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25  minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  If you use 2 racks to bake on in the oven, at the halfway mark rotate the pans. Allow pans to cool about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire racks and allow to completely cool. Break up the extra crunch mix to very small bits to use to decorate the cake with.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 (8 oz) packs Cream Cheese
1 (16 oz)  Marscapone (or use 2 more 8oz pkg of Cream Cheese, if you wish)
2 sticks Softened Butter
1 lb  Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Pure Vanilla

Whip the cream cheese, marscapone, and butter till very smooth and creamy. Slowly add in the powdered

sugar while mixer is on low setting. Add in Vanilla and mix well.  Set aside till needed.

After your cake is completely cooled (you can even refrigerate for a few hours) begin frosting the layers and putting the cake together.  After you have assembled all the layers with some frosting between them, start to spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top.  When finished frosting, coat sides and top with your extra crunch mixture.

The cake should be allowed to chill for a few hours before cutting, it will help firm up this cake.

I LOVE Linky Parties, what a great way to mix and mingle with lots of bloggers! This recipe is linked to the following linky parties: Show & Tell Linky Party, Gold Star Wednesday, Works for me Wednesday, Creative Share Wednesday, Make it Yours Day, and Midweek Motivation