It’s still feed a cold, feed a fever time, and since I’m planning the Thanksgiving meal right now, I thought I’d see how an old standby would make it as a cake. I’ve done a variation on this as a pumpkin bread for years but thought it might make it as a cake.  It did!  There is just no such thing as too many desserts on Thanksgiving, no matter what Victor says as I pull out ingredients for yet another pie, tart, torte, or whatever…

I made this in a tube pan but I think it would also work as a layer cake – with maybe a maple cream cheese icing.  Maybe with chopped or crushed walnuts on top.  If I make it for Thanksgiving it will definitely be as shown, though.

I also like using fresh cranberries in this.  They add a nice tartness that the dried berries lack.  Besides, they’re pretty. I also used my roasted pumpkin puree instead of canned but one can of good pumpkin will work.

Cranberry Pumpkin Cake

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 bag fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a tube pan.

Mix pumpkin, sugar, water, eggs, and oil. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices being careful not to overmix. Stir in cranberries and pour batter into pan, spreading evenly.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and completely cool on rack. Top with powdered sugar.

It’s definitely a keeper!