Pumpkin Spice Cake with Bourbon-Orange Glaze

Enlarge Image Image Gallery This not-too-sweet dessert is also terrific for breakfast or with afternoon tea. Photo By Joe Lavine

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Bourbon-Orange Glaze 
Serves 6 

This not-too-sweet dessert is also terrific for breakfast or with afternoon tea. You can substitute canned pumpkin for the puree, but it’s not likely to be local.

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups lightly packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons bourbon, divided
1 1/4 cups cooked, pureed, strained pumpkin*
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup local honey (or brown rice syrup)
Juice from 1 orange
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (orange part only)
1 cup heavy cream (optional)

*Making your own pumpkin puree is easy: Simply boil or steam pumpkin chunks, puree in a food processor or blender and strain through a sieve.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

2. Cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg yolks (reserving whites) and 1 tablespoon bourbon and beat until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin and beat until blended. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix until just blended; do not overmix.

4. In a clean electric mixer bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add to pumpkin mixture and fold in gently; do not overmix.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan and place in center of oven. Bake 50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean.

6. Meanwhile, make bourbon-orange glaze: In a small bowl, mix honey (or syrup) with orange juice, orange zest and remaining 1 tablespoon bourbon. Set aside.

7. Let cake cool for 15 minutes, then unmold. Carefully turn cake over. While cake is still warm, poke about 20 holes all over top and drizzle with bourbon-orange glaze. Cool before slicing.

8. If desired, beat cream on high speed until peaks form. To serve, place a cake slice on each dessert plate and garnish with orange zest and a mound of whipped cream.

Read the original article, "Locavore's Delight: Local Recipes for Winter."