To my American readers/supporters, Happy early Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Walnut Cake

Pumpkins have come to symbolize the autumn and holiday season here in North America, and this

cake is a tasty tribute to its colourful harvest; with a moist texture, subtle spiciness and the crunch

of walnuts.

Tips:

Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature for up to 1 week; and/or, overwrap in

heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

Note:

This recipe makes 16 servings in total, and makes a wonderful dessert or snack with your choice of

beverage, and toppings such as whipped cream, vanilla or caramel ice cream, or sauteed apples.

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter (or margarine, if preferred)

3 cups packed brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour (Robin Hood, or preferred brand)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. each of salt, ground nutmeg and cinnamon

1/2 tsp. each of ground ginger and cardamom

1/4 tsp. each of ground cloves and baking soda

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1 can pumpkin puree

Streusel:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup each of brown sugar and cubed cold butter (or margarine)

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup walnuts

Directions:

Grease bottom and side of 10 inch tube pan with removeable bottom and tube, line bottom

with parchment paper, set aside. In bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs well,

one at a time, then after each addition, beat in vanilla extract. In separate bowl, whisk together

flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and baking soda, then

stir in walnuts. Alternately, stir flour mixture and pumpkin puree into butter mixture, making 3

additions of flour mixture, and 2 additions of pumpkin puree. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Streusel: In small bowl, stir together flour, sugar and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 

knives, cut in butter until mixture clumps together. Stir in walnuts, then sprinkle nuts over

batter in pan. Bake on centre rack of pre-heated oven at 325 degrees F. until streusel is golden

brown, and cake tester/toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean, total baking time is 1 1/4

hours. Let cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes, loosen side of cake with knife; then holding

onto centre tube, lift cake from pan. Let cool completely on wire rack. Run knife around tube.

Using wide spatulas, gently lift out cake and peel off parchment paper. Lastly, enjoy this rich

and scrumptious dish at your leisure, until next time, keep on creating.