So we get a pumpkin  challenge this year, which is Ironic, I’ve been making my friends jealous on Facebook by publishing pictures of my sugar pumpkin baking endeavors. Every year I wait for sugar pumpkin season, because they are the most amazing tasting gourds.

Long ago, when we had no money, I taught myself to cook everything I could from scratch.  It was the 1980’s but I became a whole food freak, I did not believe in processed foods anymore, we had a baby in 1986, and I just really did not want him poisoned by processed foods.  I began my cooking education, on my own, as I never took Home Economic in High School, it wasn’t offered at my boarding school, and at home we had a cook, so I never really went into the kitchen to do anything, unless I was eating something Anisha made us, she really was a great cook. Of course when I got married, we did not have a cook or anyone to clean my kitchen or my house, or anything, I had to do it all with the help of my husband, who did pull his own weight. But I wasn’t much of a cook and it was something I really wanted to learn to do. So I began by reading the cook books we got when we were married as a past time.  I had two cook books when I got married, one was the Joy of Cooking, we got that for our wedding and the other was the Good  Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook. I just knew it was one of the skills I really needed to improve, improve, hahaha, that isn’t true, I needed to have some of the  skills just so I could give my little growing family great nutrition. I dove in fully. Every fall, during pumpkin season, as I break purchase sugar pumpkins, I relive that time in our lives.

That is us, me with our first born in 1986, and all of us, in 1991. Ahh pumpkins, you make me think of all of this, when I was learning to be a mom, and a wife, worried about the health of my little family.  These are the memories that flood me when I start my holiday cooking. All our babies are fully-grown, they are 19, 20 and 24, they are healthy and good people, everything I ever wanted them to be, and I fully recognize they raised us well, and we were lucky enough to pay attention while they raised us to be the parents we became. Ahh, we were so young.

I began my own pumpkin challenge almost a week ago by making pumpkin whoopee pies to a pecan pumpkin torte and finally later today, pumpkin meringue cookies.

Anyway, the first thing to do is to purchase a sugar pumpkin. There is no better tasting, sweeter gourd than the sugar pumpkin.  Sugar pumpkins are small compared to the regular pumpkins you purchase for carving pumpkins. This year I bought three, one for the whoopee  pies and  two for the Pecan Pumpkin Torte.

Bake them at 400 Degrees for 40 minutes.

It is very easy to peel the pumpkin and clean it out once the pumpkin after baking.

This is prep, although all the recipes call for canned pumpkin, I truly believe it tastes better with fresh sugar pumpkin.

Do not forget you can strain the pumpkin, it isn’t mandatory to do this, but I find you get a smoother batter if you do.

Ingredients

• 3 cups pumpkin
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture until blended. Stir in chopped pecans.
• Pour into three greased 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Let the cakes cook completely of course before frosting them.

 FROSTING:

·  2/3 cup whipped cream cheese

·  3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

·  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·  3 to 4 teaspoons 2% milk

·  Pecan halves, optional

And your Pecan Pumpkin Torte is done, and ready to be served.