In matters of taste can we- please- all agree?



Come together as united?



Ignore the over-marketing of "PUMPKIN SPICE"?



Prepare our taste buds for gluten-free maple pumpkin deliciousness?





YES?

Then what are you waiting for? W hip up this moist and tender beauty of a cake. One of our family's favorites- from the archives, back in our New England days. Here it is, plucked from the archives for your pumpkin spice loving pleasure.





Today it snowed. Our first snow of the season. After photographing the backyard oak and apple branches dusted in sugary white like some fairy confection I thought of James Taylor's line in his song, Sweet Baby James: "The Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting".

And I decided to bake a cake.



I tried to whistle my way back to the house, to pierce the soft silence that only snowfall can bring, but I am not gifted in whistling.



A crow swung low overhead and cawed, unimpressed with my feeble tune.









Karina's Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake Recipe

By Karina Allrich December 2005. This cinnamon laced pumpkin cake is so moist and delicious, you'll never believe it's gluten-free. (The recipe is inherently dairy-free- except for the frosting. See notes below to keep the icing GF/CF.)





Ingredients:





3 extra large organic free-range eggs

2 cups organic light brown sugar, not packed

1/2 cup oil (you pick your favorite)

1 15-oz can cooked pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie blend- just plain canned pumpkin)

2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

2 cups gluten-free flour mix* see notes

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon gluten-free Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt





Instructions:



Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 10 x 13" baking pan with greased parchment paper.





Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl till light and frothy; add the brown sugar, beat till smooth; add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat to combine.





In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the GF flour mix through sea salt). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture a little at a time and beat to combine- for two minutes.





Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.





Cool on a wire rack while you make your frosting.

Maple Cream Cheese Icing:

Ingredients:





8 oz. softened cream cheese or vegan cream cheese

3-4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter or vegan margarine

3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

3 cups GF powdered sugar (more, if needed)





Instructions:





Beat until the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time; beat till smooth. Add another tablespoon maple syrup, if needed. Add more sugar, if needed.





When the cake is cool, frost with the Maple Cream Cheese Icing. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired. For nut-free, skip the nuts.





Yields 15 pieces.





Store cake chilled. Wrap and freeze leftovers after 2 days for best taste and texture.





Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com



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My GF flour mix changes from recipe to recipe. For this cake I used my standard baking mix - 1 cup sorghum flour (or brown rice flour) + 1/2 cup buckwheat flour + 1/4 cup tapioca starch + 1/4 cup quinoa flour. Quinoa flour has a strong, nutty taste that compliments pumpkin and spice. Almond flour also works well instead of the quinoa flour. [See comments below for more discussion on baking with various flours.]In the beginning of my gluten-free journey- starting way back in 2001- I often used Pamela's Ultimate Baking & Pancake Mix as my all-purpose GF flour mix. It works well in this recipe. I used a simple vanilla icing, and sprinkled sweetened flaked coconut on top.To make sweets for future treats: This pumpkin cake freezes quite well. I place the whole frosted cake into the freezer for about 20 - 30 minutes before slicing and wrapping individual pieces (this chills the frosting a bit so it doesn't stick as you slice and wrap). I store the wrapped pieces in a zip-sealed freezer bag.To keep this scrumptious cake dairy-free use dairy-free frosting or vegan cream cheese and buttery spread, or organic coconut oil, or Spectrum Organic Shortening; and add an extra teaspoon or two of vanilla extract.Reader Christine reports she made this recipe as cupcakes- with much success. She said it took about 20 minutes for the cupcakes to bake.Enjoy sugary treats in moderation.