Cranberries and canned pumpkin with a variety of spices make a fabulous cake. Choose from a crumb topping or a simple icing. This deliciously different cake is very easy to make.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours, 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces (1-1/2 cups) walnuts
- 12 ounces (2 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 3 cups sifted flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1 - one pound can (2 cups) solid-pack pumpkin
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 x 4-1/4-inch tube pan or two 9-inch layer cake pans.Wash and drain the cranberries if they are fresh.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the pumpkin, sugar, and oil until mixed. Add eggs. On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients, beating only unitl smooth. Fold in walnuts and cranberries. Pour into pans. Add crumb topping now (recipe below) or top with icing after baking. Bake for one hour and 10 mnutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool in pan(s) for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Top with icing.
Icing
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
few drops of water
In a bowl, mix all above with fork or whisk to desired consistency. Drizzle over cakes and (if desired) sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Crumb Topping (optional)
If a crumb topping is preferred to icing, before baking sprinkle top of batter with the following mixture:
1-1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups brown sugar
Pinch of salt
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Mix this all together to make damp crumbs.
Yield: 1 tube pan or two 9-inch cake pans
Recipe Source: The Inn at Thorn Hill, Jackson Village, New Hampshire
Reprinted with permission.
