I watch Deena draw on her pumpkin with a ballpoint pen. The swirling lines she's making don't look like anything yet, but I know they will. She never messes up.The pumpkin carving scene above reminded me that I will always prefer to eat a pumpkin rather than carve one. Maybe it's just because I'm more of a fatty than an artist. Tonight, I did something I've been meaning to do since Thanksgiving: I baked a pumpkin gingerbread loaf. I must say I'm quite pleased with the results; it came out splendidly moist with good spiced flavor.
"You're so good at things like this," I tell her.
She looks up quickly, like I have surprised her. "No," she says. "Not really."
--The Center of Everything, Laura Moriarty
At my sister's suggestion, I also made a glaze to go along with it. The glaze is optional, however; reserved for those who can get behind the phrase "the sweeter the better." It's also very fun to drizzle on top of the cake. I love drizzling! (...referring to glazes and sauces, not the weather, though that can be nice at times, too, I suppose.)
Glazed Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
For the loaf
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup melted butter (unsalted)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup pumpkin puree (1/2 of a 15-oz. can)
2 extra-large eggs
3 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cinnamon glaze
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 1/2 tsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 sprinkling of cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until they are well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 min.
Prepare the glaze while the loaf is baking. Whisk all glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the finished cake.
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