Pumpkin Pound Cake with Praline Glaze
Every year around this time, I get the urge to experiment with canned pumpkin. I like working it into both savory and sweet dishes. This year, I took the dessert route and ended up cranking out this Pumpkin Pound Cake. In true pound cake fashion, this version is dense and subtlety sweet. Those are the two things I love most about pound cakes. I did, however, drain the pumpkin first because I was afraid the cake might otherwise end up too firm. The texture turned out perfect as did the seasonally spiced flavor. And for those of you who believe dessert is not dessert unless it’s uber-sweet, there’s the New Orleans-inspired Praline Glaze. Local lagniappe that’s also delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream.
Pumpkin Pound Cake with Praline Glaze Recipe
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3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Praline Glaze, see recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. Spread pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towels. Cover with 2 more paper towels and let sit for 10 minutes (draining pumpkin keeps cake from being too heavy). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add both sugars, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add drained pumpkin and vanilla; beat until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Transfer to a serving platter, top with glaze and serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 10-12 servings.
Praline Glaze
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1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a small saucepan over low heat combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Cook stirring frequently until smooth and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour over cooled cake or serve on the side. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
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