Pumpkin Ginger Cake

This recipe has been in my files for over 25 years. I enjoy the caramel sauce over ice cream on top of a warm slice of the ginger cake!

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE

• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 2⁄3 cup unsalted butter or 2⁄3 cup margarine
• 3⁄4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk
• 1⁄2 cup light molasses
• 3⁄4 cup  mashed  cooked pumpkin
• 1  egg

• FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine
• 1 1⁄4 cups brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the cake, in large bowl combine flour & sugar, then cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Stir in pecans.
4. Measure out 1 1/4 cups of crumb mixture, & press it evenly into the bottom of ungreased 9"x9" baking dish.
5. To the remaining crumb mixture, add last 9 cake ingredients, & mix well.
6. Pour evenly into crumb-lined baking dish, & bake 40-50 minutes or until toothpick in the middle comes out clean.
7. For the caramel sauce, in medium saucepan, melt butter, then stir in sugar & syrup.
8. Bring to boil, cooking & stirring constantly about 1 minute, or until sugar dissolves.
9. Stir in whipping cream, & bring to boil again.
10. Remove from heat, & let cool.
11. Serve over warm ginger cake.