By Sohla El-Waylly, The New York Times
My first year creating recipes for Thanksgiving season, I was practically giddy at the thought of coming up with dishes that would be shared at countless tables. (And yes, it’s a season, especially if, like me, you’ve spent years at food magazines and test kitchens, where holiday planning starts while it’s still beach weather.)
“You’ll get over it,” said my then-supervisor, a Thanksgiving veteran.
In the years since, I’ve roasted whole turkeys in forests of herbs, spatchcocked turkeys blasted with high heat until their skin crackles, and broken down birds to sear and baste with butter until every part is the ideal temperature. And my supervisor was right. I got over it.
In that era of endless turkey testing, when the holiday finally rolled around, I began branching out for my own meal, making Peking duck with pancakes or prime rib with Yorkshire pudding. But the dish I returned to most was fried chicken. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, letting the dinner feel like a real celebration. But it’s also great alongside a ton of sides, so you can still get in the Thanksgiving spirit loading up the table. And, best of all, when made properly, fried chicken is something turkey can never be — undeniably juicy.
So if the thought of turkey isn’t inspiring, feel free to gather around something new. Below, you’ll find a menu for an unforgettable feast, as well as tips to make this Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) your most successful yet.
Sohla El-Waylly prepares fried chicken in New York, Sept. 17, 2024. When made properly, fried chicken is something turkey can never be — undeniably juicy. (David Malosh, The New York Times)
HOW TO FRY FEARLESSLY
Look for a high-quality refined, flavorless oil, such as peanut, safflower or grapeseed. They can be more expensive, but as long as they aren’t heated to their smoking point, they can be filtered and reserved in the fridge for future use.
Use a heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, which limits temperature fluctuations. Just make sure to leave enough room for any displacement and vigorous bubbling that will occur when you add the chicken.
Make the thermometer your friend. An inexpensive candy thermometer works well as long as you calibrate it before each use: Measure the temperature of boiling water (212 degrees). If it’s off in either direction, take that into account when testing the oil.
Ensure your tools are close before frying: that thermometer, as well as the chicken and dredging flour, a spider or tongs to remove the chicken from the oil, and a rack set into a sheet tray as a landing zone.
THE GAME PLAN
A few days ahead: Mix and proof the roll dough, salt the green beans, make the cranberry dressing and brine the chicken.
A day or two ahead, you could also (but don’t have to): Bake and glaze the cake; make the gravy, mashed potatoes and pickles; prepare the cheese sauce for the sweet potatoes; roast the sweet potatoes; form, proof and bake the rolls.
The day of: Smother and broil the sweet potatoes, assemble the salad, and dredge and fry the chicken.
Recipe: Crispy Sage Fried Chicken
Crispy sage fried chicken. This juicy, crispy, tastes-vaguely-like-Thanksgiving fried chicken is an exciting stand-in for the usual turkey. Props styled by Megan Hedgpeth. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh, The New York Times)
By Sohla El-Waylly
This juicy, crispy, vaguely-tastes-like-Thanksgiving fried chicken makes an exciting stand-in for the usual turkey. The recipe takes every step to maximize moisture and flavor, so no dry poultry arrives at your table, holiday or otherwise: Start with bone-in, skin-on chicken legs, submerge the pieces in a brine for at least 24 hours, fry low and slow to allow all the fat and connective tissue to render and finally, shower over a boxed stuffing-inspired seasoning. As an optional touch, dredge the chicken pieces in Italian 00 flour instead of all-purpose — its ultra-fine texture makes the crust simultaneously extra crispy and less greasy.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: At least 25 3/4 hours
Ingredients
For the Chicken Brine:
3 tablespoons kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal (or 1 1/2 tablespoons fine salt)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons MSG (optional)
8 whole chicken legs (or 8 drums and 8 thighs), about 6 pounds
For the Herb Seasoning:
1/4 cup dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)
For Frying and Serving:
5 to 8 cups peanut or safflower oil
5 cups all-purpose flour or Italian 00 flour (see Tip)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal (or 1 teaspoon fine salt)
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves
2 lemons
Preparation
1. Brine the chicken: In a large container with at least 6-quart capacity, combine 2 quarts water with the salt, sugar and MSG (if using), and whisk until dissolved. (Or mix the brine in a bowl and divide into two containers with at least 3-quart capacity.)
2. Divide the legs into drumsticks and thighs by slicing through the knee joint along the white fat line (unless you start with drums and thighs). Trim away any excess fat, then transfer the pieces to the brine as you work. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 36 hours.
3. Meanwhile, make the herb seasoning: In a small bowl, crumble the parsley between your fingers until fine. Combine with sage, chicken bouillon, onion powder, pepper, sugar, cayenne and MSG (if using). Set aside.
4. When ready to fry: Fill a large Dutch oven with enough oil to come halfway up the sides. Attach a clip-on thermometer and heat the oil to 325 degrees, keeping the burner at medium-high heat. Line one sheet tray with paper towels and set a wire rack in another sheet tray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Drizzle 1/4 cup of chicken brine into the flour and gently toss with your hands to prime it with little clumps that will create a craggy surface on the chicken.
5. While the oil is heating up and when it reaches 275 degrees, add the sage leaves and fry, stirring frequently until bubbling subsides, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the paper towel-lined tray.
6. Remove the chicken from the fridge. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, lift chicken from the brine and immediately place it in flour with your “wet” hand. Using your other, “dry” hand, bury the chicken and press flour into all sides, packing tightly to form large clumps of flour coating on each piece. Lift chicken out of flour and shake to remove any loose flour before placing into the hot oil. Proceed until the skillet is full of pieces closely resting together (it will take 2 to 3 batches to fry all the chicken). Fry, flipping once, until golden brown all over, 7 to 9 minutes per side. (Once the chicken is added to the oil, the temperature will drop to between 250 and 275 degrees. Do not increase the heat to compensate; allow the oil temperature to gradually return to 325 degrees as the chicken cooks. The temperature should be up to 300 degrees after 10 minutes; if not, increase the heat. Once the oil returns to 325 degrees, reduce heat to maintain that temperature. Drop heat down to low in between batches while you’re breading and adding in the next round of chicken, as an empty pot of oil will quickly climb in temperature.)
7. As each piece of chicken has turned golden brown and has an internal temperature of at least 175 degrees, remove from oil to briefly blot on the paper towel-lined sheet tray. (If the oil temperature is well managed, crust color and cook time are good indicators of doneness if you don’t have an instant-read probe thermometer.)
8. Transfer chicken to the wire rack, generously season all over with herb seasoning, then let rest for 5 minutes and up to 1 hour (room temperature fried chicken is great!). To serve, crumble over the fried sage leaves and finely grate over the zest of the lemon. Cut the lemons into wedges and tuck alongside for guests to spritz.
Tip
00 flour is a finely milled Italian flour typically used for pizza and pasta doughs. Its powdery texture makes it less absorbent than other flours, sopping up less oil during frying and keeping the crust crisp and dry. You can purchase it online or from specialty stores.
Recipe: Salted Butterflake Rolls
Salted butterflake rolls. Level up your dinner-roll game with these retro pull-apart rolls. Props styled by Megan Hedgpeth. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh, The New York Times)
By Sohla El-Waylly and Claire Saffitz
Level up your dinner roll game with these retro, buttery pull-apart rolls. The key to butterflake rolls are their unique shape, so feel free to make this using your favorite enriched bread dough recipe. The dough is rolled out, slathered with salted butter then cut into strips that are stacked before cutting again. You’re left with a little deck of dough slabs all enrobed in butter. They fan open when baked so the fluffy layers are easily pulled apart, ready for sopping up gravy or even more butter. Customize the rolls by stirring grated garlic, finely chopped herbs or spices into the salted butter.
Yield: 12 rolls
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes, plus at least 6 hours’ resting and proofing
Ingredients
For the Enriched Bread Dough:
1 cup/240 grams whole milk or buttermilk
6 tablespoons/50 grams plus 3 3/4 cups/490 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
4 large eggs, chilled
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar
10 grams kosher salt (2 3/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton)
2 teaspoons/6 grams active dry yeast
1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, chilled
For Forming and Finishing the Rolls:
6 tablespoons/84 grams salted butter, melted and cooled, for the pan and for brushing the dough, plus more butter for serving
1 large egg
Flaky salt
Preparation
1. Prepare the tangzhong (“water roux”) for the dough: Combine the milk and 6 tablespoons flour in a medium saucepan and whisk until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Continue to whisk vigorously, making sure to scrape along the bottom curve of the saucepan, until the mixture is very thick and looks like smooth mashed potatoes, about 20 seconds longer.
2. Remove saucepan from heat and scrape the tangzhong into the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover the bowl and let the tangzhong sit until it’s room temperature, about the better part of an hour. (A cool tangzhong is crucial to ensuring proper dough development; you can speed it along by chilling the bowl and occasionally uncovering it to stir the tangzhong.)
3. Prepare the dough: To the bowl of the stand mixer, add 4 eggs, then add the oil, sugar, salt, yeast and remaining 3 3/4 cups/490 grams flour. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and mix on low speed until the ingredients come together as a coarsely textured dough, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a bowl scraper or flexible spatula, then mix on medium-low, scraping down the sides once or twice more, until dough is smooth, firm and very elastic, 12 to 15 minutes. It will have gathered around the hook but still cling to the sides and bottom of the bowl, and have a mostly tacky, not sticky, texture.
4. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half of the chilled butter pieces and mix on low speed until the butter pieces have incorporated into the dough, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides again, and add the remaining butter. Mix on low until all the butter is completely incorporated. The dough should no longer stick to the sides of the bowl and will have a very smooth, supple appearance. Increase the speed to medium-low and continue to mix until the dough is extremely elastic, another 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Test the dough: To see if the dough has built sufficient strength and elasticity — which it will need to expand to its maximum volume in the oven — stop the mixer and raise the hook. The weight of the dough will slowly pull it downward off the hook. (A strong dough will stretch the distance to the bottom of the bowl, rather than tear.) You can also do a windowpane test: Pinch off a golf ball-size piece of dough, and use your thumbs to flatten it and work the dough outward into a thin layer. Slowly stretch the dough until it forms a thin membrane through which light can pass. If it tears before that point, or as it falls from the hook, continue to mix on medium-low and repeat the test every 5 minutes.
6. Let the dough rise: Scrape the dough onto a work surface. (If the dough is a bit sticky, dust it very lightly with flour.) Fold it in half several times to create a smooth, taut surface, then place back inside the stand mixer bowl, smooth-side up. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 24.
7. Form the rolls: Brush a standard muffin tin with some melted salted butter (the top and the cups); set aside. Divide the chilled dough into two equal halves (about 550 grams each). Lightly dust a work surface with flour, then, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one portion of dough into a 1/4-inch-thick square about 11 inches wide. Brush generously with the melted butter.
8. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough lengthwise into 6 even strips. Stack the strips, then cut crosswise into 6 portions (each portion will look like a square biscuit). Place each portion into a buttered muffin cup, cut side up, then repeat with the remaining dough.
9. Use your fingers to lightly splatter some water across the rolls and loosely cover with plastic. Let rise at room temperature until very puffy and nearly doubled in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
10. Meanwhile, set the rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, make an egg wash by thoroughly whisking the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Evenly brush the buns with the egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake the rolls until browned, 18 to 22 minutes. While hot, brush with remaining melted butter. Serve with additional salted butter and salt.
Tip
The rolls, stored airtight, will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days, or can be frozen up to 1 month. Thaw, if necessary, then toast lightly to revive.
Recipe: Quick Dill Pickles
Quick dill pickles. Relative to salt brine pickles, these quick pickles are ready almost instantly thanks to the fast work of a hot vinegar brine. Props styled by Megan Hedgpeth. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh, The New York Times)
By Sohla El-Waylly
Relative to salt brine pickles, which rely on lactic acid fermentation for their funk, these quick pickles are ready almost instantly thanks to the fast work of a hot vinegar brine. Dry toasting the spices before adding them to the brine amps up their peppery and citrusy aromas, while sprigs of fresh dill offer that classic pickle flavor. For the crispiest pickle, seek out squat Kirby cucumbers, whose thick skins allow the spears to stay snappy for weeks. Serve alongside sandwiches, barbecue, fried chicken or any meal that could use a refreshing, salty bite.
Yield: 1 quart
Total time: 4 3/4 hours
Ingredients
1 pound Kirby cucumbers
2 sprigs fresh dill
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal (or 1 1/2 tablespoons fine salt)
Preparation
1. Trim the stem ends of the cucumbers, then cut lengthwise into spears. Snugly pack the cucumber spears, dill sprigs and garlic clove into a 1-quart glass jar with a lid (it will be a very tight fit).
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, toast the coriander, mustard seeds and peppercorns until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup water, the vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer, then pour over the cucumbers.
3. Seal the jar and let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before refrigerating. Chill at least 4 hours before serving or allow the flavor to fully mature for 3 days. Store refrigerated for up to 1 month.
Recipe: Hot-Mustard Gravy
By Sohla El-Waylly
This perky gravy gets its kick from a generous dollop of hot mustard swirled in at the end. To keep the mustard flavor at the forefront, use a lighter-bodied boxed broth and neutral oil, rather than the gelatinous bone broth and rich butter found in most traditional gravy recipes. Deeply browned, almost blackened bits of shallot add a savory, aromatic backbone, while seasoning with plenty of salt lets the mustard pop.
Yield: 1 quart
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
6 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
Salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 cup prepared hot mustard (preferably Colman’s)
Preparation
1. Combine the oil, shallot and a big pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot just begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the flour and cook, whisking often, until the resulting roux is a pale blond and the shallot are deeply browned, 2 to 3 minutes (the shallot will be very dark, don’t fret).
3. Add the broth, a small splash at a time, thoroughly whisking after each addition to ensure there are no lumps. Once half the broth has been carefully incorporated, add the remaining broth and the turmeric and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Whisk in mustard then taste, adding more salt as needed to ensure the mustard flavor comes through. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer (discard the solids) and serve. (The gravy can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and rewarmed over medium heat.)
Recipe: Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes
By Sohla El-Waylly
Double the potatoes, double the fun: Creamy Yukon Gold potatoes are studded with tender bites of skin-on red bliss potatoes in this texture lovers’ mash. The tanginess of sour cream coupled with the grassy bite of scallions keeps things light and fresh, making this an ideal side for richer dishes, like fried chicken and steak (and also welcome at any sweltering summer dinner).
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Total time: About 1 hour
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
2 pounds red skin potatoes
Salt, to taste
16 ounces/454 grams sour cream
1/2 to 1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon onion powder
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 scallions, sliced
Preparation
1. Fill a large pot with cool tap water. Peel the Yukon Gold potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces, transferring to the pot as you work to prevent them from browning. Cut the red skin potatoes into 1-inch pieces, leaving the skin on, and transfer to the pot. Season very generously with salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot over low heat. Allow the potatoes to steam in the hot pot, tossing occasionally to drive away any excess moisture, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, 1/2 cup milk, onion powder and lots of pepper. Use a potato masher to roughly break up the potatoes, then switch to a spatula to stir well (you want some lumps). Add more milk if needed. Taste and add salt as needed. Add the scallions, reserving a small handful for garnish, and stir well to combine. Taste and add more salt as needed. Top with reserved scallions and serve right away.
Tips
If making in advance, store refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the scallions just before serving.
Recipe: Crushed Green Bean Salad With Cranberry
By Sohla El-Waylly
No Thanksgiving meal is complete without a green bean moment, and with this make-ahead, no-cook dish, you can certify that it’s a fresh and bright one. Smashed and salted green beans become crisp-tender after a chill in the fridge, ready to soak up all the tangy cranberry dressing. A combination of vinegar and lemon juice in the dressing brings layers of acidity that bounce on your tongue. Just before serving, the dressed beans are piled high between lettuce leaves and crowned with fried onions.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: 6 hours 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound green beans, trimmed
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup cranberry sauce, any kind
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 heads Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated or 1 head romaine torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup prepared fried onions (such as French’s)
Preparation
1. Working in 2 batches, place a big handful of beans in a large resealable bag, then press out any excess air and close the bag. With a rolling pin, whack the beans, breaking them into pieces and splitting them open without fully smashing them. Dump them into a large bowl. Generously season the crushed beans with salt, tossing to evenly combine (they should taste well seasoned at this point). Return the beans to the bag and chill in the fridge at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
2. In a medium jar or lidded container, combine cranberry sauce, vinegar, shallots, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and a couple big pinches of salt. Cover and shake well to combine. Chill in the fridge at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
3. When ready to serve, add lemon juice and olive oil to the dressing. Cover container and shake to combine. Add the dressing and cranberries to the bag of beans, seal the bag, and toss to thoroughly coat the beans in the dressing. Arrange a layer Little Gem leaves onto a serving platter, top with some of the dressed beans, then repeat layering until you’ve used up all the lettuce and beans. Shower with fried onions. Serve right away.
Recipe: Cheddar-Smothered Sweet Potatoes
By Sohla El-Waylly
Even before getting cozy under a cheddar blanket, these sweet potatoes are packed with flavor. They’re tossed with butter, coated in spices, then placed in the oven without preheating. This allows them to warm up slowly, maximizing their sweetness and creamy texture. The tender sweet potato halves are then smothered in a thick, garlicky cheddar sauce before broiling until bubbly and barely blackened. Serve as a side on your holiday table or as a main with a simple salad alongside.
Yield: 4 to 8 servings
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 1/2 cups whole milk
8 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
Hot sauce (such as Louisiana), to serve
Preparation
1. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and place in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the melted butter over the sweet potatoes (reserve the saucepan with the remaining butter), season generously with salt, and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle with the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne, and toss to evenly coat.
2. Arrange the sweet potatoes, cut side up, in a baking dish or skillet large enough to fit them snugly in one layer. Cover and put in the center of the oven, then heat the oven to 425 degrees and roast until tender, 40 to 55 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, when the potatoes are almost done roasting, place the saucepan with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium, add the flour and cook, whisking frequently, until foamy and pale, 2 minutes.
4. Add the milk, a small splash at a time, thoroughly whisking after each addition to ensure there are no lumps. Once half the milk has been carefully incorporated, add the remaining milk and simmer, whisking frequently, until the sauce no longer tastes floury, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Remove from heat, add the cheese, and stir vigorously until smooth and stretchy.
5. Adjust an oven rack so that it’s about 6 inches below the broiler heat source and heat the broiler on high. Drape the sauce over the sweet potatoes then broil until bubbly and barely blackened. Serve with lashings of hot sauce.
Tips
Make the cheese sauce up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate in an airtight container. Roast the potatoes up to 1 day in advance and store tightly wrapped in the fridge. To serve, reheat the potatoes in the oven and the sauce on the stovetop before smothering and broiling.
Recipe: Pumpkin Pecan Sheet Cake
By Sohla El-Waylly
Can’t decide which pie to bake this holiday? Take dessert in a different direction with this spiced pumpkin cake slathered in brown sugar caramel and showered with toasted pecans. This cake owes its pillowy texture to a lush, mayonnaise-like base made by slowly streaming oil into long-whipped, room-temperature eggs. The addition of corn syrup ensures the cake stays moist for days; there is no substitute for it. To keep the topping gooey, don’t stir it once off the heat. Excessive stirring will cause it to crystallize and set with a brittle texture.
Yield: 1 (9- by-13-inch) cake, 12 to 24 servings
Total time: 1 1/4 hours, plus cooling
Ingredients
For the Cake:
3/4 cup/150 grams vegetable or canola oil, plus more for greasing pan
2½ cups/300 grams all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large eggs, room temperature (see Tip)
3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar
1/2 cup/108 grams packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons/58 grams corn syrup
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
For the Topping:
1 cup/213 grams packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/3 cup/104 grams corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
2 cups/200 grams toasted pecans, coarsely chopped (see Tip)
Flaky salt
Preparation
1. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch pan and line the bottom and two long sides with a sling of parchment. Set the rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees.
2. Pour the oil into a measuring cup with a spout. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup on high until pale yellow, thickened and the mixture momentarily holds the trails left from the whisk, about 5 minutes (or 8 to 10 minutes if using a hand mixer). With the mixer running (still on high speed), very slowly stream in the oil.
4. Add half the flour mixture and, using a flexible spatula, fold into the egg mixture by gently scooping up some of the mixture from the bottom and folding it over the flour mixture on the top, rotating the bowl and repeating until barely combined. Add half the pumpkin and fold until evenly combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and pumpkin. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula or the back of the spoon to evenly spread into the pan. Firmly tap the pan against the counter to knock out any large bubbles.
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5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes in a metal cake pan or 30 to 35 minutes in a glass baking dish.
6. When the cake has finished baking, make the topping: In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Cook on medium-high heat while stirring occasionally until the mixture vigorously bubbles and swells in the pot, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and let sit undisturbed until slightly cooled and the bubbling subsides, about 3 minutes. Pour over the hot cake, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to evenly spread. Sprinkle over the pecans and salt. Cool fully in the pan, at least 1 hour, before serving. Run a knife along the edges of the pan then use the parchment to lift the cake out of the pan. (Once glazed, the cake will keep tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Tips
To quickly bring cold eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl and cover with hot tap water for 15 minutes.
To toast the pecans, spread them onto a sheet tray and bake at 350 degrees until deeply roasted, 10 to 12 minutes.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.