Pumpkin-Walnut Cake

It has been a long while since I posted anything but I have been taking photos of our meals as I prepare them the past few months. It's been a big project to get settled into our new home but it's finally looking pretty nice. My kitchen is my favorite spot of the house and I've been spending a lot of time in it. I love my stainless steel appliances, flat-top stove and the black granite countertops! I've been having a lot of fun decorating the kitchen, as well as the rest of the home.

This cake is wonderful for this time of year. Fall is my absolute favorite time, especially for food. I just love all the spices, squash, soups, and warmth of fall food. This recipe came from an Eating Well cookbook I picked up from the library. I added in the crystalized ginger to add more spice.

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 15-ounce can unseasoned pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped, toasted and divided
• 1/2 cup crystalized ginger, finely chopped

Caramel-Walnut Glaze

• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons butter

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan with cooking spray. Dust pan with flour, tilting to coat and tapping out the excess (or use cooking spray with flour).

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.

Combine eggs, egg white and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, orange juice, oil and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Set aside 2 tablespoons walnuts and ginger for the glaze and fold the rest into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

To prepare glaze & finish cake: Combine 3 tablespoons brown sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons walnuts and ginger.

Turn the cake out onto the rack; place the rack over a baking sheet. Drizzle the warm glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Transfer to a serving plate; spoon any glaze from the baking sheet over the cake. Let cool completely.