Mantra: Sometimes the best-laid plans … suck.
Exposition: I’ve been looking forward to making this variation on pumpkin pie ever since the cookbook arrived in the mail, but I’ve got to say that there was a certain level of disappointment when I pulled my own attempt from the oven and couldn’t help but notice that it, well, didn’t look quite like the picture. It’s hard to tell with the photo above, especially also lacking the original cookbook photo for comparison, but just follow me that the streusel on top was intended to look a lot more crumbly and a lot less, how do I say … poop-like.
Groans…: I know, I know…
For What It’s Worth…: The flavor behind this pie is still present and actually quite nice – the ginger definitely gives it a bit of a kick, and the streusel even still tastes pretty good … unfortunately it’s appearance just leaves something to be desired.  If I made it again I’d probably add in some extra cookies to the streusel recipe – I think making it just a little drier would’ve made a big difference.
The Recipe: Unfortunately I can’t link to the actual recipe because Pillsbury doesn’t seem to have this one online, however you can find it in the November 2009 / Thanksgiving edition of their cookbook series.  Alternatively, although you didn’t hear it from me, if you try Googling the title of this post, there might be a couple of other blogs at the top of the search results that have posted this same recipe unofficially…  *wink wink *

Preface: With advance apologies to my local Publix Bakery, as I think I may not have exactly the correct name for this delicious, albeit extremely rich treat…
Inspiration: Sometimes great pumpkin treats appear when you least expect them, such as in this case, where a simple trip to the store for baking supplies also turned up a great option for dessert as well!
The Breakdown: The cake – incredibly moist, no doubt thanks partially to the cream, and also bearing a very sweet pumpkin flavor … this is what so many pumpkin desserts that I sample should taste like, but often times fall short of the mark.  The frosting – a sort of cream cheese blend, was incredibly sweet – pretty much what you would expect (and enjoy!) on a carrot cake, and I’ve got to say that the combination works equally well with pumpkin, too.  The crumble topping – this was a bit of a mystery to me because the rest of the cake and frosting was so overwhelming that I honestly didn’t really pay much attention to it, but I’m pretty sure even just by looking back at its appearance that it had some flavor to it also.
Recommend?: Definitely – this one probably takes the cake so far as the best pumpkin dessert that I’ve tasted this year!   I should probably also note that I did circle back later on in the week to see if I could jot down the name for this post and they didn’t have any out at the time, so I’m not sure how often even during the holiday season they have this little treat available … needless to say, if you find yourself passing by the bakery case and notice some on display, you’re most certainly going to want to pick up a slice or three for dessert that night while you can.