Pumpkin Pound Cake

For those who love the flavors and aromas of autumn's best treats, this cake is for you.  Packed with delicious pumpkin puree, freshly grated orange zest, crystallized ginger and spices, my Pumpkin Pound Cake is certainly going to entice your palate in the coming weeks.  I don't know about you, but the moment I begin to feel change in the air as Fall approaches I must turn on my oven and get baking.  There's something so comforting this time of year about having a toasty kitchen redolent of sugar and spice.

I recently had the opportunity to recreate this delicious cake for a small event and I can assure you that it was a hit with guests.  Aside from the scrumptious attributes found in every slice, the pound cake is very easy to make as long as you have the ingredients in your kitchen.  I think the most difficult thing to do is choose which bundt pan will best suit your event.  In actuality, one doesn't need an event or special occasion to create this magnificent cake because it's the type of dessert that can get served with a cup of tea on any given afternoon.

A pound cake like this will keep for several days if it doesn't disappear after you've divvied up the first few slices.  It's perfect for the busy host or hostess who wants to get the baking done a day in advance of a special dinner.

Pumpkin Pound Cake is one of my favorite holiday treats.

Bake one now!   

Pumpkin Pound Cake Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups {365 gm} all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons {12.5 ml} baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon {1.25 ml} fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons {7.5 ml} ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon {5 ml} ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon {1.25 ml} ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon {1.25 ml} ground cloves
• 2 sticks or 16 tablespoons {226 gm} unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups packed {420 gm} light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon {15 ml} freshly grated orange zest, from one whole navel orange
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups {365 gm) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 4 tablespoons {40 gm} finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 cup {105 gm} coarsely chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
• 3/4 cup{225 gm} orange marmalade, for glaze

Equipment: 10-12 cup bundt pan or other tube pan.

Servings: 12-16 slices

1. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350° F (177°C).  Spray your bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and flour the pan; set it aside. 
2. In a bowl, whisk to combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves.  Keep this ready.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar and orange zest on medium speed until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Stop the machine and scrape down the bowl and paddle at least once.
4. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully emulsified.
5. On low speed add the pumpkin puree; mix well.
6. Add the reserved dry ingredients, along with the chopped crystallized ginger and chopped nuts.  Mix until combined and no flour is visible.
7. Pour the batter into your prepared bundt pan.  Smooth the top with a spatula.
8. Bake approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. 
9. Remove cake from oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Gently turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
10. Heat marmalade until liquefied, strain through a fine mesh sieve and brush liberally onto the cooled cake with a clean pastry brush.

Choose a nice cake pedestal and center the beautiful cake.  It can sit on your sideboard until dessert is served, and any leftovers will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature.

Pumpkin Pound Cake.  Perfect for Autumn.

Bake my pound cake in the coming weeks when you feel like bringing the best of Fall into your home. Serve it at your Thanksgiving dinner as part of a dessert assortment and let each guest determine how big of a slice they get.  Better yet, don't wait for Thanksgiving.  Bake one now just because you feel like it. 

Cheers!