FROSTED PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD FLAN CAKE

Frosted Pumpkin Gingerbread Flan Cake image

This is a delicious & moist pumpkin & gingerbread cake. It was previously published by a company under another name. I tweaked it just a bit to make it a terrific Thanksgiving recipe, to substitute for traditional pumpkin pie. It is beautiful and delicious! Serves 12 - 16 people, depending on how you slice it ... so it goes a long way!

Provided by Terrie Hoelscher @Blessed1

Categories Cakes

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 box(es) [14-oz.] gingerbread cake mix, prepared according to package directions
- [use a spice cake mix, if gingerbread mix isn't available]
1 small pkg instant butterscotch pudding mix
3/4 cup(s) cold milk
1 can(s) [15 oz.] solid pack pumpkin
12 ounce(s) cool whip - divided usage
1/2 cup(s) pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon(s) cinnamon

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray two flan pans evenly with PAM or Baker's Joy. NOTE, if you don't have non-stick flan pans - For a little extra insurance that the cakes turn out of the pans smoothly after baking, do this: spray the pans w/ PAM, then cut out circles of parchment paper or waxed paper, the size of the inner flan. Spray the top of the parchment paper after anchoring it in the flan. This center section is your thinnest part of the finished cake, so this is just extra insurance that it won't stick and fall apart when you release it from the pan later on.
Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
Divide batter evenly between the two prepared flans. Bake for approx. 20 minutes, or when toothpick inserted in thickest part comes out clean.
After about 5 minutes, to allow sugars to harden a bit and cake to pull away from the pans, flip cakes over onto desired platters. Allow them to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk pudding into cold milk until it is well and thoroughly mixed. Whisk in canned pumpkin until smooth.
Using a rubber spatula, GENTLY fold 3 cups of the cool whip into pudding/pumpkin mixture. Incorporate them together well.
Dividing the mixture equally, spread evenly into the wells of the two flans.
Chop the pecans, and sprinkle over the top of the pudding/pumpkin/cool whip mixture.
Garnish the tops of the cakes with the remainder of the cool whip.
Mix together the cinnamon and freshly-ground nutmeg, and sprinkle evenly over the tops of the cakes.
Store unused portion in refrigerator. Will not last much more than a day, so eat it up! Yummmmm!