When dinner isn't quite enough

A few weeks ago, my anchor committee came to my house for dinner and a meeting. By the time I knew for sure how many people were coming, it was too late to make more lasagna. So I improvised a dessert that would also be a little filling and a little nutritious.

Pumpkin cake, with canned peaches and whipped cream.

Because we happened to have left-over pumpkin puree, a jar of peach halves canned in white grape juice, and some heavy cream that I had meant to use for something else but then didn't.

Yum. Chris M. took a picture of his dish for me.
















Here is the recipe for the cake.


1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
½ cup pumpkin puree (if you only have canned pumpkin pie mix, use half the following spices)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspooon ground cloves

Heat oven to 350°. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in ungreased square pan, 8x8x2”. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake until wooden pick in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

Very attentive readers may notice that this is very similar to my recipe for vegan chocolate cake. In fact, it's based on one of the variations listed in my Betty Crocker cookbook. You can alter the flavorings many ways, and it still mixes, cooks and serves neatly in the same pan.