Pecan-Crusted Pumpkin Squares

By bakers_delight85

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans (no need to toast)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. table salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (not seasoned pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 cup canola or corn oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter - be generous of the nuts won't stick - the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish (I use Pyrex). Add the nuts and tilt the pan to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Carefully spill out and save the excess nuts for the top.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Whisk until well blended. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. (You can prepare the dry ingredients and wet ingredients up to 1 day ahead. Cover the dry ingredients and keep at room temperature, and cover the wet ingredients and keep in the fridge.) Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently stir just until blended.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Scatter the reserved nuts evenly over the batter. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into 2-inch squares.
Storage: Wrap the uncut, cooled square in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.