Readers of my blog will remember when I said a few weeks ago that it was pumpkin time. Well, it definitely is. Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere. As far as the eye can see! Pumpkin is the universal symbol- and flavor- of autumn. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin Oreos… the thought of it makes me want to pull out my fuzzy knit socks and my favorite sweats and read a book. Because fall.

That’s how I feel about ginger too. It’s a fall and winter thing, for me.

I saw the original form of this cake in an e-mail from one of my favorite stores, Sur La Table. I decided to switch it up a bit, tweak it and bake it in a different way. The frosting I also changed completely, because I don’t like cream cheese frosting. So I made a vanilla maple buttercream-ish frosting instead.

I know it sounds like a lot going on- just like that apple pie, but I promise you it works beautifully and it is not “too much.” It’s a gorgeous cake that works perfectly for any fall Sunday dinner, or even Thanksgiving, but also just for your average cold fall weekend.

I made this cake twice. The first time I used a 1 1/2 qt. vintage glass Fire King baking dish  (this one actually) that was about 10″ x 6.” I just greased it lightly and skipped the parchment. The second time, I used this vintage loaf pan, but you can use any baking dish or pan that’s roughly the same size. It can be a little wider and shallower, square instead of rectangle, or even a little deeper… but regardless, you shouldn’t have to change the temperature. Just watch the time. You don’t want the cake to burn! Baking it as a loaf, it will take around 40 minutes to bake.

But both times it came out perfect- so don’t stress what kind of pan you use.

The cake can also very easily be made vegan: just take out the eggs and substitute with an egg replacer, flax seed or tofu. And you can use a vegan frosting option too. Although you can definitely serve it without frosting and it’s awesome, too.

SPICED GINGER WALNUT PUMPKIN CAKE 

Can be doubled, just use a much larger (18″ x 13″) pan

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (yes, it can be homemade!)
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1- 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger (*OPTIONAL, depending on taste)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour your pan, or line the pan with greased parchment. Beat the oil and the sugars together until well blended. Beat in the eggs, then the pumpkin.
2. Stir the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spice into the wet ingredients, then stir in the flour, beating gently to combine. Stir in 1 cup of the nuts and raisins/crystallized ginger.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for approximately 25 to 35 minutes (depending on your pan material and size), or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
4. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a rack to finish cooling; or leave it right in the pan, if you’ve lined the pan with parchment. Frost once completely cooled.

VANILLA MAPLE FROSTING

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softerned
• 2 – 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tablespoons best quality maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons milk or cream (If needed, for consistency)
• the “caviar” of one vanilla bean (split it open and scrape out the beans inside, that’s the caviar!) or a teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Beat butter and maple syrup together, then mix in the confectioners’ sugar (little by little) and vanilla bean caviar. Adjust the consistency of the frosting with milk/cream or confectioners’ sugar, if necessary; it should be nicely spreadable.
2. Frost cake, and sprinkle with remaining toasted walnuts.
3. Then just slice and serve!

*You can also use golden raisins in place of the ginger, if you wish.

I frosted mine when it was still slightly warm, so the frosting kind of melted and dribbled a bit. I like a softer frosting on loaf cakes, so it worked out.

Also, I would NOT skip toasting the walnuts! The toasty flavor really adds something, especially with the warmth of the ginger. It doesn’t take long to do, there’s really no need to skip it. You can even do it the day before. If you don’t like ginger, you can take it out and add golden raisins.

 And pssst…. it’s great warmed up for breakfast too!

Soundtrack: Loreena McKennit – “Mummer’s Dance”

Sources & Credits: Loaf pan; vintage.