Whole Wheat Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake

Rule number one at the Pumpkin Patch: You can choose any pumpkin you like, but you have to be able to carry it all by yourself! October means it's time to dig out all of my favorite pumpkin recipes. I won a blue ribbon at our county fair many years back for this Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake. I make it with whole wheat pastry flour, but all-purpose white flour works well too.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake

Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan (angel food cake pan), a bundt pan or two 9 x 5 loaf pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together:
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I grind my own from soft white wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
¾ teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

Add in and mix well:
½ cup molasses
1/3 cup honey

One at a time, beat in:
3 large eggs

Then mix in:
½ cup pumpkin puree (either canned or from one you have baked)
½ cup buttermilk

Gradually add in the flour mixture until there are no dry spots. Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 40 – 50 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then remove from pan(s) and finish cooling on a wire rack.