Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake with Broiled Coconut Pecan Frosting

Cake:
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose cake flour
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 can (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained

Broiled Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light cream
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour a 13x9-inch baking pan.

Mix together the flour, cocoa, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until all is well blended.

Gradually beat in the almond extract, pumpkin, and crushed pineapple. (The mixture may look curdled at this point.) With a wooden spoon, gradually stir in the flour mixture to make a smooth, thick batter.

Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake until just done in the center, 40 to 45 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting: melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar and cream and stir until smooth. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Remove from heat.

Preheat the broiler.

Spread the frosting evenly over the warm cake. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat until the frosting is golden and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the cake cool to room temperature before cutting into squares.

Servings: 12
Recipe developed by Sarah Leah Chase from the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line
Source: The National Turkey Federation