Pumpkin bundt cake with caramel: Your go‑to fall dessert

To simplify your work in the kitchen, it's best to stock up on pumpkin puree in the fall. Roasted pumpkin must be blended into a smooth puree and transferred to jars. This ready-made, homemade ingredient is easiest to mix the other wet and dry ingredients. It's worth taking care of the right topping to enhance the flavour. My recipe includes a caramel topping.

To prepare a caramel topping, you only need a few basic ingredients. All of them are easily available, and you probably already have them in your kitchen. This way, you don't have to run around the store searching for rare products. Here's the list of necessary ingredients: 200 grams of sugar, 100 grams of butter, 200 millilitres of 30% cream. Making the caramel topping is relatively simple but requires precision and attention. It is important not to neglect any step, as it may affect the final taste and consistency of the topping. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

1. Pour the sugar into a large saucepan and heat it until it melts. Do not stir it with a spoon; gently shake the saucepan to dissolve the sugar evenly.
2. Add the butter cut into pieces when the sugar starts to take on a golden-brown colour. Stir the mixture vigorously until the butter is completely melted and combined with the sugar, forming caramel. This step is very important because the butter gives the caramel the right consistency and flavour.
3. Gradually add the cream, stirring constantly to ensure smooth and lump-free mixture. Be careful, as the mixture will foam and rise. After adding all the cream, continue stirring until the topping reaches a uniform and creamy consistency. Finally, add a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly to achieve a salted caramel topping.

The cake looks impressive when baked in a bundt pan, but it will also turn out well in a round cake pan. If you don't have ready-made puree, you need to peel the pumpkin, cut it into pieces, bake it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 177°C, and then blend it into a smooth puree.

Ingredients:

• 300 grams of pumpkin puree
• 200 grams of all-purpose flour
• 150 grams of sugar
• 100 grams of butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, continuing to mix at low speed so the mixture does not curdle.
2. Add the prepared pumpkin puree and dry ingredients to the creamed butter – flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Mix everything thoroughly to obtain a uniform consistency.
4. Then, pour the batter into a pan greased with butter and sprinkled with breadcrumbs.
5. Bake in an oven preheated to 177°C for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
6. After cooling, drizzle with the prepared caramel topping.