If I Knew You Were Coming, I’d a Baked a Cake!

My grandmother lived on a farm in Wisconsin and she loved to bake! At least, I think she did since a part of every meal was a plate of fresh baked bread. It always seemed odd to me since I thought bread was just something you used to make sandwiches or maybe toast in the morning. All it took was a slice of my grandmother’s bread with fresh butter and you never looked at bread the same way.

She made white bread, nothing fancy, I don’t even remember what else we had for lunch. All I know is, I never left the table hungry and I never looked at bread the same way.

There were eight kids and when we visited my grandmother, my mom would load us all into the car, (including my grandmother) and we would make the trek to my great aunt’s house. She lived a couple of miles away and we looked forward to seeing her because, like my grandmother, she liked to bake. My great aunt didn’t have any children but she knew what it took to make us happy! When she knew we were coming she always baked a cake! Sometimes it would be a double layer cake iced in a sweet, light, decadent frosting or a simple 9x13 sheet cake with chocolate icing that oozed over the sides. All I know is that she was my favorite aunt and I fell in love with cake!

This is a recipe I modified from a recipe in a magazine. I added a few more eggs and a lot more spice and then topped it with a lighter version of cream cheese icing. Anyway. ……..I’ve made it twice now and it turned out delicious. I tried it at my last family get together and I certainly will be making it again.  

  Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

1 cup flour

1¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon allspice

⅛ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 eggs separated plus 5 egg whites, room temperature

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

In a large bowl combine flour, ¾ cup sugar, spices, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl combine egg yolks and pumpkin. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture.  

In an electric mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment beat egg whites until foamy, about 2 minutes.

Gradually add ½ cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Increase speed to high and continue to mix until stiff peaks form. 1-2 more minutes.

Fold the ¼ of the egg white mixture into the pumpkin mixture, folding with a rubber spatula, just until no streaks remain. Repeat with remaining egg white mixture. Pour batter into 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom.  Bake until toothpick inserted in bottom comes out clean, 55 minutes.cool for 5 minutes and then invert pan onto narrow necked bottle and allow to hang upside down until completely cooled, about 1 hour. Place cake right side up and remove pan. Frost with Spiced Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.

Spiced Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream

6 oz cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup toasted pecan pieces

½ cup caramel ice cream topping

In a small bowl whip cream until stiff peaks form

In another bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, salt and spices.

Fold whipped cream into cream cheese until combined.Frost sides and top of cake. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle cake with caramel ice cream topping