diff --git a/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb b/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
index 66161a2..7752cf7 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/core/model.rb
@@ -519,17 +519,14 @@ module CouchRest
       self.class.casts.each do |k,v|
         next unless self[k]
         target = v[:as]
+        v[:send] ||= 'new'
         if target.is_a?(Array)
           klass = ::Extlib::Inflection.constantize(target[0])
           self[k] = self[k].collect do |value|
-            klass == Time ? Time.parse(value) : klass.new(value)
+            klass.send(v[:send], value)
           end
         else
-          self[k] = if target == 'Time'
-            Time.parse(self[k])
-          else
-            ::Extlib::Inflection.constantize(target).new(self[k])
-          end
+          self[k] = ::Extlib::Inflection.constantize(target).send(v[:send], self[k])
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
index ff12544..58a57bc 100644
--- a/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/couchrest/core/model_spec.rb
@@ -89,6 +89,12 @@ class Player < CouchRest::Model
   timestamps!
 end
 
+class Event < CouchRest::Model
+  key_accessor :subject, :occurs_at
+
+  cast :occurs_at, :as => 'Time', :send => 'parse'
+end
+
 describe "save bug" do
   before(:each) do
     CouchRest::Model.default_database = reset_test_db!
@@ -322,6 +328,18 @@ describe CouchRest::Model do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "cast keys to any type" do
+    before(:all) do
+      event_doc = { :subject => "Some event", :occurs_at => Time.now }
+      e = Event.database.save event_doc
+
+      @event = Event.get e['id']
+    end
+    it "should cast created_at to Time" do
+      @event['occurs_at'].should be_an_instance_of(Time)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "saving a model" do
     before(:all) do
       @obj = Basic.new