Pumpkin Spiced Up!
Leaves fluttering and spinning as I walk down the street. Burnt orange and crimson crunching under my feet. The nights are getting cold and blustery as we settle into our autumnal rhythms with shorter days that beg something a little warming.
“It’s pumpkin season,” I announce to my family. “Let’s make something pumpkin-y.”
My husband astutely opines: “If all the recipes for pumpkin pie and muffins used canned pumpkin puree, then it’s pumpkin season any time of year, no?”
It’s true that the fall is actually pumpkin growing season, but it’s also true that most of us are not making our own fresh purees. In addition to the effort, not all varieties of pumpkin offer the sweet, thick puree prized for baking that are used in canned pumpkins (some varietals are downright tasteless and watery).
Even more scandalous is the fact that the flavoring that most people associate with “pumpkin” isn’t really pumpkin at all, but rather pumpkin pie spice. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice scones, even pumpkin spice candles abound—we’ve become obsessed! This cozy blend is made with five spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Combined together, they offer a comforting culinary aromatherapy and accentuate the personality of an otherwise bland pumpkin or winter squash, sometimes without one at all!
I haven’t given up entirely on the seasonality of pumpkins in November. If I happen to find myself at a farm stand or farmer’s market, I keep my eye out for Sugar Pie, Baby Pam, or New England Pie Pumpkins, the quintessential baker’s choices, known for their sweet orange flesh. While fresh is always best, there may still be a chilly rainy day when something warming and fragrant begs to be made. And there, hidden behind the canned peas, is my ticket to a perfect slice of spiced cake with my pumpkin chai latte tea (hold the pumpkin!).
{Spiced Pumpkin Bread
A warming pumpkin gingerbread cake that is perfect with tea on cold nights or with your morning coffee!
Yield: 2 loaf cakes
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
4 eggs
2 cups pure pumpkin puree (14.5 oz. can)
1 cup milk or almond or oat milk to keep it parve
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional Glazes:
{Molasses-Bourbon Glaze (bold personality):
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons molasses
2 teaspoons bourbon whiskey
4-5 teaspoons water
{Cider Glaze (mild and sweet):
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line 2 (9 x 5 inch) loaf pans with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger in a large bowl; whisk to blend well. Set aside.
In a mixer, cream together oils, sugar, molasses, and eggs until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients mixture, alternating with milk and vanilla, blending until just smooth. Scrape down sides and mix once more; divide batter between pans and smooth tops.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven and transfer to rack to cool. Remove cakes from pans and continue to cool completely on rack.
Optional glazes: whisk together all ingredients. Drizzle glaze over cakes (allow time to set). n
Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer based in Woodmere, NY. She teaches classes throughout the country and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration. Her first cookbook, The Giving Table, was released in December 2022. Follow her at @naomirosscooks on Instagram/FB/TikTok or visit NaomiRossCooks.com.
