Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Since most people know that I love to bake I've become some sort of clearinghouse for their unused/unwanted bakeware type stuff. While cleaning the garage the other day I came across a bundt pan that I didn't know I had. It seems like a nice quality pan, heavy with a nonstick finish and a simple but pretty design.

Funny, I've often thought it would be nice to have one!

Well of course after finding the pan I was dying to bake something in it and this being fall it was a given that it would be something pumpkin. I searched around a little bit and found a recipe but the pan sat on the counter for a few days before I finally got to it.

Since I didn't go to Tae Kwon Do tonight (shin splints, ouch!) I took the opportunity to bake one up and bless my sweet husband. The whole family loved it judging by all the "mmmmmm's" going on around the table. And the bonus was, my house smells great!

Here's the recipe in case you want to give it a try. If you don't have a bundt pan you can do the recipe in a 9x13 but you will need to reduce the baking time quite a bit. I would start checking at about 20-25 minutes depending on how hot your oven runs. The recipe is for a 12 cup bundt pan. A 9x13 pan will hold 14 and a 9x9 pan will hold ten. The other option is two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf pans. They each hold six cups so you will get two loaves.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake
3 large eggs
1 15-oz can pumpkin (not pie filling)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice
1 cup raisins*
1/2 - 1 cup chopped toasted nuts*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour or spray a Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 3 eggs,pumpkin, oil and water until smooth.

Add flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and spices. Mix well. Stir in raisins and nuts, if using.

Pour into pan, bake 65 - 75 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, let cool completely.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

*Now you know I always toast the nuts before I put them into anything! You don't have to but it's my preference. I skipped the raisins but you may like them. (Another little tip for you; when you're using raisins in a recipe soak them in the egg mixture for about an hour before you mix up your batter. This makes the raisins beautifully soft in your baked item. Once you try this you will never make an oatmeal cookie without soaking the raisins first! )

I actually made a powdered sugar glaze but I stirred in about 1/3 cup melted cinnamon chips. I found it got a bit coagulated because the glaze cooled the cinnamon chips before it could come together. Since I have my handy, dandy Vitamix blender I threw it in there and it was smooth as silk when it was done. I poured it right out of the blender onto the cake. Mmmmmmm....