Pumpkin cake is so good that I remember the date that I had my first piece.  It was October 24, 1989…just a few weeks into my life as a newlywed.  My husband’s grandmother, Dear, sent 2 pieces for each of us.  Me, being a lover of sweets but, not a lover of pumpkin, didn’t think much of it’s initial look.  It was a dark piece of bundt cake with a damp glaze.  But, because she was such a good cook, I really couldn’t imagine that it would be bad.  Plus, my husband was so excited about this cake of his childhood, I had to give it a try.  Well, it was so good that while eating the first piece, I was thinking about eating the second piece!

I have several tips for this cake…
Make the buttermilk glaze while the cake is baking.  It needs to be ready as soon as the cake comes out of the oven.
This cake is best when it is prepared a day ahead of serving.
Prepare the Cinnamon Whipped Cream when ready to serve.  Whipped cream can easily absorb other flavors from your refrigerator…You don’t want whipped cream that has an essence of onion & celery(YIKES!).

Dear’s Pumpkin Cake with Buttermilk Glaze
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1-15oz. can pumpkin
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
butter or non-stick spray
Buttermilk Glaze, recipe follows
Cinnamon Whipped Cream, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside until ready to use.  In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix sugar and oil.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add pumpkin and spices and beat until completely incorporated.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, 1/3  at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour into a buttered tube/bundt cake pan.  Use butter or baker’s spray even if pan is non-stick.  Bake for 40 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 10 additional minutes.  Carefully shake cake to loosen from pan.  Spoon warm glaze onto bottom of the cake and immediately invert onto a plate or cake pedestal.  Continue spooning buttermilk glaze onto hot cake until it is completely covered in glaze.  Allow to cool and serve with  a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream and a sprinkle with cinnamon.

Buttermilk Glaze
1 cup sugar
2/3 cups buttermilk
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla

Place all ingredients, except vanilla, in a saucepan.  Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling.  Allow to boil for 7-8 minutes, until amber colored and slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.  Serve immediately with pumpkin cake.