Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cake

*Use your favorite sweetener to replace the sugar, and wheat flour with almond flour to make it low carb. 

Ingredients

• 8 tbsps unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• 1 14 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 12 tsp salt
• 1 34 cups all-purpose flour
• 13 cup milk
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mist an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line with parchment.
2. 2. Whisk together butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Stir in baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir in 1/2 of flour, then milk, then remaining flour, stirring until just combined (do not overmix). Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
3. 3. Scrape batter into pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then invert onto rack. Immediately turn right side up onto another rack to cool completely. Cut into 9 squares and serve.

FRUGAL TIP: Cut the cell phone.  20 years ago, most people didn’t have cell phones. And miraculously, they survived. A cell phone is not a necessity. It’s a convenience. When people needed to make a call, 20 years ago, they either waited until they got to a destination or pulled over and used a pay phone or a phone in a business establishment.