Steamed Holiday Pumpkin Cake

1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups flour (all-purpose)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt baking soda
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
3 “beaten” eggs
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups “packed” light brown sugar
1 can “solid-packed” pumpkin (15 ounce can; not pumpkin pie filing)
Heavy duty-foil

Start by setting up a Crock-Pot or slow cooker. Make 3 or 4 strips (18 x 2 inch) of foil. Place the strips on the bottom of the Crock-Pot (crisscross them or form spokes). Grease a 2 ½ quart soufflé or casserole dish that will fit in the Crock-Pot and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the baking soda, flour, baking powder, cloves, salt, and cinnamon; set this bowl aside, too.

Place the butter in the blender and beat. Now, add the eggs and sugar and mix at medium speed until the ingredients are creamy. Add the pumpkin and continue to blend a little more. The flour mixture should be stirred in before spooning it into the greased dish.

Add approximately 1 inch of hot water to the Crock-Pot before placing the dish in the Crock-Pot. Cover the Crock-Pot and set the temperature to high.

Baking time is 3 to 3 ½ hours or until a wooden toothpick can be inserted in the middle and removed clean. Be careful when removing the hot dish from the Crock-Pot. Allow the dish to sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Finally, invert the dish onto a serving platter; cut, and serve.

• This dish is perfect when served with homemade whipped cream.