SPICED PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE

Happy Monday!! How was your weekend? I must say that my weekend was darn good. Just darn good! Outside of a workout, running a ton of errands, and practicing a little photography, I engaged in some much needed "Secret Single Behavior." My SSB consists of watching hours of cooking shows and really, really bad reality TV shows while eating chips, salsa, and cubed sharp cheddar cheese. I do that as I am posted on the couch wearing mismatched pajamas that are entirely too big and my hair up in a scrunchie. I love it. Needless to say, I am well rested today and feeling fine!! 

Occasionally I took breaks from my SSB to shower and make real food. I made this salad and this burrito bowl - both were delish! I also made that cake you see there... I couldn't let the fall go by without posting a pumpkin recipe. It just wouldn't be right. Last year, I made these pumpkin cupcakes, and this year I decided to make a pumpkin bundt cake. Bundt cakes are super easy to make and I wanted to make something easy that wouldn't keep me away from my SSB too long! Ha. This is a cake I would definitely take to a holiday party and maybe even eat for breakfast. It's really moist and incredibly flavorful. The pumpkin flavor has a little hint of spice from the ginger, but a lot of warmth from the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I almost made an icing for it, but once I tasted it, I realized the only thing it needed was just a dusting of powdered sugar. That.Is.It. So good...

Here is what you need and what to do:

via Martha Stewart

4 cups cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for bundt pan

2 1/2 cups light brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree

Confectioners sugar, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the two sticks of butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Butter a 14-cup bundt pan (I used this one. It is larger than the standard bundt pan!) using one of the wrappers from the butter. Rub the wrapper all around the pan and into the crevices of the pan. Flour the pan with a little cake flour (all-purpose flour is fine here, too). Shake out any excess flour. Set the pan aside. 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside. 

3. Add the brown sugar to the butter in the bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Be sure to mix well after each addition. After adding the last egg, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again to ensure that all of the ingredients are incorporated. 

4. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add in the flour mixture in 3 additions. Alternate with the buttermilk. Be sure to start an end with the flour. Beat until the ingredients are just combined. Add in the pumpkin puree and beat until combined. 

5. Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a cake tester (i.e. wooden skewer) comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, carefully turn the cake out onto the rack and let it cook completely. Right before serving, dust with confectioners sugar for garnish. Serve with a side of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Enjoy!

Images by me