Taking in the aroma of turkey and pumpkin

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Icing and Maple Drizzled Pecans

FALL IS A BUSY time of year for the Never Enough Thyme kitchen – the bakers and cooks are dueling for oven space, and the kitchen smells amazing.

Holiday turkey pot pie is a special edition this time of year – turkey, stuffing and gravy all in one dish. Thanksgiving is a tradition, a celebration of letting go of summer and welcoming the fall harvest. The falling leaves lead to embracing sweaters, pumpkin spice and comfort foods.

Right now, everything is pumpkin. Happy Thanksgiving!

4 large eggs 1-1/4 cups white sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 14 oz. pumpkin 2 cup flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger

Cream cheese icing: 1/4 lb softened butter 8 oz cream cheese 1 kg. of icing sugar 2 tsp. lemon juice 2 Tbsp. whipping cream 1 tsp. vanilla

Maple pecans: 2 Tbsp. maple syrup 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup pecans

Whip together eggs, sugar and pour in vegetable oil, whip until combined.

Add pumpkin and combine together.

Follow with dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger. Mix together, but don’t over-mix. Prepare three 8” pans by greasing with butter and add a circle of parchment cut to fit the pan. Spread the batter in the pan evenly in the three pans and bake at 350 F for approximately 15- 20 minutes. Once a toothpick comes out clean pull out of oven and cool.

Pecans: place on parchment-lined pie plate. Drizzle on maple syrup and cinnamon. Toast in oven for about 10 minutes at 350 F, until the syrup caramelizes.

For the icing, whip together softened cream cheese and butter together. Add icing sugar and slowly whip together. Add lemon juice, vanilla and whipping cream. Whip until light and fluffy.

Trim off the excess cake if a hump developed during the baking process. Place a layer of cake on the bottom. Layer on some icing, place another trimmed cake on top. Layer more icing and then the last layer of cake. Top with icing, smooth or textured, whichever speaks to you.

Garnish with maple drizzled pecans.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Never Enough Thyme Catering Inc. was created with one thought in mind ... to create more thyme! Enjoy our food shop, specialty cakes and catering. 83A Arthur St. S., Elmira. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.