It is the time of the year for pumpkins. If you have some pumpkin fresh or frozen you need to use up, pumpkin spice cake is a delicious way to do it--one of my favourites, anyway. When I was a girl, I often asked for pumpkin cake instead of chocolate for my birthday! Odd, I know.
I recently made up this recipe, which comes from a very old magazine clipping of my mom's. I'm not sure if it is the recipe she used to make for me, but it was very good, rich, moist and spicy. And I only used canned pumpkin! Some day, I'll have a garden of my own and I'll be able to use my own pumpkins for baking. For now though, canned is all right.
Pumpkin Spice Cake.
4 eggs, room temperature
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups of pureed pumpkin (I used more like 2 1/2 cups)
Pecan or walnut halves
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
2. With an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in oil and pumpkin and blend well.
3. At low speed, beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
4. Pour into a greased 9 inch tube pan. Bake about 1 hour, or until surface springs back when gently pressed.
5. Cool cake in pan. Remove to a plate, and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Decorate with nuts.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup cream cheese (6 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 to 3 cups icing sugar
1. In medium bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cheese with vanilla until creamy.
2. Gradually beat in sugar until desired consistency is reached.
3. Spread over cake, making swirls with a knife.
I think this would make a perfect dessert for Thanksgiving. (Our Thanksgiving was done over a month ago, but I know the American one is still coming up!)
Hi Laura,
This is almost the exact recipe I have been making - it is amazing!
Hope you are well,
Warm wishes,
Tonya
Posted by: Plain and Joyful Living | November 15, 2011 at 04:38 PM
What a beautiful cake. Thank you for sharing the recipe, it sounds really good.
Posted by: Leslie | November 15, 2011 at 05:48 PM
Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Posted by: Sarah | November 15, 2011 at 07:19 PM
I love pumpkin anything, sweet or savory. I think I might celebrate the American thanksgiving too this year as I just can't sqeeze enough cinnamon and sage into day to day life. :)
Posted by: Shannon | November 16, 2011 at 05:17 PM
I've been wanting to try this cozy recipe since you posted it. I finally cooked a pumpkin yesterday and made the cake with the help of my eldest. It is sooo good, and went perfect with a cup of tea and the season's first seed catalogue! I'll be hanging on to your recipe.
Posted by: Leah | November 26, 2011 at 08:00 AM