Pumpkin: More than Pie

Pumpkins are more than just blank slates for scary jack-o-lantern faces. Short, tall, fat, concave…pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes and, in the fall, the farmer’s fields and grocery stores are full of them. As much as possible, I try to make the most of what’s in season by buying seasonal fruits and vegetables. In the fall, I like to bake and cook with one of the most seasonal Fall fruit—the pumpkin.
One of my family’s favourite pumpkin recipes is Pumpkin Spice Cake, a cake that is moist, delicious and simple to make. Pumpkins are high in fibre and beta-carotene, making the cake higher in nutrition than most processed cakes. If I have enough time to make two cakes, I slice one up and freeze it in individual pieces for ready-made snacks. And, for those family members who aren’t fond of pumpkin pie, try taking one of these cakes for dessert for Thanksgiving dinner.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Icing

Makes 10 servings

You’ll Need

• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup fresh or canned pureed pumpkin
• ½ cup sunflower oil
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp each salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice
• ½ tsp baking powder

Brown Sugar Icing (optional)

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup light cream
• 1⅓ cup powdered sugar, sifted

Prep and Cook

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter and flour 9-inch square baking pan.
3. In large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin, oil and buttermilk until smooth.
4. Sift together flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and baking powder; sprinkle over pumpkin mixture and stir until blended.
5. Transfer batter to prepared cake pan.
6. Bake for about 35 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
7. Cool in pan on rack for at least 15 minutes before icing.
8. For icing, combine brown sugar, butter and cream in a heavy saucepan.
9. Cook over medium heat until icing boils, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
10. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.
11. Let cool until spreadable consistency and smooth over the top of the cake.

Good to Know: To make your own buttermilk, combine ½ cup milk and ½ Tbsp lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes. This cake can be made two days ahead, stored in the refrigerator and covered with a lid or plastic wrap.

What is your favourite pumpkin recipe?