Pumpkin Ooey Gooey Butter Cake (Paula Deen)

This is, to me, better than pumpkin pie! I remember the first time I made this. I had gotten it from a recipe board that I haunted and did not know it was a Paula Deen recipe. I made it for Thanksgiving 2003. We were having dinner at my daughter's which turned out to be my mother's last Thanksgiving. :( We all loved this dessert! It is easy to make and it goes donw very well! lol! :)

Pumpkin Oooey Gooey Butter Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix (I have used French vanilla cake and it works well also)
  
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened ( I use light cream cheese)
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 t mace (this is my addition - my mother in law always added 1/4 t mace to her pumpkin pies and taught me this trick YEARS ago so I carried it over to almost anything pumpkin!)
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.