Pumpkin Cake

Another cake in the making.  Read this in Gourmet magazine in the Thanksgiving issue.  It is good.  If you like really sweet, this isn’t your cake or just add more sugar.  It’s a fall treat.

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking power
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. clove (or allspice)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid pack pumpkin (not the kind for pie filling but true pumpkin)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs

Heat oven to 350.  Spray the bundt pan thoroughly. 
In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (except the sugar).  In another bowl whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla.  With a kitchen aid or using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and butter (softened) until really fluffy.  It takes about 3 – 4 minutes.  Add in the eggs, beat another minute.  Now reduce the speed and add in the flour and pumpkin mixture.  Alternate each but start with the flour mixture and end with the flour mixture.  Pour into the bundt pan.  Bake about 45 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. 

Frosting: 

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
4 T. buttermilk

Whip up with a fork.  It is it too lumpy, add more buttermilk until smooth.  Pour over the cake after you have inverted it onto a plate.  Invert it after about cooling for 15 minutes so it is still warm.  The frosting will melt down the sides and harden later.