Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or non stick foil. Cut the butternut squash in half. Scoop out the seeds. Then place the squash cut side down onto the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Then scoop out a cup of the flesh and mash it. Set aside to cool.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch round or square cake pan and set aside. *For easy lifting out of the pan, line it with parchment paper and leave a bit of overhang.

Make your pecan topping first.

For this streusel like topping, mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl. Then pour over the melted butter and mix it up. Use cold, diced up butter. Add it into the mix and use two knives or your fingers to gently blend it into the mix. Little flavor balls will form and turn crunchy when baked. Lastly, mix in the chopped up nuts and set he mixture aside.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CAKE

Make your cake batter. For this butternut squash cake, use melted then slightly cooled butter or any oil of your choice (coconut, safflower, or canola works well). In a large bowl, whisk the room temperature eggs and vanilla extract with the sugars for a minute. Then add the butternut squash and greek yogurt (or sour cream). Next, add oil or butter and whisk until completely smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients that include flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Switch to a spatula to gently mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Pour the squash cake batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, checking with a toothpick for only moist crumbs. Then allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes before drizzling on the gooey sugar glaze.

GLAZE

Use a small bowl to whisk the powdered sugar until free of any lumps. Then whisk in the vanilla and sugar and mix until smooth. Then use a spoon to drizzle it all over the cake.

Serve the cake slightly warm or at room temperature.