Pumpkin Spice Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Preheat oven to 350*

Cake:

1 15oz can pumpkin

1 1/2 c sugar (I use unrefined cane sugar)

1/4 c molasses

1/2 c oil

3/4 c applesauce (unsweetened)

4 lg eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

1 1/2 c flour

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

(OR

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c buttermilk

Glaze:

1/2 c buttermilk

1/3 c sugar (unrefined cane sugar or maple syrup)

3 tsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

Grease and flour tube or bunt pan thoroughly. Spread canned pumpkin over 2 layers of paper towel and cover with additional 2 layers of paper towel, let stand until needed. In mixing bowl cream butter, sugar and molasses for about 2 minutes.

Add eggs 1 at a time and mix well after each addition. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla. In a small bowl combine and mix flour (don't overpack your flour when measuring) baking powder and soda, salt and spices. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter until incorperated.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for approx. 55 minutes... I like to take it out when I can smell it and it is done being "jiggley". ; )

Cool for a couple minutes, remove from pan and then cool on wire rack until you can't stand it anymore and you have to glaze and eat it. (About 20 minutes in my house.)

For the glaze:

Stir together all the glaze ingredients in a small pan. (Will be lumpy at first.) Over medium heat, wisk together until glaze comes to a boil, cook 1 minute more or until thick. Drizzzle cake with glaze.

YUMMMM! Enjoy!

All photos by Sheamus Vaughan-Warde