Pumpkin Pecan Cake With Ginger Whipped Cream

I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit! This cake is almost like gingerbread, with a firm texture and so fragrant; but the pumpkin flavor definitely comes through! This recipe is from Bon Appetit Magazine, November, 1990. It indicates 12 servings, but you can easily cut 16 - 18 slices. This cake is large, and you can freeze leftover slices. Allow yourself about 50 minutes to an hour for prep time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 16-18

Ingredients

• spiced cake

• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  cup unsalted butter (2 Sticks)
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar, Firmly Packed
• 4  large eggs, Room Temperature
• 1 2⁄3 cups  solid-pack canned pumpkin
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 1⁄4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 2  tablespoons dark rum
• 1 1⁄2 cups pecans, Coarsely Chopped and Toasted (about 6 ounces)
• 1⁄2 cup crystallized ginger, minced (I purchase crystallized ginger at our local food co-op.)
•  powdered sugar

• ginger whipped cream

• 1  cup  chilled  whipping cream
• 1⁄4 cup sour cream
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. You will need: Non-stick Vegetable Oil Spray, about a tablespoon of butter, a 12-Cup Bundt/Tube Pan, and an Electric Mixer with 4-Quart Bowl.
2. Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray 12-cup tube pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Generously butter pan. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess.
3. For the SPICED CAKE, mix 3 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in medium bowl.
4. Using electric mixer, cream butter with both sugars in large bowl until very light and fluffy. (I used my electric stand mixer with a 4-quart glass bowl).
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Beat in pumpkin, sour cream, molasses and rum.
7. Mix in dry ingredients, toasted pecans and minced crystallized ginger. (I added the pecans at the very end, hand-stirring them in.).
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, gently spreading evenly towards sides and around center. Batter will be thick.
9. Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
10. Cool cake 15 minutes in pan on rack. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. (Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.).
11. Sift powdered sugar over top of cake. Serve with Ginger Whipped Cream.
12. For the GINGER WHIPPED CREAM, use electric mixer, beat whipping cream, sour cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl to soft peaks.
13. Add rum and ground ginger and beat until almost stiff. (Can be prepared 5 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.).
14. Hint #1: Toasting Nuts: I used a non-stick skillet. Turn on heat medium-high until pan is hot. Spread chopped pecans in single layer in pan and heat until their fragrance releases and they start to turn golden and brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.