Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set the prepared dish aside while you assemble the batter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, white sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger until evenly combined. Add the canned pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix with a spatula until smooth and fully incorporated. The batter will be quite thick. Spread this batter evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking dish. I find it helps to use a spatula dipped in a little water to smooth out the sticky batter.

In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in the baking dish to create a sweet spiced topping.

Carefully and evenly pour the hot water over the entire batter and cinnamon sugar mixture in the baking dish. Do not stir. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. You will notice the cake rises to the top while a delicious caramel sauce forms at the bottom. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. For an extra warm and gooey sauce, I like to serve it just after this short cooling time.

Scoop portions of the warm pumpkin cake with caramel sauce into bowls. Optionally, top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of chocolate chips for an indulgent treat. Enjoy!