Food + Entertaining Editor Tamberlyn Dobrowski recently put together an exceptional menu for the perfect fall get-together featuring this recipe. This cake is so easy to make, and simply divine. Serve it with a small spoonful of vanilla ice cream drizzled with the butterscotch glaze.
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Ingredients
- For the cake:
1 cup neutral-flavored oil
½ cup melted butter
2 ¼ cups light brown sugar
15 ounce can pure pumpkin also sometimes called pumpkin puree
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs room temp
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- For the butterscotch sauce:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons scotch, optional
Directions
- For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Whisk together oil, butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs and whisk again until smooth.
- Sprinkle the spices, baking soda and salt over the top of the batter and whisk until smooth and no lumps of baking soda remain. Finally add the flour and whisk until it’s incorporated, and the batter is fairly smooth.
- Prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan by spraying it generously with baking spray (not cooking spray). Using a small piece of paper toweling, rub the baking spray into all the grooves and crevices, including the interior of the center tube. Spray the pan all over again very lightly.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 70 to 85 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean OR until the temperature in the center of the cake reads 200 to 210 degrees when checked with an instant thermometer. Checking the temperature is the best way to ensure that the cake is perfectly done.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
- Prepare the butterscotch glaze:
- Combine all glaze ingredients together in a medium-large (you want a fairly large bowl as the mixture will bubble up as it cooks), microwave-safe bowl and stir to combine. Microwave on high power for 2 minutes then stir well. Microwave another 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- To glaze the cake:
- After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, brush the top with the butterscotch glaze. Wait one minute, allowing the glaze to sink in then invert the cake onto a cooling rack.
- Slowly, brush the butterscotch glaze all over the cake, allowing it to sink in as you go. If, at any time the glaze seems thick and isn’t brushing smoothly onto the cake, add a bit more cream — just a teaspoon or two at a time to thin it out. You will end up with more butterscotch glaze than you need. I like to serve the cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, with a drizzle of extra butterscotch sauce.
- When the cake is nicely coated with the glaze, allow it to cool completely then transfer to a cake platter.
Notes
- The cake can be stored, covered for up to a day. It also freezes beautifully!
- If the extra butterscotch sauce seems too thick, you can add a little extra cream to thin it out. I like to rewarm it in the microwave before drizzling it over ice cream.
