Spiced Pumpkin Cake

The weather is starting to get cold and rainy and what better way to celebrate that fall is finally here than by baking something with pumpkin. My mom sent me a link associated with realsimple.com so I browsed the site and came across this cake recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Cake.

Spiced Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the pan
• 5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup whole milk (We have 1% in the fridge so that is what I used.)
  
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

I do not have a pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice at home so I made my own.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3 teaspoons ground allspice

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in air tight container. Of course you can add more of what you like or less. I added a bit more cinnamon because the allspice was a little strong for my liking.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. I used the wrapper from my butter to grease the pan. Instead of flour I sprinkled a sugar and cinnamon mixture. This is a trick I use when I make friendship bread. I figured it couldn't hurt because cinnamon and sugar taste way better than just plain flour.
   
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the pumpkin puree, milk, and molasses (the mixture may appear curdled). Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix). I will be honest here... I started to combine the wet ingredients when I noticed something wasn't looking right. It finally dawned on me that I forgot to cream the sugar and butter! I had put the eggs into only butter. After the eggs were in a gloppy mess with the butter I added the sugar and it was saved. Since the recipe warns it may appear curdled I figured it was ok. Can you imagine what it would have tasted like without the sugar? I don't even want to think about it.
   
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. It is a rather sticky, thick batter. I cooked it for about 57 minutes before taking it out to cool.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cake. Let set before serving. I've tried making glazes in the past and after this recipe, I've learned that I'd been adding too much liquid. Of course you can make it whatever consistency you like, but mine had always been a little on the thin side. But why a glaze you ask when cream cheese frosting is usually traditional? I am not a fan of cream cheese frostings and I like that a glaze is lighter and dairy free. The tartness cuts through the richness of the cake.
   I took the cake to a pot luck this evening and it was a hit! I brought the plate home empty, which is always my goal. It's an easy recipe that yields great results.