Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Snow White Glaze (Porterfield)

This is the cake you need for every fall holiday - it is a big, attractive Bundt, with a moist crumb and lightly spiced, not-too-sweet flavour. The pumpkin and oil keep the cake fresh even in high, dry mountain air. Topped with a white icing glaze and walnuts, it makes a gala presentation and at every altitude it won high praise from taste-testers of all ages.

Pumpkin Bundt:
3⅓ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached, sifted
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground allspice or mace
⅛ tsp. ground cloves
1½ cups granulated sugar
1¼ cups dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup Canola or light olive oil
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin
⅔ cup orange juice or milk or buttermilk

Glaze:
1½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp. pure honey
1 scant pinch sea salt
2-3 drops lemon juice, freshly squeezed
¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp. milk or cream, or as needed

Garnish:
¼ cups walnuts, chopped

Pan Preparation:
Generously coat the pan with butter-flavour nonstick vegetable spray or solid shortening, dust with flour and tap out the excess flour.

Make the Pumpkin Bundt:
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Position rack in lower third of oven.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder (if using), baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

Add the granulated sugar to the large bowl of an electric mixer and crumble in the dark brown sugar, breaking up any clumps with your fingers. Add the oil and 2 eggs and beat until blended, then beat in the remaining eggs and the pumpkin. Scrape down the bowl and beater.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, alternately add the juice or milk (or buttermilk if using) and the dry ingredients. When everything is blended, scrape down the bowl, then beat a few seconds longer until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 65-70 minutes (or for the time indicated for your altitude in the chart) or until the cake has risen, is springy to the touch and is cracked on top and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool the cake in its pan on a rack for 20-25 minutes.

Slide a knife around the pan sides and the top of the tube to release the cake. Top the cake with a foil-covered cardboard cake disk or a flat plate, invert and lift off the pan. Peel off the paper, if you used it. Cool the cake completely.

Make the Glaze:
Once the cake has cooled, whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze until smooth and creamy. Add a drop more of milk if necessary. The glaze should have a soft, just slightly runny (but not liquefied) consistency. Spread the glaze on the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. While the glaze is still soft, sprinkle on the nuts, if desired. The glaze hardens as it dries.

Makes one 10" Bundt or tube cake; 10-14 servings.

Variations:

• For a vanilla-flavoured glaze, add 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract.
• For a maple flavoured glaze, add ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract and ½ tsp. pure maple extract.