Sticky Top Pumpkin Cake with Brown Sugar Sauce

Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground coves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1 cup whipping cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Grease paper.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves until combined.

In large bowl, beat melted butter, sugar and pumpkin at medium speed until blended. Beat in eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. At low speed, beat in flour mixture until blended. Pour batter into pan, smooth top with spatula.

Bake 30 minutes or until top feels firm. (Cake will be partially baked.)

Meanwhile, place 6 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup cream in medium pan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to medium-high, boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Remove cake from oven. Carefully pour 1/2 cup of the sauce over top of cake. Reserve remaining sauce. return cake to oven. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Bake 35 minutes or until sauce is bubbling gently and an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes.

Run knife around edges to loosen. Invert onto serving platter.

Remove parchment. Turn top side up. Serve warm , in 1/4-inch slices, with sauce spooned over and drizzled with unwhipped cream.