Pumpkin Caramel Pound Cake

I really shouldn't be sitting here putting this recipe up on the blog. I have a bunch of other things to do and have been falling asleep since about the time Big Chubb got home from school. Tomorrow is our ward's Trunk-or-Treat/Chili Cook-off/YW Bake Sale Fundraiser thingy. I still have windows to paint on Little Chubb's costume, stems/leaves to iron on Baby Chubb's costume, do something if I am going to have a costume. Plus, the house is a total wreck. Dinner happened later than usual (I blame it on the fact that Big Chubb made it). Baths happened earlier because two kids were very cranky. Dishes need to be washed. Toys need to be picked up or else I might kill myself when I get up with Baby Chubb in the middle of the night. Big Chubb is away working on installing windows in the house.

But, this recipe  is worth the break from getting things orderly and finished and settled for the night.

•  Pillsbury® Baking Spray with Flour
• 2/3 cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
• OR 2/3 stick Crisco® Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup Smucker's® Hot Caramel Flavored Topping
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 5 large eggs
• 3 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• GLAZE
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons Smucker's® Hot Caramel Flavored Topping
• 4 teaspoons water
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
•  Whipped cream (optional)

1. 1.
   HEAT oven to 350°F. Coat 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup fluted tube pan generously with flour no-stick cooking spray.


2. 2.
   BEAT shortening, butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in 3/4 cup caramel topping and pumpkin. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.


3. 3.
   COMBINE flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in medium bowl. Add to pumpkin mixture; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top (pan will be full).


4. 4.
   BAKE 70 to 80 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely.


5. 5.
   WHISK together powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons caramel topping and water in medium bowl. Add more water if needed to make thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over top of cooled cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
6. This recipe is delicious!! I became a lover of pound cake on my mission, and this is an awesome addition to good pound cake recipes I have found over time. This is actually the second time I have made it. The first time it disappeared so fast I couldn't get a picture of it. Little Chubb kept helping himself to it. And, I didn't even put the glaze on then. This time I made it to donate to the YW bake sale and included the glaze. Boy oh boy is it good!!!
7. My bundt pan is currently living in our garage 13 miles away from here, so I used two loaf pans. They worked great, and made it so that we can have half the recipe while someone else enjoys the other half. I didn't include the nutrition facts. Don't even bother with them, but DO bother with a big fat slice of this cake with a tall cold glass of milk.