Perfect Pair: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

The cake was supposedly first made by accident in the 1930s by a St. Louis-area German American baker who was trying to make regular cake batter but reversed the proportions of sugar and flour.  This cake is available at most area bakeries and grocery stores in St. Louis. If you haven’t had it before, you are in for a treat. Neal Wavra, the sommelier of the Ashby Inn in Paris, Virginia, helped us select the pairing.

Pairing:

Linden Vineyards, “Late Harvest”, Petit Manseng, Fauquier County, VA, 2007

Saving the best for last is cliché, but Jim Law and Linden Vineyards have blazed a trail for so many other producers in Virginia.  Setting this fact aside, the wines he makes unto themselves are of the highest quality made in Virginia.  With his Petit Manseng, a beautiful sweet wine produced from a grape that hails from Jurancon in France, he offers a sweet custard, macerated apricot, and honeyed profile that will complement the pumpkin butter cake.

Thanksgiving Appetizer and Dessert Class at Arlington Adult Education

1 box yellow cake mix

1 egg

1/2 cup butter, melted

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (room temperature)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

16 ounces powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 of one 15 oz can of pumpkin

1 T pumpkin spice

Whipped Cream

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray on all sides of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs, vanilla pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Slowly pour in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.  

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely. Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar and pumpkin spice. Place a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top or serve alone.

This is also a perfect dessert for Thanksgiving if you're tired of the traditional pumpkin pie!