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Buckle Up - It's Better Than Pumpkin Pie

My mother made her own recipe binder from supplies gathered in my parents’ first printing office. I occasionally steep a pot of tea, curl up with her old binder, and reminisce. Not long ago, as I perused the binder, a little scrap of paper fell to the floor. The recipe for Magic Pumpkin Buckle was scribbled on the note. 

I began researching dessert buckles. Apparently, a buckle is, traditionally, a simple, streusel-topped cake with fruit, often berries, sprinkled throughout. After making this pumpkin buckle, a few times, I believe it is called a buckle because the biscuit portion of the dessert buckles up as it cooks, rising through the pumpkin mixture, creating a topping reminiscent of the way the earth’s surface formed. The first time I made this recipe, I panicked. It looked as if it was going to overflow. This is why the nine-by-thirteen-inch pan needs to be at least two inches deep.

I dared to serve my mom’s Magic Pumpkin Buckle at a little pre-Christmas gathering. Both my brother and my son-in-law proclaimed it to be better than pumpkin pie. This dessert serves 12 people easily, and leftovers freeze.

The original recipe actually called for more sugar. We like it this way. I encourage you to try this recipe and leave a comment. Once this dish goes in the oven, you will have an hour of excitement! Buckle up.

Magic Pumpkin Buckle

Preheat oven to 350°F

Step One:

Pour ½ cup of melted butter into a 13”x 9”x 2” baking dish.

Step Two:

In a mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients and pour into the prepared pan.

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ of a cup of sugar

4 teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Step Three:

In a kitchen machine, beat the following ingredients and pour the mixture over the base.

3 cups cooked or canned pumpkin

1 cup of evaporated milk

2 eggs

¾ of a cup of sugar

½ cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of flour

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

½ a teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon each of ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg

Step Four: 

The plate above contains measured butter and sugar.

Dot the top with 1 tablespoon of butter, cut into pieces

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the surface

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes in a preheated oven.

Bake until a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Serves 12