Pumpkin Flan Cake With Maple Brown Butter Glaze

To make the cake layer:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

Beat sugar, oil, and eggs on medium-high in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Add half of the half & half. Blend. Continue adding another 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Add the remaining half & half. Beat in the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add the pumpkin puree, beating until well blended.

Generously coat a 10-inch bundt pan with softened butter. Coat with flour. Shake off excess. Pour cake batter into the pan. Set aside.

To make the flan:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, beating until well blended. Add sweetened condensed milk, half and half, and vanilla, beating for 1 minute. Pour over the cake layer. Cover tightly with a greased aluminum foil.

Place the bundt cake pan in a larger pan. Place into oven. Pour enough water into the larger pan to fill the bundt cake pan halfway up. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few dry crumbs attached.

Cool on a rack for 1 hour. Invert bundt pan onto a cake platter. Unmold by giving it one vertical shake to loosen the cake. Remove the bundt pan. Chill the cake.

To make the glaze:

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Allow butter to become bubbly then foamy and develop a nutty smell, in about 3-4 minutes. Stir gently and watch the butter carefully once it begins to foam as it could burn quickly. Check for milk solids that deposit at the bottom of the pan. Once the milk solids turn golden brown, remove from heat. The butter will darken as it sits.

Pour brown butter into a small mixing bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, beat in powdered sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Chill for about 15 minutes before glazing the cake if the glaze seems too thin.

To make the salted pecans:

Melt butter in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add pecans. Cook, stirring frequently until pecans become fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add salt. Transfer to a plate. Allow to cool.

To finish the cake, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with salted pecans. Keep refrigerated.